In all, this reporting cycle (that closed yesterday) was a great effort, especially with 49 of you that had previously finalized your reporting (some up to a year ago) having to report again due to Supplemental Formula Awards (of which you’ve yet to receive the actual funds, but know that the IT team is resolving). I thank you for making the extra effort to submit your reports before the reporting window closed at midnight (EDT) last night at www.FederalReporting.gov. 

 

In the end there were only 7 Non-Filers:

S404A090032

S404A090067

S404A090084

S404A090120

S404A090123

S404A090129

S404A090171

 

Those districts must be prepared to report during the next reporting cycle (January 1-10, 2011) or their future Impact Aid funding could be affected. This is extremely important!

 

All, please do not forget that your www.CCR.gov registration must be renewed annually.  If this is not up to date you’ll have to wait for it to take effect (up to 48 hours) and timing could mean missing the deadline (in addition to possibly not receiving expected payments).  The same is true if you need a password reset, etc. at www.FederalReporting.gov.

 

The requirement to report is part of the agreement on accepting federal funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and required by law.

This White House news article may be of interest on this reporting.  (There is a link that lists the individual non-reporters with specific information):

 

Keeping a Close Eye on Recovery Act Dollars | The White House

From the beginning, the President and Vice President have demanded an unprecedented level of accountability and transparency from recipients of Recovery Act funds.  Tens of thousands of recipients are required to report in every quarter on how exactly they are putting their Recovery Act contract, grant or loan to work -- and those reports are posted in full public view on Recovery.gov. . . .

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/10/08/keeping-a-close-eye-recovery-act-dollars

 

Beginning Monday, Oct 18th, I’ll start reviewing the submitted reports and contacting you for any changes needed at www.FederalReporting.gov.  Please note that there are many of you that I’ll be contacting during the Agency Review period (Oct 16-29th), which will be rolled up to www.Recovery.gov for public view on Oct 30th, but you will not be able to enter your changes until the system opens back up to you for Continuous Reporting (Nov 2nd). 

 

Changes/updates will then be rolled up to www.Recovery.gov every two week interval.

 

Thank you again,

 

Deborah R. Jones
Impact Aid Program  -  Program Support Group
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Phone: 202.260.2056

eFAX:   866.799.1272 or 866.799.1273 for special reports

Email:  [log in to unmask]

"If you want something really important to be done you must not merely satisfy the reason, you must move the heart also."    –   Mahatma Gandhi

 

 

From: Jones, Deborah
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 3:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: URGENT: 2010 QTR3 ARRA 1512 Grant Reporting - ALL REPORTS DUE BY OCT 10TH (SUNDAY)

 

The following reports are still outstanding at www.FederalReporting.gov

 

S404A090021

S404A090032

S404A090037 is there, but reported as CONTRACT (change to GRANT)

S404A090042

S404A090067

S404A090076 is there, but reported with incorrect award #

S404A090084

S404A090093

S404A090094

S404A090103

S404A090111

S404A090120

S404A090123

S404A090126

S404A090129

S404A090171

 

If you do not submit by midnight tonight (EDT), you will not be able to submit until January 2011.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Deborah

 

 

 

From: Jones, Deborah
Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 12:13 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: URGENT: 2010 QTR3 ARRA 1512 Grant Reporting - ALL REPORTS DUE BY OCT 10TH (SUNDAY)
Importance: High

 

If you do not submit your report by Sunday, 10/10/2010, you will be a LATE-FILER. 

 

If you do not submit any report by Wednesday, 10/13/2010, you will be a NON-FILER.

 

Please submit your reports at www.FederalReporting.gov by Sunday. The system seems to slow down on the last day of reporting due to so many reporters attempting to report at the same time.

 

Please be reminded that under the conditions of the grant you agreed to the requirement (by law) to file quarterly reports on these funds.

 

Note that many of you received messages regarding your requirement to submit a report again for a Supplemental Award.  You must meet the same timelines listed above!

 

 

Statistics on reporting as of Friday afternoon, 10/8/2010:

 

-Formula (S404A*)            - 53 out of 129 required to report this quarter (includes 31 previously FINALIZED reports but are now required to report again due to the recent Supplementary Award under the same Award#) have reported. (41%)

 

-Discretionary (S401A*)  -  14 out of 24 required to report this quarter have reported. (58%)

 

 

FYI:   Information from the www.FederalReporting.gov Helpdesk:

 

FederalReporting.gov allows Recipients to submit and Federal Agencies to review required Recovery Act reporting data. If you need help with registering as a user, submitting a report, reviewing a report, or other website functions, contact our Service Desk.

