NGP Blog

Register Now: NGMA Annual Conference

The National Grants Management Association is hosting its popular annual grants management conference from April 26-28, 2010 at the Hilton conference center in Rockville, Maryland.  This exciting event features sessions on internal control, monitoring "Recovery Act" grants, fraud prevention, improving program compliance and much more. In addition, the ever-popular "Roundtables Express Program" will return along with several fun new networking events. 

 

NGMA is pleased to offer a special grants management boot camp at the front end of the conference for new grants managers and others wishing to sharpen their grants management skills.  The workshop is designed to provide participants with valuable and useful resources that are critical to the implementation of effective grants management systems, and to help minimize the common pitfalls often faced by new managers.   

 

To view the conference program and the half-day Grants Management Boot Camp workshop, please visit www.ngma.org/id17.html<http://www.ngma.org/id17.html> .

 

For more information or to register, please visit www.ngma.org/id17.html<http://www.ngma.org/id17.html>  or contact Alicia Leonard at leonard@ngma.org.

Your Input Needed - Reducing Improper Payments

PRESIDENTIAL WORKGROUP CALL TO ACTION

 

Reducing Improper Payments

 

 

President Obama signed Executive Order (EO) 13520 - Reducing Improper Payments,  in 2009 "...to reduce improper payments by intensifying efforts to eliminate payment error, waste, fraud, and abuse in the major programs administered by the Federal Government..."  One section of that EO focuses on improving incentives and accountability for State, local governments, and other entities receiving Federal funds.  An intergovernmental work group, comprised of high ranking Federal, State and local representatives, has been created to address this mandate. The work group is seeking input from and collaboration with the recipient community to address this important Presidential priority.  Recommendations will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for consideration in May 2010.

 

 

 

High priority program issues the work group will address are, but not limited to:

 

·         Failure of participants to report changes in status, coupled with difficulty in agency's ability to identify this change,

 

·         Lack of timely information/documentation to refute a participant's eligibility for a claim, and

 

·         Administrative errors.

 

 

 

Incentives the workgroup may consider are:

 

·         Increasing the cost reimbursement rates to allow for increased administrative costs,

 

·         Allowing entities to retain a portion of the recovered/reduced improper payments, and

 

·         Changing the cost principles to allow more flexibility on multi-year capital investments and reduce administrative burdens. 

 

 

 

Accountability measures the workgroup may consider are:

 

*     Identify a single responsible representative in each entity who will report annually on the activities and results,

*     Establish reduction targets and report more frequently when targets are not met, and

*     Future funding is correlated to previous year's improper payments.

 

 

 

We seek your suggestions for incentives and accountability measures appropriate to reducing improper payments for major federal grant and disbursement programs.

 

 

 

Your voice needs to be heard!  You don't want to miss this opportunity to work directly with the Federal government as it develops policy for public good.

 

 

 

To submit your ideas go to www.Partner4Solutions.gov <http://www.partner4solutions.gov/>   type "Improper Payments - Incentives and Accountability" in the "Issues and Concern" field, you will then be prompted for your ideas.  The deadline for submission is February 28, 2010. 

 

 

 

Please pass this opportunity along to your friends and colleagues.

 

 

 

For additional information, please contact: Ms Pat Reese, Department of Health and Human Services [(301) 443-0270, PReese@HSRA.GOV] or Ms. Merril Oliver [(410) 974-5090, moliver@GOV.STATE.MD.US].

 

Input on Next Generation Grants.gov Sought

The team at grants.gov is soliciting your input to the below questions concerning the next generation of grants.gov.  We would appreciate if you could provide you thoughts to thengp@aol.com no later than COB next Wednesday, February 10th.  We will then organize the responses and send to grants.gov team.  Thank you for your continued interest in a more efficient and effective grants process.  -The NGP

Questions:

 

 

1.    What are the top 5 improvements you would like to see in the current Grants.Gov site?

 

2.    What are the top 5 problem-areas of the current Grants.Gov site?  What CAN'T you currently do or what is TOO HARD to do?

  

3.    Outside of Find and Apply functionality, what other aspects of the Grants Management Lifecycle would you like to see in the NextGeneration of Grants.Gov?

 

 

 

February 2nd NGP Webcast Agenda

The National Grants Partnership

Webcast

February 2, 2010

1:30-3:00 p.m. EST

http://blog.thengp.org/

This is an informational meeting open to vendors and members of the press.

