Reclamation Financial Assistance Memorandum (RFAM) No. 04-03
Policy Regarding Grants.gov
84-27800
ADM-13.00
MEMORANDUM
To:
Regional Director, PN, MP, LC, UC, GP
Attention: PN-3700, PN-6300, MP-3800, LC-3100, UC-440,
UC-450, GP-3800
Director, Administrative Service Center
Attention: D-2940
Director, Management Services
Attention: 84-27800, 84-27810
From:
From: Ronald J. Simonich, /s/
Acting Manager, Acquisition and Assistance Management Division
Subject: Reclamation Financial Assistance Memorandum (RFAM) 04-03 - Final Policy Regarding Grants.gov FIND, and Format for Financial Assistance Program Funding Announcements
1. Purpose. This purpose of this memorandum is:
a. To transmit a policy issuance from the Department of the Interior, Deputy Assistant Secretary - Budget and Finance, regarding implementation of the following policies for Federal agency announcements of funding opportunities under programs that award discretionary grants and cooperative agreements:
(1) Final policy directive to require Federal agencies to use the Grants.gov FIND module to electronically post synopses (published in the Federal Register on October 8, 2003, [Vol. 68, No. 195, FR 58146 - 58152]);
(2) Establishment of a standard set of data elements for use to electronically post synopses of funding opportunities at Grants.gov FIND (published in the Federal Register on June 23, 2003, [Vol. 68, No. 120, FR 37379 - 37385]);
(3) Final policy directive to establish a standard format for Federal agency announcements of funding opportunities (published in the Federal Register on June 23, 2003, [Vol. 68, No. 120, FR 37370 - 37379]); and
b. To designate Stephanie Bartlett, Procurement Analyst, Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, as the Grants.gov Administrator for the Bureau of Reclamation.
2. Effective date. This RFAM is effective upon issuance and supercedes the October 1, 2003, electronic transmittal regarding this subject.
3. Expiration date. This RFAM is in effect until cancelled, superceded, or incorporated into the Reclamation Manual.
4. Background. The Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999, Public Law 106-107, requires executive agencies to work together to establish processes to streamline and simplify Federal financial assistance procedures for non-Federal entities. Grants.gov FIND and the Format for Financial Assistance Program Announcements are a part of the implementation of the Act.
Grants.gov FIND is modeled after FedBizOpps, the Internet site established by the General Services Administration, as the single site for posting notices and other relevant information regarding procurement opportunities. As implemented, Grants.gov FIND will serve as the primary site where Federal agencies will post electronic synopses of opportunities for financial assistance awards.
5. Action required.
a. Effective November 7, 2003, Federal grant-making agencies were required to begin posting synopses of funding opportunities for all discretionary grant and cooperative agreement programs at the Grants.gov FIND website. (Please note that the URL of the website for posting funding opportunity synopses did not change as was anticipated at the time the attached Department policy was issued. Contrary to what is stated in the attached Department policy, the website to be used for posting funding opportunities continues to be www.fedgrants.gov.)
b. All discretionary grant and cooperative agreement funding opportunities must be announced at Grants.gov FIND, using the standard data elements/format, except for:
(1) Programs that only publish funding opportunities in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance;
(2) Announcements of funding opportunities for awards less than $25,000, for which 100 percent of the eligible applicants live outside of the United States;
(3) Single source announcements of funding opportunities issued by an agency that are specifically directed to a known recipient; or
(4) Programs that have received an exemption/waiver from the Office of Management and Budget.
c. Full announcements of funding opportunities may be posted at Grants.gov FIND (via www.fedgrants.gov), or the full announcement may be posted on a Reclamation web site as long as a URL link is included in the synopsis at Grants.gov FIND, or the announcement may be posted at both sites. Announcements may continue to be made through other avenues, as appropriate, or as may be required by statute, but must also be posted at Grants.gov FIND.
d. A synopsis of the Federal funding opportunity shall be posted at Grants.gov FIND no later than three business days after release of the full announcement.
e. Requests for Grants.gov access, passwords, and assistance may be directed either to Stephanie Bartlett, Grants.gov Administrator, at sgbartlett@do.usbr.gov, or to Audrey Winters, Assistant Grants.gov Administrator, at winters@do.usbr.gov.
f. Offices shall immediately notify the Grants.gov Administrator when an employee of that office no longer requires access to the Grants.gov system.
g. Offices shall make further distribution of this policy to all Grant and Cooperative Agreement Officers, and other interested parties, in their Regional or Denver Office.
6. Point of contact. If you have questions regarding this matter, contact Stephanie Bartlett, Procurement Analyst, 303-445-2427.
Attachments:
(1) Deputy Assistant Secretary Transmittal
Memorandum
(2) DOI Final Policy Document with
appendices