Transcript Document
Advanced NAWCA Process Plan and propose Closeout and monitor Grant Cycle Accomplish and administer Congratulations! You have a new grant! And a few details to take care of before you begin. SmartLink Payments made through SMARTLINK, an electronic funds transfer system administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services Accessible by internet or dial-up network connection Requested funds usually delivered next business day SmartLink Already have a SmartLink account? Confirm your account and banking information ASAP. We can’t obligate grant funds until we hear from you! SmartLink Application instructions are on the NAWCA website Choose reimbursement or advance when you apply. Reimbursement vs. Advance Reimbursement - repayment Advances - typically for acquisition Disbursed in 3 days Can’t be paid directly to escrow Require additional reporting Reporting Requirements for Advances Report of Federal Cash Transactions (Standard Form 272) 30 days after the end of each quarter Quarters end last days of March, June, September, December File every full quarter, even if there has been no financial activity during that quarter. Also let us know if . . . Your DUNS number is correct If any grant funds are going to FWS or another Federal agency Funds for a federal agency are awarded in a separate agreement, but you still have responsibility for reporting. Pre-agreement Costs Pre-agreement Period FWS receives proposal Funding Period FWS signs grant agreement Pre-agreement Costs Can’t exceed the award amount Must be necessary to accomplish Pre-agreement costs are project objectives incurred at the applicant’s risk. Would have been allowable if incurred during the funding period. Grant Agreement Check it carefully. Errors or questions? Call your grant administrator right away. Grant Agreement Box 11 – Funding or project period. Two years from date of FWS signature Box 13 – Funding information. Check grant and match amounts. Box 15 – Project summary. Objectives include only grant and match acres. Grant Agreement Box 14 – References items included in the grant agreement: Proposal Regulations Standards SF424 and assurances Correspondence Certification the project will be NHPA compliant Project Costs A reasonable cost . . . doesn’t exceed what a prudent person would pay under the circumstances and at the time. is ordinary and necessary for the project. Project Costs An allocable cost . . . is specific to the award, or benefits both the award and other work, and can be distributed in reasonable proportion to the benefits received, or is necessary to the overall operation of the organization, although a direct relationship to a particular cost objective of an award can’t be shown. Project Costs An allowable cost is . . . allocable to the award, necessary and reasonable for the project. treated consistently as a direct or indirect cost. not included as a cost in or used to match another federal award. adequately documented. in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policy. Project Costs Match = Grant Both required by law, so are subject to the same regulations. Rarely, policy dictates differences in how grant and match are used. Match Tips Grant and match must equal what is shown in the grant agreement (or modification). The recipient, not the partner, will be held responsible for match. Shortfalls in match can be covered by any partner. All match obligated before FWS receives the proposal is considered a matching in-kind contribution. All match must be received and spent in the funding period. Modifications Projects change through the funding period. Prior approval is required for most changes. Modifications Prior approval is needed to Change the purpose and scope of the project Prior approval is not needed Extend the funding period to change a recipient’s project Substitute acquisition, restoration, or enhancement officer. tracts if sites were identified in the proposal Change the boundary of the project area Decrease acres or conservation benefits Decrease total match Transfer funds from a direct to indirect cost category or vice versa Modifications Tract substitutions or newly identified sites Confirm that The tract shouldn’t be included in the National Wildlife Refuge System Requirements of the NEPA and the ESA have been met NHPA Section 106 process will be completed; Contaminants survey is completed for all lands that will become part of a Federal land management system. Submit Revised TAQs 4 and 5 Revised tract table New maps Revised budget, if necessary Modifications If there has been a modification to the habitat objectives, match, or any other aspect of your grant agreement, remember that project compliance will be based on the last modification, not your original grant agreement. Reporting Conservation value – acres and habitat types by activity Financial value - total committed match Reporting Annual Report Technical Questions 4 and 5 comparing proposed with accomplished objectives Tip – Narrative explaining differences in proposed and and match Get accomplished documentation habitat of old match real objectives property from partners before you submit the proposal. Financial Summary Report SF269 Acquisition documents for any real property purchases to date First report should include old match Reporting SF269 is required with annual and final reports Reporting Final Report Items in annual report Maps or shape files Equipment and supplies inventory Tract table Comparison of proposed and actual partner contributions Reporting Due 90 days after yearly anniversary date (annual) or project end date (final) No report-due notice Information used in several federal reports Late report is noncompliance issue Documentation required for all acquisitions Acquisition Timing Documents required Property Management Tenure of benefits Perpetual or length of easement, lease for acquisition 25 years or agreement term for restoration, enhancement, establishment Recipient responsible if land is no longer used for project purposes Property Management Real property disposal (grant and match) FWS approval Repay attributable share Finishing the Project Complete by the project end date (or request an extension). No extension for unspent grant funds if habitat objectives have been met. All grant funds must be drawn down or invoiced by the recipient within 90 days after the end of the funding period.(Remaining grant funds return to FWS.) Noncompliance Any failure to comply with one or more of the terms and conditions of the Grant Agreement, including any approved modification of the Grant Agreement. Noncompliance Considerations Willfulness Environmental impact Affect on the project Impact on partners Impact on buyers/sellers of real property Protection of the public interest Harm or benefit to the federal government Mitigating factors Noncompliance Consequences Withhold payments Disallow all or part of the noncompliant cost Suspend or terminate all or part of the agreement Reduce the grant amount Withhold further Assistance Awards Require special administrative conditions Inititate suspension or debarment Closeout and monitoring Review the final report for accomplishments Check acquisition documents Complete financial reconciliation Deobligate unspent funds Monitoring Who and when 10% of completed projects 3 years from date final report received Administrative problems All partners, all parts of the country Opportunity Monitoring Verify conservation values Verify project costs Verify matching funds DBHC and NAWCA We are here to assist you and your partners accomplish important wetlands conservation. Please let us know how we can help you. DBHC Contacts Proposals: David Buie 301/497-5870 Bonnie Gaukler 703/358-2017 Grants Administration: Leakhena Au 703/358-2463 Andrea Grosse 703/358-2472 Rodecia McKnight-Griffin 703/358-2266 Sarah Mott 703/358-1910 Anna-Marie York 703/358-1881 Financial Information: Linda Gaumer 703/358-1958 DBHC Mission Statement We support partnerships that deliver national and international management plans that conserve habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.