 

For admittance and security, ALL participants must register in advance by

NOON on January 28th at  TheNGP@AOL.com

 

U.S. Department of Education

PCP Auditorium, 10^th Floor

550 12^th St, SW

Washington, DC  20202-4250

 

L’Enfant Plaza Metro, L’Enfant Plaza Exit, walk up D St SW to 12^th St SW

Smithsonian Metro, Exit Independence Ave. SW, walk down 12^th St SW

 

WEBCAST MEETING LINK: http://tcg.acrobat.com/thengp

Questions can be Typed in Message Prompt Box

 

	NGP Co-Chairs
	Cornelia Chebinou, NASACT	Tony Cavataio, ED
	cchebinou@nasact.org	Tony.Cavataio@ed.gov
	(202) 624-5451	(202) 245-6151

National Grants Partnership

WEBCAST AGENDA & APPROXIMATE TIMETABLE

February 2nd

 

1:30 pm -1:35 pm - Introductory Remarks

 

o   Tony Cavataio, US Department of Education, NGP Co-Chair

o   Cornelia Chebinou, NASACT, NGP Co-Chair

 

1:35 pm -2:15 pm - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Update

 

Government Accountability Office

 

o   Status of States' and Localities' Use of Funds and Efforts to Ensure Accountability – Tom James, Assistant Director, Strategic Issues

o   GAO’s Recipient Reporting Mandate - Jay McTigue, Assistant Director, Strategic Issues

 

Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board

 

o   Enhancements to Federalreporting.gov, Nancy DiPaolo, Assistant Director, Congressional & Intergovernmental Affairs, RATB

o   2^nd Round of Recipient Reporting, Nancy DiPaolo, Assistant Director, Congressional & Intergovernmental Affairs, RATB

 

2:15 pm – 2:30 pm - Grants.gov Update

 

o   Michael Pellegrino, Grants.gov

 

2:30 pm – 2:40 pm –Workgroup on Incentives for Recovery of Improper Payments

 

o   Patricia Reese, Workgroup Chair, Director, Division of Financial Integrity Office of Federal Assistance Management Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) -Invited

 

2:40 pm -2:50 pm –Survey on Government Contracting and Grant Policies and Practices: How They are Affecting the Ability of Nonprofit Human Service Providers to Deliver Services

 

o   Erwin de Leon, The Urban Institute, Center on Nonprofits & Philanthropy

 

2:50 pm – 2:55 pm – Maryland Governors Grants Office Grants Management Training Series

 

o   Eric Brenner, Director, Maryland Governor’s Grants Office

 

2:55 pm – 3:00 pm - Closing Remarks and Next Webcast, Tuesday, May 11, 2010

 

Input Requested on Grants.gov Applications

The GPC is in the early stages of developing a proposed response to GAO’s recommendations about the timeliness of Grants.gov applications and would like to gather early input from stakeholders. The purpose of this outreach effort is to provide a mechanism for the applicant community to submit topics or a list of topical issues and major challenges that impact individuals/organizations' ability to submit grant applications in a timely fashion. The January 7th, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 4) Federal Register Notice http://www.cfoc.gov/Documents/GPC_Federal_Register_20100107.pdf

announcement provides more detail about this outreach effort. 

 

Please submit your comments and thoughts on the GPC’s Policy Comments page http://www.cfoc.gov/index.cfm?function=policy_comments.

Save the Date: February 2nd NGP Webcast

Please mark your calendar for the next NGP webcast on Tuesday, February 2^nd at 1:30 pm ET. In addition to an update on Grants.gov, the webcast will highlight progress on the Recovery Act including an presentation from the Government Accountability Office on their work in 16 states regarding implementation of the Act. 

 

We hope that you are able to join us.

 

 

DRAFT AGENDA
The National Grants Partnership
Meeting and Webcast

 

February 2, 2010

1:30-3:00 p.m., EST

 

For admittance and security, ALL participants must register in advance by noon on January 28, 2010, at TheNGP@AOL.com 

U.S. Department of Education
PCP Auditorium, 10th Floor 550
12th St SW Washington, DC 20202-4250

Metro Access:

· L’Enfant Plaza Metro, L’Enfant Plaza  Exit, walk up D St SW to 12^th St SW

· Smithsonian Metro, Exit Independence Ave. SW, walk down 12^th St SW 

WEBCAST: http://tcg.acrobat.com/thengp (includes audio)

Co-Chairs
Cornelia Chebinou, NASACT	Tony Cavataio, ED
mailto:cchebinou@nasact.org	Tony.Cavataio@ed.gov
(202) 624-5451	(202) 245-6151

  

DRAFT AGENDA

 

1:30 pm -1:40 pm - Introductory Remarks

1:40 pm -2:20 pm - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Update

            GAO, RATB and OMB (invited)

2:20 pm – 2:35 pm - Grants.gov Update

2:35 pm – 2:55 pm – State, Local and Non-profit Collaboration for Improved Grants Management/Grants Streamlining

2:55 pm – 3:00 pm - Closing Remarks and Next Webcast

 

 

Provide Your Input - Partner4solutions.gov

 

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has established Partner4Solutions.gov to gather solutions and best practices to improve service delivery, payment accuracy, administrative efficiency, and reduce access barriers in federally funded assistance programs.  

 

States and local governments are already addressing these issues head-on and have identified many innovative approaches.  Partner4Solutions.gov is an opportunity for taxpayers, program participants, and Federal, State, and Local program administrators to provide their input and begin a dialogue to better understand some of the on-the-ground best practices in this area.

 

This website is also a central element in meeting the transparency and collaboration principles of Executive Order 13520 – “Reducing Improper Payments and Eliminating Waste in Federal Programs.”

 

Please join this effort as a partner by contributing your ideas and solutions at Partner4Solutions.gov.

