2007 Northeastern Managing Officers’ Meeting (NEMO)

1. 2007 Northeastern Managing Officers’ Meeting (NEMO) CSREES Update October 29, 2007 Ellen Danus, Chief Policy, Oversight, and Funds Management Branch Office of Extramural Programs CSREES-USDA

2. CSREES Update • Office of the Extramural Programs • FY 2007 Wrap-Up • 2007 Farm Bill • FY 2008 Budget • Office of Extramural Programs • Implementation of FY 2008 Programs • eGrants • Technical Reporting Requirements • Financial Reporting Requirements • Update on Formula Policies • Oversight Activities

3. Office of Extramural Programs • CSREES Organizational Chart (01/30/2002): • Charged with providing leadership in the formulation and implementation of federal assistance policy for CSREES programs. • Charged with establishing operational administrative management policies regarding the solicitation, negotiation, execution, and administration of grants and cooperative agreements in accordance with authorizing legislation and Federal and departmental assistance regulations.

4. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURECOOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION SERVICEOFFICE OF EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS Andrea Brandon Deputy Administrator 202-720-9181 Ellen Danus, Branch Chief Policy, Oversight, and Funds Management Branch 202-401-4325 Carol Langguth, Branch Chief Awards Management Branch 202-401-5204 • Policy Section • - Administrative Provisions • Directives/Administrative Manuals • - Memoranda of Understanding • - Policies/Procedures/Regulations • Requests for Applications • Oversight Section • - Administrative/Financial Site Reviews • Audit Resolution • Administrative Mgmt of Formula Programs: • - Animal Health • - Evans-Allen • - Hatch • - McIntire-Stennis • - Native American Endowment • - Renewable Resources Extension Act • - Section 1444 (1890) Extension • - Smith-Lever • - Plan of Work Liaison with Planning and Accountability • Funds Management Section • - Obligation of Funds thru C-REEMS • Payment of Awards thru DHHS-PMS • Oversight of Financial Reporting: • SF-269, Financial Status Report • SF-272, Federal Cash Transactions Report • thru DHHS-PMS • Maintenance of official accounting records thru FFIS • Year-end and ad-hoc financial reports • AMB Section I and Section II • Pre-Award Review of Grants and Cooperative • Agreements (legal, regulatory, administrative) • Execution of Awards • Post-award Administration • Administrative Site Reviews • Administrative Oversight of Facilities Awards • Assist in the development of Requests for Applications • Assist in Program Implementation • Outreach Activities (NCURA, SRA, etc.)

5. USDA/CSREES/OEPPolicy, Oversight, and Funds Management Branch

6. Policy Section • Coordination of the RFA Process • Schedule of Awards • Grants Policy • Terms and Conditions • Unified Agenda and Agency Regulations • MOUs • OEP Information Collections • Federal Register Liaison • Federal Register Notices • Implementation of New Programs • Farm Bill Implementation

7. Oversight Section (Non-Formula) • Improper Payment Information Act (IPIA) Reviews and OCFO Contact • A-123 Process and OCFO Contact • Resolution of OIG Hotline Complaints • Administrative and Financial Reviews • Internal Reviews • Audit Resolution • A-133 Audits • USDA OIG and GAO Audits

8. Oversight Section (Formula) • Allocation of CSREES Formula Grant Funds • Administration of CSREES Formula Grants • Responding to Questions from Grantees • Maintenance of the Formula Grant Web Pages • Communication with Grantees • Participation in Formula Policy and RFA Development

9. Funds Management Section • Authorization of Grant Funds through the Department of Health and Human Services’ Payment Management System (DHHS-PMS) • Review of the SF-269’s for all grant awards (Including formula grants) • Fiscal close-out of all grant awards • Recording of all Agency financial transactions related to grant awards • Reconciliation of all Agency grant accounts in CREEMS, FFIS, and DHHS-PMS • Coordination of the Agency Reimbursable Process (cradle to grave)

10. Drivers for POFMB • The Drive for Accountability and Transparency • Through New Requirements • IPIA • FFATA • A-123 process • Through Enforcement of Existing Requirements • Clean audit opinion on Annual Financial Statements (USDA) • Prompt resolution of audits • A-133s • OIG • Program Changes • New Programs

