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GrantGrantMulti – Year Award ProcessMulti – Year Award Process

Matthew R. JonesSr. Grants Management Specialist

Grants and Registration BranchOutreach, Training & Grants DivisionOffice of Hazardous Materials Safety

Weakness of the 1-Year Grant Cycle Not enough time.

Administrative burden on PHMSA and grantees. (Annual funding announcements, funding memos, grants.gov postings, certification forms, etc).

Grantees unable to re-allocate unexpended balances if projects come in under budget or have other issues.

More difficult to conduct comprehensive planning activities.

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Benefits of a multi-year grant cycle

Reduces administrative burden on PHMSA and grantees.

Provides time for grantees to mitigate the effects of unplanned events.

Provides PHMSA staff with more time for performance monitoring and technical assistance.

More efficient use of funds (3rd year offset option).

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Multi-Year Award

PHMSA is planning to move toward a multi-year award cycle, beginning in FY16.

Currently a 3-year grant award is planned. The period of performance will be 09/30/2016 – 09/30/2019.

Out-year funding is provided via amended NGAs. Grant number stays the same.

Out-year funding is pre-determined. It will only change due to sequestration or if grantees do not meet basic levels of progress.

Policy will be finalized by January 2016. Nothing official as of yet.

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Multi-Year Cycle Pre-Award Phase

Prior to funding announcement, allocations are provided to grantees based on formula. In FY16, the applicants may either:

1.Use the planning and training allocation as provided.

2.Modify the planning and training allocation based upon the needs within the state.

This provides the grantees with flexibility based upon needs in the state and removes the need for grants staff to process unnecessary prior approvals (activity requests).

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Multi-Year Cycle Pre-Award Phase

Funding Allocation Emails are sent in late January, 2016.

Funding Announcement is posted on February 1, 2016.

Applications are due on April 30th. – This provides 90 days for a well-written application.

Applications must reflect 3-year period of performance. The first year is the competitive application. Year-1 must have detailed timelines, activities, budget, budget narrative and goals.

Years 2 and 3 should have targets identified. These may change during the continuing application process.

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3-Year Cycle Award Phase

Grants are issued in September, 2016.

Period of performance September 30, 2016 – September 30, 2019.

The NGA identifies the funding targets for the out years (Year 2 and Year 3).

Terms and Conditions provide requirements for the continuing application submission.

Pre-award costs are authorized for each year.

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Continuing Application – what is it?

A compressed version of the annual application in response to funding announcement.

Sections:

Updates in Contact Information.Project Narrative for the upcoming year.424A budget for the upcoming year.Budget Narrative.

**No certification forms, Governor’s letters, statements, etc. are required. This is done in (Year 1) and remains valid for the project period.

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Multi-Year Grant Cycle Post-Award

Year-2 Continuing Applications are due June 30, 2017.

Grantees update application and request approval of any activities not defined in the initial application. Detailed budget for Year-2. Updated targets for Year-3 may be included.

Opportunity for PHMSA staff to question any activities or lack of progress.

Year-2 award is made via amendment in Grant Solutions. The same grant number, the same period of performance, but with additional funding. No funding announcement or funding memo is required.

Unspent Year-1 funds are automatically carried over into Year-2.

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Multi-Year Grant Cycle Post-Award

Year-3 Continuing Applications are due June 30, 2018.

Any grantees with unspent funds from Year-1, will receive an offset in the year-3 award that at least equals the unspent amount. This amount is placed in an “offset pool.”

Grantees may request supplemental funding, which is taken from the offset pool.

PHMSA staff reviews supplemental funding requests competitively based upon merit and factors outlined in the original funding announcement (performance; risk; spending; timely reporting, etc.).

Unspent funds from Year-2 are carried over to Year-3.

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Multi-Year Closeout

Period of Performance ends on 09/30/2019. Final Reports due 12/31/2019. No extensions!

On to the next 3-year grant of FY19 (09/30/2019 – 09/30/2022).

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Considerations

Applicants could have the entire 3-year activities detailed in the first year application. Continuing applications may simply be an update.

Start early! You have 90 days to complete the subaward process prior to application submission. You will already know the amounts for Year -2 and Year 3.

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Outreach Regarding Multi-Year Award Cycle

October 20, 2015: PHMSA presents the 3-year award at NASTTPO Conference.

November 2015: Email blast sent out to grantees. Presentation will be attached and posted on PHMSA Website.

January 2016: PHMSA finalize multi-year policy.

January 2016: PHMSA will host pre-application webinar with Q & A.

February 2016: Funding announcement is posted and will have additional information of requirements.

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3 Year Grant Cycle TimelineFY16Jan 30, 2016 - Allocation emails sent to applicants, inclusive of updated formula.

Feb 1, 2016 - Funding announcement is posted.

Feb – Apr, 2016 – Risk assessments are completed by PHMSA.

Apr 30, 2016 -- Deadline for applications.

May – July 2016 – Application Review completed by PHMSA.

August 2016 – Funding memo is signed. Grants drafted in Grant Solutions.

Sept 2016 – NGAs issued. Period of performance is 09/30/2016 – 09/30/2019).

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3 Year Grant Cycle Timeline

FY17

Apr 30, 2017 -- Bi-annual FFR and performance reports due.

Jun 30, 2016 – Deadline for Year 2 CAs.

Aug 30, 2016 – PHMSA staff Complete Year-2 CA reviews

Sept 30, 2017– Award Year-2 grant funding.

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3 Year Grant Cycle Timeline

FY18Oct 30, 2017 – Bi-annual FFRs and performance reports due.

Apr 30, 2018 –Bi-annual FFRs and performance reports due.

Jun 30, 2018 – Deadline for Year-3 CAs. Including supplemental requests.

Aug 30, 2018 – PHMSA Staff complete Year-3 CA reviews, and merit review of supplemental requests.

Sept 30, 2018 – Award Year-3 grant funding (including offsets and supplements).

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3 Year Grant Cycle TimelineFY19Oct 30, 2018 – Bi-Annual FFR and performance reports are due.

Feb 1, 2019 – Announce the next 3 year cycle grant applications (FY19 Grant Cycle)

Apr 30, 2019 – Deadline for the next 3 year cycle applications (FY19 Grant Cycle)

Apr 30, 2019 –Bi-annual FFRs and performance reports due

FY20Dec 31, 2019 - Final FFR and Performance Reports are due (FY16 Grant Cycle)

Jan 2020 – Closeout the FY16 grant.

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3-Year Grant Application Cycle

Applications are due:

April 30, 2016 - Competitive Application is due

Jun 30, 2017 - Year 2 Continuing Application is due.

June 30, 2018 - Year 3 Continuing Application is due.

April 30, 2019 - Competitive Application is due (next 3 year segment)

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Summary

Grantees now determine the planning and training allocation•Either stick with PHMSA formula allocation, or chose your own allocation of planning and training. (cannot exceed total!)

Lower administrative burden •One competitive application ever 3 years. Streamlined application for Year-2 and Year-3 that focuses on the upcoming activities, budget and budget narrative.

More time and flexibility •3-year period of performance with pre-determined amounts•Pre-award spending option. •More time in Year-1 for subaward process (90 days before application is due!)

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