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NAWCANAWCAAdvanced

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NAWCA Process

Accomplish Accomplish and and administeradminister

Grant CycleCloseout Closeout

and and monitormonitor

Plan and Plan and proposepropose

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Congratulations!

You have a new grant!

And a few details to take care of

before you begin.

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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

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SmartLink

Already have a SmartLink account?

Confirm your account and banking information ASAP. We can’t obligate grant funds until we hear from you!

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SmartLink

Application instructions are on the NAWCA website

Choose reimbursement or advance when you apply.

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Reimbursement vs. Advance

Reimbursement - repayment

Advances - typically for acquisition

Disbursed in 3 days

Can’t be paid directly to escrow

Require additional reporting

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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.

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Also let us know if . . .

Your DUNS number is correct

If any grant funds are going to FWS or another Federal agencyFunds for a federal agency are

awarded in a separate agreement, but you still have responsibility for reporting.

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Pre-agreement Costs

FWS receives proposal

FWS signs grant agreement

Funding Period

Pre-agreement Period

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Can’t exceed the award amount

Must be necessary to accomplish project objectives

Would have been allowable if incurred during the funding period.

Pre-agreement Costs

Pre-agreement costs are incurred at the applicant’s

risk.

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Grant Agreement

Check it carefully.

Errors or questions? Call your grant administrator right away.

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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.

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Grant Agreement

Box 14 – References items included in the grant agreement:

ProposalRegulationsStandardsSF424 and assurancesCorrespondence

Certification the project will be NHPA compliant

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Modifications

Projects change through the funding period.

Prior approval is required for most changes.

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Prior approval is needed to Change the purpose and scope of the project

Extend the funding period

Substitute acquisition, restoration, or enhancement 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 

Prior approval is not needed to change a recipient’s project officer.

Prior approval is not needed to change a recipient’s project officer.

Modifications

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Modifications

Tract substitutions or newly identified sites -Confirm that

The tract shouldn’t be included in the National Wildlife Refuge SystemRequirements of the NEPA and the ESA have been metNHPA Section 106 process will be completed;Contaminants survey is completed for all lands that will become part of a Federal land management system.

SubmitRevised TAQs 4 and 5Revised tract tableNew mapsRevised budget, if necessary

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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.

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Reporting

Conservation value – acres and habitat types by activity

Financial value - total committed match

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Reporting

Annual Report

Technical Questions 4 and 5 comparing proposed with accomplished objectives

Narrative explaining differences in proposed and accomplished habitat and match objectives

Financial Summary Report SF269

Acquisition documents for any real property purchases to date

First report should include old match

Tip –

Get documentation of old match real property from partners before you submit the proposal.

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Reporting

SF269 is required with annual and final reports

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Reporting

Final Report -

Items in annual report

Maps or shape files

Equipment and supplies inventory

Tract table

Comparison of proposed and actual partner contributions

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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 issueDocumentation required for all acquisitions

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Acquisition

Timing

Documents required

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Property Management

Tenure of benefitsPerpetual 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

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Property Management

Real property disposal (grant and match)

FWS approval

Repay attributable share

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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.)

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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.

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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 

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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

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Closeout and monitoring

Review the final report for accomplishments

Check acquisition documents

Complete financial reconciliation

Deobligate unspent funds

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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

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Monitoring

Verify conservation values

Verify project costsVerify matching funds

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We are here to assist you and your partners accomplish important wetlands

conservation.

Please let us know how we can help

you.

DBHC and NAWCA

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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

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DBHC Mission Statement

We support partnerships that deliver

national and international management

plans that conserve

habitat for migratory birds

and other wildlife.