2011 NERAOC Conference1994 Life Cycle Pre/Post Awards

Presented by: Susan Bowman

Awards Management Division

with Dr.Germaine Daye,

Navajo Technical College

Request for Applications• National Program Leader (NPL)

develops Request for Applications (RFA)

• RFA is reviewed by Office of Grants and Financial Management (OGFM)

• RFA is posted at grants.gov

Request for Applications

• Grantee writes the proposal

• Solicit stakeholder input

• Develop objectives and budget

• Develop Evaluation Plan

• Submit application to grants.gov by DEADLINE

• All attachments must be PDF

National Program Leader (NPL)

• NPL Role

• Panel Selection

• Accepts proposal from grants.gov

• Recommends Award based on panel information

• Submits proposal to AMD

Post award Overview

• Budget Changes• No-Cost Extensions• Project Director and Key

Personnel Changes

• Release of Funds

All Post-Award Actions Require:

• A letter signed by the Authorized Representative (AR) and the Project Director

• Include the Award Number

All Post-Award Actions Require:

• The Intent of the Action(s) articulated in letter

Change in Scope

No-Cost Extension

Project Director Change

Release of Funds

Signatures

• Actions CANNOT be processed without signatures of the AR and the PD

• If requests are submitted without signatures, approval of action will be delayed

1994 INSTITUTE ‘S RESPONSIBLITY

Must have procedures in place to document the post award process

- Things to think about:• Who will initiate the request• Who will approve it at the institute• Who will send it to USDA/NIFA/AMD

NO-Cost Extension 1st Request

• Grantee has authority to extend the award under Research & Related Terms and Conditions

• NIFA must be notified at least 10 days before the award expires by the recipient

• Notification letter must be signed by AR and PD

• NIFA will update expiration date in our systems if appropriate

No-Cost Extension 2ND REQUEST

• A written request must be received no later than 30 days prior to the expiration date and should include– The length of additional time needed and a

justification– Summary of progress to date– Estimate of funds remaining unobligated– Time table to complete the portion that

prompted the extension– Signature of PD and the AR

No-Cost Extension 2nd REQUEST

• Most common issues in requesting a second No-cost extension– Summary of progress to date is missing

– No estimate of funds remaining or time table to complete the award

– The request is received after the award has expired

– Signature of PD and AR is missing

Project Director Change

• Letter indicating change• New PD’s Resume• New PD’s Current and Pending Support

Form including this project– The total amount of time can NOT exceed

100%

• New PD’s signature to concur their willingness to work on the project

• Signature of AR

Withhold/Release of Funds

• See the first provision on NIFA-Award Face Sheet, it states what information is needed to release your funds

• Call the administrative contact for clarification

• Signature of PD and AR on request to grant specialist to release funds

Send Post-Award Actions To:

• E-mail a PDF File to the Administrative Point of Contact on the award document

• Send a written request to: – USDA/NIFA/OEP/AMB

800 9TH Street, SW –STOP 2270

Washington, DC 20024• FAX: 202-401-6271, 202-401-3237 or 202-

401-1804

Draw Down Information

• Draw down funds regularly

• Draw down funds for that project only

• Draw downs after the 90 day period at the end of the award are not allowable

Draw Down Information, Cont’d

• If funds are drawn down late, remaining funds will be placed on manual review

• AMD must receive documentation (invoices) of expenses to justify the late draw down

• If expenses are unallowable, funds must be returned to NIFA

Method of Payment

• NIFA awards are now available through the Department of Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP)

• SF 425, Federal Financial Report captures the obligations and disbursements that occurred during the grant period.

Method of Payment/Financial Reports

• Annual reports should be submitted no later than 30 days after the end of the reporting period,

• Annual reports for continuation awards must be received before the next funding increment is issued

• Final financial reports are due within 90 days after the expiration of the award

• Financial reports should be sent to the Awards Management Division e-mail: awards@nifa.usda.gov

Technical Reports

• CRIS office will notify grantee by e-mail when a final technical report is due

• Annual report is due 90 days after the anniversary date

• Submit these reports in CRIS

CRIS web site: http://cris.usda.nifa.gov

Technical Reports

• Progress/annual reports for Continuation Awards are due 90 days prior to the anniversary date

– Anniversary date: One year following the project start date

• The next year of continuation funds will not be released if the annual progress report is not received.

Final Reports

• Final Technical Reports and Final Financial Reports are due 90 days after the Expiration Date

• Expiration Date: The date the award expires or is terminated

Helpful Web-sites

• USDA/NIFA Home Page: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/

• Cooperative Research Information Systems (CRIS) Home Page: http://cris.nifa.usda.gov/

• Terms and Conditions:http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardsterms.html

Program Points of Contact• Equity, Extension and Endowment Tim

Grosser 202-690-0402 tgrosser@nifa.usda.gov

• Research Programs: Saleia Afele-Faamuli 202-720-0384 sfaamuli@nifa.usda.gov

1994 Tribal Liaisons for AMB• Janet Schmidt 202-401-5951

jschmidt@nifa.usda.gov

• Kendra Arrington 202-401-3669 karrington@nifa.usda.gov

• Shynika Loften 202-401-6031 sloften@nifa.usda.gov

• Alicia Simon 202-401-6104 asimon@nifa.usda.gov