 

OMB Seeking Input/Best Practices in Relation to Federal Funded Assistance Programs

Via the ever-vigilant Cornelia Chebinou of the NGP and NASACT:

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has established Partner4Solutions.gov to gather solutions and best practices to improve service delivery, payment accuracy, administrative efficiency, and reduce access barriers in federally funded assistance programs. OMB has asked that we distribute t the link to this website.

States and local governments are already addressing these issues head-on and have identified many innovative approaches. Partner4Solutions.gov is an opportunity for taxpayers, program participants, and Federal, State, and Local program administrators to provide their input and begin a dialogue to better understand some of the on-the-ground best practices in this area.

This website is also a central element in meeting the transparency and collaboration principles of Executive Order 13520 – “Reducing Improper Payments and Eliminating Waste in Federal Programs.”

Please join this effort as a partner by contributing your ideas and solutions at Partner4Solutions.gov.

Job Announcement: HHS Supervisory Federal Assistance Policy Specialist

Become a part of the Department that touches the lives of every American! At the Department of Health and Human Services you can give back to your community, state, and country by making a difference in the lives of Americans everywhere. Join HHS and help to make our world healthier, safer and better for all Americans.

This position is located within the Office of the Assistance Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR), Office of Grants & Acquisition Policy and Accountability (OGAPA).  The incumbent reports directly to the Director, Division of Grants, who is responsible for Department-wide management of grants policy guidance and supervision of both the Office of Grants policy oversight and evaluation and the Office of Grants Systems Modernization, as well as a wide range of other management functions.  The incumbent will serve as the Director, Office of Grants Policy, Oversight and Evaluation.   The Division of Grants (DG) is the lead grants administrative policy and oversight office in the largest Federal grant-making agency-the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  DG serves customers throughout HHS and the public by providing leadership and quality customer service in all areas of grants management, including policy development and guidance, oversight and review, business management, grants system development and integration, expert best practices consultation, technical assistance, and training.  DG is responsible for simplifying and improving the administrative management of grants and other forms of federal assistance by publishing standardized policies in Department- wide regulations or in the HHS Grants Policy Directives (GPDs); by conducting oversight reviews of the Department's grants operations; by providing technical assistance and training.  DG works closely with the Office of Management and budget and other Federal agencies in accordance with Public Law 106-107, the Federal Financial Management and Improvement Act of 1999, to develop and implement grants policy and administrative management of grants and other assistance and further government-wide grants streamlining and simplification initiatives, such as Grants.gov.   Under DG's leadership, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) manages approximately 300 grant programs and awards over $239 billion in mandatory and discretionary grants funds annually.   http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=84764477&JobTitle=Supervisory+Federal+Assistance+Policy+Specialist&q=HHS-OS-09-2010-0010&sort=rv%2c-dtex&vw=b&re=134&FedEmp=Y&FedPub=Y&jbf565=&caller=default.aspx&AVSDM=2009-11-24+00%3a03%3a00

GPC Webcast

Grants Policy Committee Webcast

 

The Grants Policy Committee (GPC) focuses on improving the management of federal financial assistance government-wide. On December 10, 2009, the GPC will host its regular Stakeholders’ Webcast and Meeting from 2:00 to 3:30 P.M. E.S.T. The GPC encourages non-federal organizations’ staff and members to attend the December 10th meeting in person or via Webcast.

 

Agenda

·         Introduction

 

·         American Recovery and Reinvestment Reporting Overview, Lessons Learned, and Question and Answer (Q & A)

 

·         Government Accountability Office Findings on ARRA Recipient Reporting and Q & A

 

·         Single Audit Pilot on ARRA Funds and Q & A

 

·         Quick GPC Update

 

·         Final Q & A

 

·         Close

 

Feel free to submit topic-related questions in advance of the webcast to GPCWebcast@NSF.gov.  

 

View Via Internet: No Reservation Required

 

If you cannot attend the Webcast in person, view the Webcast via the Internet. There is no need to register. Simply follow the Webcast Instructions on the Webcast and Outreach <http://www.cfoc.gov/index.cfm?function=GPCwebcasts>  page. You will need Real Player to view this Webcast.

 

Attend In Person: Reservation Required

 

If you wish to attend the Webcast meeting in person, you MUST R.S.V.P. to gpcwebcast@nsf.gov by December 8th. You will receive a confirmation receipt. The broadcast of the Webcast will take place at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (451 7th St., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20410).

 

Location Details

 

If attending in person, please arrive at the North side of the HUD building fifteen minutes prior to broadcast. You must have a government-issued photo ID to gain access and will have to go through security screening.

 

Visit the Webcast and Outreach <http://www.cfoc.gov/index.cfm?function=GPCwebcasts>  page of www.GPC.gov <http://www.gpc.gov/>  for more information on the December 10th Webcast or e-mail questions to gpcwebcast@nsf.gov.

 

Helpful Links

 

GPC Webcasts and Outreach <http://www.cfoc.gov/index.cfm?function=GPCwebcasts>

 

www.GPC.gov

 

www.hud.gov <http://www.hud.gov/webcasts/schedule/>

 

 

If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail us at gpcwebcast@nsf.gov.