Service Desk Information

Service Desk Hours of Operation

The service desk hours of operation will be 8 AM to 6 PM ET, Monday – Friday.

Begin Date

End Date

Hours (EST)

Days / Week

April 1, 2010

April 30, 2010

8 AM - 6 PM ET

Monday - Friday

May 1, 2010

June 30, 2010

8 AM - 6 PM ET

Monday - Friday

July 1, 2010

July 31, 2010

8 AM - 6 PM ET

Monday - Friday

August 1, 2010

September 30, 2010

8 AM - 6 PM ET

Monday - Friday

October 1, 2010

October 31, 2010

8 AM - 6 PM ET

Monday - Friday

 

 

Thank you.

Deborah

 

 

From: Jones, Deborah
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 2:41 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: ONLY 5 DAYS & 9 HOURS LEFT FOR 2010 QTR3 ARRA 1512 Grant Reporting - WITHOUT BE A LATE-FILER
Importance: High

 

PLEASE NOTE:

 

If you do NOT plan on working this weekend to submit your ARRA 1512 Reporting at www.FederalReporting.gov , you have only until Friday to submit your 3rd Quarter report for Calendar Year 2010.  If you submit your report next Monday through Wednesday (Oct 11-13), you will be categorized as a LATE-FILER.

 

50 districts that previously FINALIZED their ARRA Formula reports in www.FederalReporting.gov  must report again this quarter (reopening their reporting) due to receiving a Supplementary Award last week at the end of Qtr3 (and prior to the end of our Fiscal Year).  You will report as before except with the new larger total award (Original + Supplementary Awards combined), using the same award number (without the “A” on the end).  Since the Supplemental amount was awarded at the very end of Qtr3 with no time to spend it in that quarter, you will have an outstanding balance for expenditures to carry over into Qtr4.  It is possible to fully expend the Supplemental in Qtr4 and FINALIZE your reporting after that (Qtr4 reporting will begin on January 1st, 2011).

 

 

Statistics on reporting as of Tuesday afternoon, 10/5/2010:

 

-Formula (S404A*)            - 16 out of 129 required to report this quarter (includes 31 previously FINALIZED reports but are now required to report again due to the recent Supplementary Award under the same Award#) have reported. (12.5%)

 

-Discretionary (S401A*)  -  4 out of 24 required to report this quarter have reported. (16%)

 

 

THE OCTOBER 2010 OMB GUIDANCE CHANGE on the requirement of aggregating sub-recipient and vendor data if the total payments are $25,000 or greater has been rescinded! The updated Tip Sheets are attached. OMB has re-posted the guidance document M-10-34 to reflect this change (found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2010/m10-34.pdf) as well as re-posting FAQs clarifying M-10-08 that outline the reporting responsibilities for recipients related to sub-awards and vendor payments (found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recovery_faqs/#10-08-1). We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused but this change is being made in response to many of you who had raised serious concerns, and OMB heard your complaints loud & clear.

 

OMB’s comment on this rescission:

“Making this change at this point in the Recovery Act reporting process has proven to create significant concerns and problems for State governments and other recipients.  These challenges are compounded by existing systems that have been put in place to report in the manner previously envisioned, and cannot be quickly reconfigured.  Ultimately, we do not feel that these challenges can be overcome at this point in time in many cases.”

 

ED’s Guidance Page:  http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/section-1512.html

 

 

Deborah R. Jones
Impact Aid Program  -  Program Support Group
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Phone: 202.260.2056

eFAX:   866.799.1272

Email:  [log in to unmask]

"Anything that is of value in life only multiplies when it is given." — Deepak Chopra

 

 

 

From: Jones, Deborah
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2010 3:17 PM
Subject: IMPORTANT: (2010 QTR3) ARRA 1512 Grant Quarterly Reporting (Impact Aid) Begins TOMORROW, Oct 1st
Importance: High

 

NOTE:  FORMULA GRANT RECIPIENTS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY MARKED YOUR REPORTS AS FINAL, THIS APPLIES TO YOU TOO!!!

CHANGES HAVE TAKEN PLACE THAT REQUIRE YOU REPORT AGAIN THIS QUARTER!

 

 

ALL ARRA Grant Recipients (Formula & Discretionary):

 

ARRA Quarterly Reporting Periods are based on the Calendar Year. The system opens for “initial quarterly reports” on the 1st of the month following the end of the quarter, and ends on the 10th unless extended by OMB.  OMB does not always provide for an extension.  If you do not submit an ”initial quarterly report” during this time period you will not be able to submit it later during the continuous correction/update period:

 

- April (for the current Calendar Year’s Qtr1, which ended on Mar 31st)

- July  (for the current Calendar Year’s Qtr2, which ended on Jun 30th)

- Oct (for the current Calendar Year’s Qtr3, which ended on Sep 30th)  current reporting cycle

This particular reporting period, OMB has allowed for a LATE entry to be entered between Oct 11th and 13th.