11. Office of Extramural Programs • Focus on written policies, allocation of resources, and training of staff • Policy, Oversight, and Funds Management Branch • Phase I of OEP Reorganization • Three positions in Oversight • One position in Policy • Phase II of OEP Organization

12. FY 2007 Wrap-Up • FY 2007 was impacted by: • FY 2007 Continuing Resolution • No earmarks • Significant increases on other programs (i.e., Hatch Act and McIntire-Stennis Act) • U.S. Office of Management and Budget Requirements (i.e., Portman Memo)

13. FY 2007 Wrap-Up • Waivers Processed ASAP (by 9/26/2007) • Requiring more documentation to support request • Unmatched Funds • Determination made by 9/26/2007 • Redistributed before 9/30/2007 • FY 2007 CSRS and FERS Retirement Allocations • Posted first week of September 2007 • Distributed after receipt of final cert • Redirected to SL regular allocation over 10-year period CSRS (FY 2007) and FERS (FY 2008)

14. FY 2007 Wrap-Up • FY 2007 Pesticide Safety Education (PSEP) Program • Allocated and posted by 9/30/2007 • Grant period is usually 10/01/2006-09/30/2008 • No-cost extensions must be approved in advance • FY 2007 Non-formula Programs/Awards • Required to use Grants.gov (i.e., application packages) • Making awards up through 09/30/2007

15. 2007 Farm Bill • House (HR 2419) passed on July 23, 2007 • Available at http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/2007FarmBill.html. • What is the Farm Bill? • A collection of laws establishing agriculture programs and their requirements, re-authorizing current programs, and revising current legislation • Reconsidered or revised every four or so years • Current programs expired September 30, 2007

16. 2007 Farm Bill • House Version • Proposed Revisions: • Re-authorizes most programs through FY 2012 • Indirect cost cap includes any vs. competitive • Merging IFAS and NRI • 10 years • Basic (NRI – 60 percent) and applied research (Future Agricultural and Food Systems – 40 percent) • UDC eligibility for certain programs (SL 3(d) and HEP) • Change to EFNEP formula • Review POW requirements • Multistate and Integrated requirements at 25 percent

17. 2007 Farm Bill • House Version – New Programs/Initiatives • Capacity Building Grants for ASCARR Institutions • Researcher training • Grants to upgrade facilities at UDC • Grants to upgrade facilities at Insular 1862s • Hispanic-serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities • Endowment • Competitive research • Competitive extension • Competitive institutional capacity

18. 2007 Farm Bill • House Version – New Programs/Initiatives • Specialty Crops Policy Research Institute • New ERA Rural Technology Program • Agricultural Bioenergy and Biobased Products Research Initiative • Specialty Crop Research Initiative • Fresh Cut Produce Safety Grants

19. 2007 Farm Bill (Senate) • 2-Year Postsecondary Education Teaching Program • EFNEP Formula Change & UDC Eligibility • Animal Health: 1890’s Eligible • Authorization level for 1890’s • Extension 15% to 20% • Research 25% to 30% • Grants to Upgrade Facilities at UDC • Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges & Universities • Indirect Costs 19% to 30% • Research Foundations • Smith-Lever Act • CYFARnet (1890’s Eligible) • Eliminates Governor’s Report • Penalty Mail References Deleted • McIntire-Stennis: 1890’s Eligible • Review of POW Requirements

20. FY 2008 Budget (House and Senate Reports) • View reports at http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app08.html • Earmarks • Included in both versions under: • Special Research Grants • Research Federal Administration • Extension Federal Administration • Differences between House and Senate • Some earmarks are under a specific authority and some are now designated as earmarks

21. FY 2008 Budget (House and Senate Reports) • Formula Programs • Hatch Act and McIntire-Stennis Act funds returning to levels lower than FY 2007 appropriated amounts • Some differences (inc/dec) for other programs: • Smith-Lever Act – regular allocation • Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program • 1890 Research and Extension Programs

22. 2008 Budget (House and Senate Reports) • Both House and Senate Reports directs the Secretary to provide certain reports: • House • A report on how each program contributes to the Agency’s goals – 10/01/2007 • A report on FARAD – 45 days of enactment • Senate • National Veterinary Medical Services Act – directs the Secretary to provide a report on the status of and a timetable for implementation of the act. • Special Research Grants – directs the Secretary to provide a report by 03/01/2008 regarding the status of awards for FY 2008 and the specific objectives to be sought in each case.

