oppST-18-108-FRG-0005-cfda97.108-instructions.pdf

Science & Technology First Responder Group

FY’18 GUIDANCE FOR PREPARING

A NON-COMPETING

CONTINUATION GRANT

APPLICATION

Applications Due: July 24, 2018

GUIDANCE FOR PREPARING A NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION

GRANT APPLICATION

Table of Contents

PART ONE: GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 3

PART TWO: APPLICATION SUBMISSION 4

PART THREE: APPLICATION CONTENT 5

PART FOUR: APPLICATION REVIEW 6

PART FIVE: CONTACT AND RESOURCE INFORMATION 7

GUIDANCE FOR PREPARING A NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION

GRANT APPLICATION

PART ONE: GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Eligibility

These instructions are applicable to existing grantees and provide guidance on the preparation and submission of a non-competing continuation grant application.

Purpose

The purpose of a non-competing continuation grant application is to:

• Report on the progress of the project during the current budget year.

• Provide a work plan (inclusive of program and evaluation activities) for the upcoming budget year.

• Provide a detailed budget and budget narrative justification for the upcoming year.

Each section of the continuation application should justify and support the other sections.

The Guidance for Preparing a Non-Competing Continuation Grant Application prescribes the content, information, and data requirements for non-competing grant applications. This guidance should be used in conjunction with the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under which the competing grant application was funded and any other application materials provided by the Grants and Financial Assistance Division (GFAD) or posted at GrantsSolutions.gov in the non-competing application kit. The NOFO provides information and guidance for grantees for the entire project period.

Non-competing continuation grant applications will be reviewed by the DHS Project and Grants Officers. The application must provide detailed information on the progress in accomplishing goals and objectives during the first six months of the current budget year; a detailed work plan that outlines the goals, objectives, and activities for the upcoming budget year; and a detailed budget and budget justification for the upcoming budget year. If your non-competing grant application includes a carryover request, a separate detailed budget and budget justification should be provided for the total amount requested in carryover funds.

PART TWO: NON-COMPETING APPLICATION PREPARATION AND

SUBMISSION

Application Submission

GFAD provides grantees with the ability to submit non-competing continuation applications electronically via GrantSolutions.gov. Applicants will receive notification from GrantSolutions.gov via email confirmation receipt. Hard copy application submissions are not accepted by GFAD.

Any applications submitted via any means other than electronic communication, including facsimile or electronic mail, will not be accepted for review. Grantees are encouraged to initiate electronic applications early in the application development process, and to submit early on or before the due date. This will aid in addressing any problems with submission prior to the application deadline.

Your non-competing continuation application kit can be found in GrantSolutions.gov. If you encounter any difficulties submitting your non-competing continuation grant application through GrantSolutions.gov, please contact the GrantSolutions helpdesk at

(866) 577-0771 or help@grantsolutions.gov prior to the submission deadline. If you need further information regarding the application process, please contact your Grants Officer. For programmatic information, please contact your Program Officer.

Electronic Submissions via the GrantSolutions System

Electronic applications submitted via the GrantSolutions system must contain all completed online forms required by the application kit, the Project Narrative, Budget Information and any supplemental attachments. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time of the due date specified on the cover page of this guidance.

Non-competing continuation grant applications will not be considered valid until all electronic application components are received by GFAD according to the deadlines specified above. Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission, the GrantSolutions system will provide the grantee with a confirmation page indicating the date and time (Eastern Standard Time) of the electronic application submission. This confirmation page will also provide a listing of all items that constitute the final application submission including all electronic application components.

mailto:help@grantsolutions.gov

As items are received by GFAD, the electronic non- competing application status will be updated to reflect receipt of the items. It is recommended that the grantee monitor the status of their application in GrantSolutions to ensure all items are received.

PART THREE: NON-COMPETING APPLICATION CONTENT

The non-competing continuation grant application should include the required grants management forms, a table of contents, project narrative that includes both a progress report for the first six months of the current project period and a work plan for the upcoming budget year, detailed budget narrative and budget justification for the upcoming budget year, and any additional materials in the appendices. The contents of the application should be properly labeled and numbered. Contents should be complete and written in 12-point font.

I. REQUIRED FORMS AND OTHER REQUIRED INFORMATION

Table 1 below lists the required forms and other information that must be submitted within this section of the non-competing application.

Table 1 Form Required for Non-

Competing Continuation Grant Applications

Source of Form

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

Non-competing continuation application kit at www.grantsolutions.gov

SF-424A, Budget Information Non- Construction Program

Non-competing

SF-424B, Assurances Non- Construction Program

Non-competing

SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Non-competing

Additional information and forms may be required to complete your non-competing application and will be outlined in the GrantSolutions application kit and any appendices included with these instructions.

http://www.grantsolutions.gov/ http://www.grantsolutions.gov/ http://www.grantsolutions.gov/ http://www.grantsolutions.gov/

This assistance is subject to funds availability and awardee’s compliance with requirements of the financial assistance agreement.

PART FOUR: APPLICATION REVIEW

Non-competing continuation grant applications will be reviewed by the DHS Project and Grants Officers. In addition to evaluating programmatic progress and workplans, DHS staff will evaluate the risks to the program posed by each applicant, including conducting due diligence to ensure an applicant’s ability to manage federal funds. This evaluation is in addition to the evaluation of the applicant’s eligibility and the quality of its application on the basis of the Selection Criteria, and results from this evaluation will inform funding decisions. If DHS determines that an award will be made, special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed may be applied to the award.

In evaluating risks, DHS may consider the following:

• Financial stability

• Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed in applicable OMB Guidance

• Applicant’s record in managing previous DHS awards, cooperative agreements, or procurement awards, including:

1. Timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements

2. Accuracy of data reported

3. Conformance to the terms and conditions of previous federal awards

4. If applicable, the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to future awards

5. Information available through OMB-designated repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, such as:

Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), Duns and SAM

6. Reports and findings from single audits performed under Subpart F – Audit Requirements, 2 C.F.R. Part 200 and findings and reports of any other available audits

7. Applicant organization’s annual report

8. Publicly available information, including information from the applicant organization's website

9. Applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on award recipients.

Applicant Disclosure of Risk Status Applicants are to disclose whether they are currently designated high risk by another federal grant making agency. This includes any status requiring additional oversight by the federal agency due to past programmatic or financial concerns. If an applicant is designated at a higher risk by another federal grant making agency, you must submit the following information at the time of application submission:

• The federal agency that currently designated the applicant as high risk.

• Date the applicant was designated at a higher risk.

• The higher risk point of contact name, phone number, and email address, from that federal agency.

• Reasons for the higher risk status.

DHS seeks this information to ensure appropriate federal oversight of any grant award. Disclosing this higher risk information does not disqualify any organization from receiving a DHS award. However, additional grant oversight may be included, if necessary, in award documentation.

PART FIVE: CONTACT AND RESOURCE INFORMATION

DHS Grants Officer: Janet Bailey Grants and Financial Assistance Division 202-447-0362 (v) janet.bailey@hq.dhs.gov

DHS Program Officer: David Alexander, Program Manager

Science and Technology Directorate 202-254-6447 (v) david.alexander1@hq.dhs.gov mailto:janet.bailey@hq.dhs.gov

PART FIVE: CONTACT AND RESOURCE INFORMATION