- Jan  (for the previous Calendar Year’s Qtr4, which ends on Dec 31st)

 

New guidance has been released recently and the TIP Sheets for all grants were updated.  The updated TIP Sheets are attached to this message.  When entering your report at www.FederalReporting.gov, please reference the appropriate TIP Sheet and update fields as required. One of the findings in GAO’s Transparency Study was that the Quarterly Activities /  Project Description field on www.FederalReporting.gov was too vague for the Formula Grants.  Your initial entry should have been the specific description for the entire project. Each quarter you should be providing current project details at the top of this field showing the progression over the length of the project.  If you are a Formula ARRA Grant recipient, please review this field and update accordingly.

 

Data from www.FederalReporting.gov is rolled up to www.Recovery.gov after the Agency’s review period (Oct 16-29 this cycle) and every 2 weeks thereafter during the Continuous Update/Corrections period (beginning Nov 2nd) for Public Review.

 

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006, requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) establish a single searchable website, accessible to the public at no cost, which includes for each Federal award:

·         the name of the entity receiving the award;

·         the amount of the award;

·         information on the award including transaction type, funding agency, etc;

·         the location of the entity receiving the award; and

·         a unique identifier of the entity receiving the award.

USAspending.gov was first launched in December 2007 to fulfill these requirements. The information shown on the website is provided by the Federal Agencies through six main source systems. USAspending.gov receives and displays data pertaining to obligations (amounts awarded for federally sponsored projects during a given budget period), not outlays or expenditures (actual cash disbursements made against each project).

http://www.usaspending.gov/learn?tab=FAQ

 

 

ARRA Grant Recipients (Formula ONLY):

 

As you have been informed, SUPPLEMENTAL awards were made this week to all of you (FORMULA recipients only).  The new GANs reflect the same award number with an “A” on the end.  You will need to enter your same award information this quarter (without the A and keeping the original award date of 4/10/09) into www.FederalReporting.gov but with a new ORIGINAL AWARD AMOUNT (your previous and current awards combined).  The Performance Period and original Award Date remain the same. If your previous report had been finalized you will still need to make a report this quarter with the updated award amount and expenditures.  If your new combined Award Amount is still under $25,000, you are not required to report but if your new combined Award Amount is over $25,000 (though it was not before), you are now required to report.

 

 

 

ARRA Grant Recipients (Discretionary ONLY): (note new FAX number below):

 

Please submit your invoices to the following for approval / submission / payment:

 

[log in to unmask]

[log in to unmask]

[log in to unmask]

 

You can submit invoices via post, email attachment (addresses listed above) or the special projects fax number (1.866.799.1273).

This is a separate fax number from our regular Impact Aid Application fax number (1.866.799.1272).

 

 

 

Other info and reminders on common errors:

 

-ALL fields are cumulative EXCEPT for the Jobs field, which should reflect the number of jobs created ‘or’ maintained in the current reporting quarter ONLY.

-The number of jobs should be calculated in accordance with the official guidance based on annual full time employees (FTE’s).

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/memoranda_2010/m10-08.pdf

 

-Under Project/Award Information:  Funding Agency Code -&- Awarding Agency Code should be 9146

 

-The Total Federal Amount of ARRA Expenditure –and- Total Federal Amount of ARRA “Infrastructure” Expenditure fields should be the same since this award is for Construction only.

 

-Please note that you should LINK your quarterly reports together at www.FederalReporting.gov to enable easier auditing.  This is easier if you COPY FORWARD your last report brining pre-populated fields making it easier to change. The instructions for this function are in Chapter 10 (pp10-10) of the User Guide, available under the DOWNLOADS tab.

 

-Please remember that you must re-register annually on www.CCR.gov.  If you registered about a year ago for the first reporting period, you may be in this category. To avoid a delay in reporting October 1st you may want to review/renew.

 

-Please always include your Grant Award Number in the subject line to speed up any correspondence with us here at the U.S. Department of Education.

 

 

Thank you.

Deborah

 

Deborah R. Jones
Impact Aid Program  -  Program Support Group
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Phone: 202.260.2056
eFAX:   866.799.1272
Email:  [log in to unmask]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     If you want to test a man's character . . give him power.   --   Abraham Lincoln