23. Impacts on Implementation of FY 2008Budget • Farm Bill Proposals and Implementation • Continuing Resolutions • Transfer of Reimbursable Function to OEP • eGrant Implementation • Fine tuning the process • Expanding to all competitive and line-item awards • Including 4 formula programs

24. Implementation of FY 2008 Programs • Some programs may be impacted by proposals and the actual enactment of the 2007 Farm Bill due to the following potential changes: • Changes in the formula methodology (e.g., EFNEP) • Changing program eligibility • Change in indirect cost legislation (e.g., application of 19 percent cap (amended through appropriations to 20 percent) to non-competitive programs) • Change in indirect cost cap

25. FY 2008 Grants Policies • CSREES will be issuing Grants Policy and Procedures Bulletins on the following: • Use of Grants.gov to post application packages and to receive grant applications for: • All Competitive Programs • All Line-item Awards • Special Research • Federal Administration Research • Federal Administration Extension • All awards supported with other administrative and reimbursable funds • Formula Programs (only four for FY 2008) • McIntire-Stennis Act funds • Animal Health and Disease Research (NARETPA Section 1433) • Renewable Resources Extension Act funds • EFNEP funds (Smith-Lever Act Section 3(d))

26. FY 2008 Grants Policies • CSREES will be issuing Grants Policy and Procedures Bulletins (GPPBs) on the following: • Use of PDF-only attachments for grant applications submitted through Grants.gov: • CSREES will only accept grant applications with PDF attachments • Applications with non-PDF attachments will be at-risk for being excluded from CSREES Review • Policy will be communicated through: • Request for Applications (RFAs) • GPPB on Agency website • CSREES Update

27. FY 2008 Grants (Forms Update) eGrants Process • Pure Edge Forms will be used in FY 2008 • Adobe Forms are tentatively scheduled for release to the agency in October • Adobe Forms testing will be done on a small program to ensure a smooth transition for FY 2009

28. FY 2008 Grants (Forms Updates) Applicant and agency • The Grants.gov process is working for both the applicant and the agency • The most common errors made by applicants in the electronic submission process can be found on CSREES’ eGrants website http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/common_errors.html

29. Technical Reporting Requirements • August 22, 2007 Memo on CSREES Announces Changes to CRIS • Sandbox of the CRIS Transition Standard Report • CSREES developing a chart of what technical reports are due for each CSREES program (OEP, Program, and ISTM) • Does not apply to Smith-Lever Act Section 3b & c and NARETPA Section 1444

30. Financial Reporting Requirements • CSREES reviewing financial reporting requirements • CSREES reviewing the standard operating procedures (e.g., workflow, refunds, written policies, canceling year funds, etc.) • SF-269 Workload • CSREES required to implement procedures to restrict access to funds after the due date of final SF-269

31. Other Grant Policies and Requirements • Research Misconduct (under review at USDA Office of the General Counsel) • Control of Genetically Engineered Animals and Insects (ongoing audit) • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements • Grantees need to review the Terms and Conditions of the Awards • Grant Policy Mail Box • Policy and Procedures Questions

32. Update on Formula Policies • Overall Formula Policies • FPPBs • FY 2008 Formula Allocation Letters will include references to the applicable Federal assistance regulations and policies • Administrative Guidance • 2007 Farm Bill • Integrated with Plan of Work (POW) reporting requirements • Formula Mail Boxes • Forms • Policy & Procedures Questions

33. CSREES Oversight Activities • Improper Payment Information Act (IPIA) Reviews (Annually – one 1862 in each region, one 1890, and one 1994) • Government Accountability Office (GAO) Studies and Audits • USDA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Audits and Investigations • Site Reviews • Agency Investigation of OIG Hotline Complaints (complaints referred to Agency)

34. CSREES Oversight Activities • Audit Resolution • A-133 Audits • OIG Audits and Investigations • GAO Studies and Audits • Agency Site Visits • IPIA Reviews

35. Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA) • Info available at http://www.federalspending.gov • Requires OMB to launch on a website a public database on January 1, 2008: • Name • Amount • Info about the award • Unique Identifier • Location • Requires OMB to include info on subawards in the same database on January 1, 2009 • Impacts: • Federal agencies • Prime Awardees • Subawardees