usda forest service northeastern area state and private forestry grants and agreements usda forest...

USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area State and Private ForestryUSDA Forest Service Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry

Grants and AgreementsGrants and Agreements

USDA Forest ServiceNortheastern Area

State and Private Forestry

What’s New for FY 2011


Agenda Grant narrative format for “core” funds Award Letter Templates Subrecipient Reporting Performance Progress Report Equipment Purchases via Grants Close-out Policy


New Grant Narrative Format for S&PF Core Funds

Sherri WormsteadNA Office of Knowledge Management

Sustainability & Planning Coordinator


Why a Nationally-Consistent Format?

To support and encourage

implementation of the State

Forest Resource Strategies


Redesign Implementation Council Challenge:

Develop a simple, flexible, standard format to incorporate State Forest Resource

Assessments and Strategies into noncompetitive grant narratives.


How the Format was Developed

March 2010—Held national calls to gather input

Drafted by work group of USFS and state staff

Reviewed narratives and regional templates for each S&PF Program

Sept. 2010—shared draft

Dec. 2010—S&PF Board approved the draft for “beta” use in FY11 S&PF

Tweak and finalize—Final review by S&PF Board


National Data Strategy Team“Program & Planning” Work Group

Helen Cozzetto (MN) Neil Letson (AL) Cotton Randall (OH) Dave Stephenson (ID) Dana Coelho (WFLC) Margie Ewing (R1 & R4) Tim Mersmann (R8) Sherri Wormstead (NA)


Grant Narrative Summary: An overview of the work components and S&PF programs included in the grant.

Program/Project Grant Narrative: Provides information specific to an individual S&PF Program and/or project.

For reference: National S&PF Program Authorities and Guidance Example narrative

Grant Narrative Format


Provides instructions for narrative documentation to support SF-424

Use in place of the NA narrative templates

For “core” S&PF Program grants to State Forestry agencies, except Forest Legacy grants

For single S&PF Program and Consolidated Payment Grants

Incorporates reference to State Forest Strategy

Flexible—you can modify as needed

Overview


New format is not required for NA S&PF competitive projects. The proposal = the narrative.

May be used for grants to other organizations

The format is for the narrative—one part of the grant application!

Standard format for reporting was not addressed.

Overview, Continued…


Closer Look at the Format Grant Narrative Summary

Overarching boilerplate text Grant Period Grant Components and Amount

Fill out once (serves as table of contents)Fill out once (serves as table of contents)

Gra

nt N

arra

tive

Sum

mar

y


Closer Look at the Format Grant Narrative Summary

Overarching boilerplate text Grant Period Grant Components and Amount

Program/Project Grant Narrative Lead Contacts Purpose Scope of Work Methodology and Timeline Accomplishment Reporting Budget

Fill out once (serves as table of contents)Fill out once (serves as table of contents)

Fill out for each S&PF Program and/or

project that is part of the grant

Fill out for each S&PF Program and/or

project that is part of the grant

Pro

gram

/Pro

ject

Gra

nt N

arra

tive

Exa

mp

le N

arra

tive

Draft S&PF Authorities & Guidance Document


Will post the final documents soon http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fap/fap.shtm

Work with your Forest Service program contact as usual

Input requested as the new format is used: [email protected]

S&PF Board will consider input

Adapt and change aiming for a streamlined and simple process

Next Steps


Time for Questions!

Dial * 1 to be called on to ask your question or

Type your question in the “Chat Panel”


New Award Letter Template

Zaneta HammondNA Grants & Agreements Specialist


WO Award Templates Look very different from our letters

3 page Award Letter (Grant Specific Information and Signatures)

Attachment A – Terms and Conditions

Attachment B – 2 CFR Part 170

Assigned an OMB file number

Subaccount Information Located in Attachment A

Countersignature Page No longer one page but will now be the 3 page award letter


Sub-Recipient Reporting

Zaneta HammondNA Grants & Agreements Specialist


Subrecipient Reporting

Federal Funding Accountability & Transparency Act (FFATA) signed in 2006

Effective October 1, 2010

Code of Federal Regulation – 2 CFR 170

OMB Memorandum dated August 27, 2010 (Federal Spending Transparency and Subaward and Compensation Data)

Reporting

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Subreporting System – www.fsrs.gov


Subrecipient Reporting If the initial award is equal to or over $25,000, reporting of

subaward and executive compensation data is required.

Does not include procurement of property or services needed to carry out the project

Recipients report on executive compensation

Information must be reported within one month of obligating the funds and to the maximum extent possible

Information already collected from Federal agencies on Federal grants and prime awardees will be pre-populated to minimize duplicative reporting of the prime awardee’s entity information.


Subrecipient Reporting

If the initial award is below $25,000 but subsequent grant modification result in a total award equal to or over $25,000, the award will be subject to the reporting requirements, as of the date the award exceeds $25,000.

If the initial award equals or exceeds $25,000 but funding is subsequently de-obligated such that the total award amount falls below $25,000, the award continues to be subject to the reporting requirements of the Transparency Act.


Subrecipient ReportingThe following are not subject to the reporting requirements:

A Federal award to an individual who applies for or receives a Federal award as a natural person (i.e., unrelated to any business or non-profit organization he or she may own or operate in his or her name);

A Federal award to an entity that had a gross income, from all sources, of less than $300,000 in the entity’s previous tax year; and

Any award if the required reporting would disclose classified information.


Performance Progress Report(SF-PPR)

Lori GordonNA Grants & Agreements Specialist


Performance Progress Report (SF-PPR)

SF-PPR is a standard, government-wide performance progress reporting format that will be used by Federal agencies to collect performance information from recipients.


Performance Progress Report (SF-PPR)

Use for new FY2011 awards that exceed $100,000 or more per project/grant period.

Includes cover page and six optional reporting formats. NA has chosen to use:

SF-PPR (Cover Page) SF-PPR-D (Table of Activity Results)http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_forms

SF-PPR will be submitted annually.


Equipment Acquired via Grants

Lori GordonNA Grants & Agreements Specialist



Enhanced guidance issued based on resolution of ARRA OIG audit report Equipment – personal property having a useful life

of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit.

Clarifies and defines roles and responsibilities

Recipients

Forest Service Program Contacts


Equipment Acquired Via GrantsRecipient Responsibilities Ensure general requirements of laws and regulations

found in OMB circulars are followed

Document intended use of equipment

Provide equipment description

Evaluate costs – lease vs. purchase

Document proposed acquisition strategy

Address if equipment will be used to support another Federal award

• Equipment cannot be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing requirements on any other Federal award.



Forest Service Program Contact Responsibilities

Review the proposed equipment purchase

Equipment purchase is necessary

Must certify in writing


Closeout Policy

Terri LopezNA Business Management

Group Leader


Closeout Policy FS will implement a new financial system

November/December 2011

Main Focus

Unliquidated Obligations

Grants with no drawdowns for 1 year or more


Website References NA Grants & Agreements Website:

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fap/fap.shtm

2 CFR 170 – Reporting Subaward and Executive Compensation Informationhttp://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?

sid=5d76508a7364b058d28dd86ea58ba080&c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfrv1_02.tpl#175

Subrecipient Reporting Systemhttps://www.fsrs.gov


ANY QUESTIONS?

Dial * 1 to be called on to ask your question or

Type your question in the “Chat Panel”


Please provide comments about this training session at:

www.surveymonkey.com/s/K9M8MDT

Thank you very much for your participation!

usda forest service northeastern area state and private forestry grants and agreements usda forest...

Documents