1. Grants Management Top Ten Qs 2009 Tribal EPA Conference EPA Region 9 Grants Management Office

2. Top 10 Questions on Grants Management -Topics- Payment Requests Payment Requests Rebudgeting Rebudgeting Cost Share / Match Cost Share / Match Procurement (contracts) Procurement (contracts) Indirect Costs (overhead) Indirect Costs (overhead) Grant Closeout Grant Closeout What’s New What’s New

3. REFERENCE Region 9’s 2009 Financial & Administrative Grants Management Handbook Grants Management Handbook

4. PAYMENTS (pgs 51-52) Q1: A) WHEN can we request payment from our grant and B) HOW do we get the money?

5. PAYMENTS (pgs 51-52) Answer Q1-A: WHEN can grantee request funds? Sign & return to EPA the official Notice of Award Sign & return to EPA the official Notice of Award Project period starts Project period starts No other restrictions under terms No other restrictions under terms & conditions of the award

6. PAYMENTS (pgs 51-52) Answer Q1-B: HOW does grantee request funds? The EPA Las Vegas Finance Center (LVFC) handles all grant payments. Refer to website: http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/finservices/payinfo.htm Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Complete & submit EFT enrollment form Complete & submit EFT enrollment form Complete & submit EPA Form 190-F-04-001 Complete & submit EPA Form 190-F-04-001 Funds are deposited within 3-5 business days

7. PAYMENTS (pgs 51-52) Answer Q1-B (con’t): Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) Secure internet-based system Secure internet-based system EPA sets up authorization EPA sets up authorization Grantee requests payment online Grantee requests payment online Payments deposited same or next day Payments deposited same or next day

8. REBUDGETING (pgs 53-56) Q2: What am I required to do, if anything, to make changes to the approved budget?

9. REBUDGETING (pgs 53-56) Answer Q2: Rebudgeting approval requirements vary Check terms & conditions of the award Check terms & conditions of the award Refer to Handbook Refer to Handbook When in doubt, always check with your EPA Project Officer and/or Grants Specialist When in doubt, always check with your EPA Project Officer and/or Grants Specialist before rebudgeting

10. COST SHARE/MATCH (pgs 12 & 58) Q3: My grant has a cost share requirement. What kind of supporting documentation is needed for the match portion of the grant?

11. COST SHARE/MATCH (pgs 12 & 58) Answer Q3: Grantee must maintain source documentation (records) for accounting purposes and, therefore, should track its match contributions similar to the way it tracks costs paid for by federal funds.

12. COST SHARE/MATCH (pgs 12 & 58) Answer Q3 (con’t): Examples for “in-kind” match Volunteers: sign in/out sheets similar to activity reports (timesheets) Volunteers: sign in/out sheets similar to activity reports (timesheets) Equipment use: current cost/price quotes on rent or lease of similar equipment Equipment use: current cost/price quotes on rent or lease of similar equipment Meeting facility or office space: current cost/ Meeting facility or office space: current cost/ price quotes on rent or lease of similar space (square footage) in the area

13. COST SHARE/MATCH (pgs 12 & 58) Q4: Our environmental consultant is volunteering his/her time as match toward the project. Is this okay?

14. COST SHARE/MATCH (pgs 12 & 58) Answer Q4: Match or “in-kind” contributions by contractors/ consultants are not recommended. Due to a variety of factors, especially the appearance of conflict of interest, such costs can be deemed as ineligible or unallowable during a review or audit.

15. PROCUREMENT (pgs 18-21) Q5: Our current consultant/contractor has been with us for a long time and s/he always produces quality work. So, we want to continue the contract as is under the new grant. Is this okay?

16. PROCUREMENT (pgs 18-21) Answer Q5: EPA’s procurement regulation require competition whenever feasible and grantees must follow their own policy/procedures. Grantees need to ensure their “ongoing” service contracts routinely undergo competition and/or cost/price analysis, as applicable.

17. INDIRECT COSTS (pgs 14-17) Q6: It seems like our office goes through the same drill every year when the EPA Grants Specialist asks us to send them revised budgets to take out indirect costs, because we don’t have a prior-year approved rate. Once we get a rate approved, we have to submit another revised budget. Why can’t EPA change the way they handle indirect cost so we don’t have to go through multiple budget revisions?

18. INDIRECT COSTS (pgs 14-17) Answer Q6: According to OMB A-87 (federal cost principles), applicants are not to budget indirect costs if they do not have a current approved indirect cost rate. To accommodate the needs of our applicants, Region 9 allows such costs in budgets using a prior-year rate. Grantees are encouraged to complete their annual Single Audits on time–thereby, allowing them to submit their indirect cost rate proposal on time to the National Business Center (NBC).

19. INDIRECT COSTS (pgs 14-17) Q7: Our current year’s indirect cost rate (ICR) hasn’t been approved yet. Since we have indirect costs budgeted in our grant, can we request payment using our last approved rate then make adjustments later?

20. INDIRECT COSTS (pgs 14-17) Answer Q7: Region 9 allows the applicant to budget indirect costs if it has an approved rate from the prior year. However, the term & condition of the award only allows the grantee to request payment if it has an approved ICR for the applicable funding period.

21. GRANT CLOSEOUT (pgs 62-63) Q8: Our grant has ended (expired). What do we need to submit to EPA in order to close out our grant?

22. GRANT CLOSEOUT (pgs 62-63) Answer Q8: Following are due to EPA within 90 days from the end of the project final Technical/Performance Report final Technical/Performance Report final Payment Request final Payment Request final Federal Financial Report (SF425) final Federal Financial Report (SF425) final Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Utilization Report (EPA Form 5700-52A) final Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Utilization Report (EPA Form 5700-52A)(http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/finservices/forms.htm)

23. GRANT CLOSEOUT (pgs 62-63) Q9: Our current year’s indirect cost rate (ICR) hasn’t been approved yet and our grant has ended (expired). What can we do to get reimbursed for indirect costs and close out the grant?

24. GRANT CLOSEOUT (pgs 62-63) Answer Q9: Contact the National Business Center (NBC) to check status of ICR Contact the National Business Center (NBC) to check status of ICR Contact your EPA Grants Specialist about feasibility of a one-time extension for submittal of the Contact your EPA Grants Specialist about feasibility of a one-time extension for submittal of the final Federal Financial Report

25. GRANT CLOSEOUT (pgs 57 & 63) Q10: What happens to the money we did not spend from our expired grant? Is there a way for us to get it back? Perhaps add it to our current grant for approved activities?

26. GRANT CLOSEOUT (pgs 57 & 63) Answer Q10: Remaining funds (as reflected on the final Federal Financial Report) are “deobligated” by LVFC. Depending on type of funds, they are either returned to Treasury (Congress) or returned (“recertified”) to the EPA Program Office to be used/spent on eligible activities.

27. What’s New Federal Financial Report (SF425) replaces the Financial Status Report (SF269) & Federal Cash Transaction Report (SF272) Federal Financial Report (SF425) replaces the Financial Status Report (SF269) & Federal Cash Transaction Report (SF272) Administrative grant conditions prohibiting Management Fees in budgets & Human Trafficking activities Administrative grant conditions prohibiting Management Fees in budgets & Human Trafficking activities Tribal Grants Management Manual & Tribal Grants Management Manual & Training available via NPETE