**Fiscal Officer Questions**

**Sea Grant Gathering, 2007**

**Knauss**

1\) Executive Fellows (those fellows working in a federal agency)
funding does not require match because the money comes via pass through
funds. As such it is not part of the Sea Grant appropriation.

2\) Legislative Fellows (those fellows who work on the Hill) funding
comes from the Sea Grant appropriation. Thus a 50% match is required.
Awards are made as an amendment to the omnibus, thus the omnibus overage
covers the match.

**Performance Progress Reporting (PPR)**

**(Q1) What is the difference between NSGO Annual Report and PPR?**

A: Annual reports are a combination of all Sea Grant awards. PPR is
required by Regulation for each award.

**(Q2) When are reports due (why are some annual and others
semi-annual)?**

A: Attachment B NOAA Admin Standard Award Conditions, Section B. The
NSGO mainly asks the Grants Officer to require grantees to submit annual
reports. The Grants Officer makes the final decision. Background: When
Grants Online began, the default was semi-annual. Thus, some programs
still have a \"hold-over\" from the default.

**(Q3) Are we going to one standard date for all PPR?**

A: Not likely as it is against current regulations.

**(Q4) When will the new PPRs formats be required?**

A: After OMB approval. Date unknown

**(Q5) Why are PPRs due 90 days before the end of the award period when
the NOAA policy is 60 days?**

A: Actually, the NOAA and DOC policy is 90 days.

**Foreign Travel**

**(Q6) What is the required authorization if it is: a) detailed in the
proposal budget, b) funds in the budget w/o trip detail, c) not in the
budget?**

a\) If detailed in budget justification, authorization is implied when
awarded.

> b\) Award Action Request (AAR) required c) If NOAA Sea Grant is not
> paying for it, but it is related to the sponsored project,
> authorization is still needed.

**(Q7) When you request authorization for foreign travel through Grants
On-line do you put the explanation in the box under the \"Fly-America\"
questions or as an attachment?**

A: Attachment preferred

**Business Rules for NSGO database**

**(Q8) Project numbers - what is the system we should be using (C, M,
R)?**

A: See \"Business Rules for Sea Grant Database\" - in this package. As
well, please note the Sea Grant Strategic Plan Classification codes
which can be found in this package under \"Sea Grant Project
Categories.\" These will remain the same under the new strategic
planning process so it is consistent over time.

**(Q9) What are the Icodes and how do we get them?**

A: Icodes are a unique code given to states and universities about 20
years ago (list in the old greenbook). Each \"100\" was a different
state. Then each University had a code within that state\'s \"100\"
number. In the future, the NSGO will look to remove the Icode from the
90-2 as the NIMS database should be able to automatically associate the
Icode with the University.

**(Q10) What are affiliation codes and how do they differ from Icodes?**

A: They are the same.

**Program Development**

**(Q11) What are the funding limits without approval?**

A: Less than \$10,000. Over \$10,000 you need to send the proposal and
the three merit reviews to your program officer for approval. Program
Development project approval does not need to go through Grants Online.

**(Q12) What are funds to be used for?**

A: It is generally recognized that all vigorous Sea Grant Programs need
a continuing development effort, and these activities often cannot be
delayed by adhering to the standard proposal review cycle without
substantial harm in the form of opportunity lost. Funds available for
the discretionary use of the Director may be needed for the exploratory
phases of a new project in preparation for the next major program
review, or to accommodate unexpected opportunities related to current
projects. Within these general norms of Suitable activities under Sea
Grants, considerable flexibility and local control are intended.
However, the National Sea Grant Office needs to be kept informed of
program activities. Under the circumstance outlined below, the use of
discretionary funds requires prior approval.

The National Sea Grant Office needs to be kept informed of program
activities, and sound program development requires some level of
concurrence between Sea Grant Director and program officer, at least for
sizeable thrusts. Therefore, whenever a program development activity
exceeds \$10,000, a proposal with budget forms and three merit reviews
should be submitted. A response showing concurrence must be obtained
from the National Sea Grant Office program officer before initiating the
project.

**NSGO Structure**

**(Q13) NSGO Organizational chart**

A: http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/other/sgofficestaffdirectory.html

**(Q14) What areas of the Sea Grant program are these people responsible
for (so we know who we go to with various questions)?**

A: http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/other/SGOrgChart.pdf

**(Q15) Is there a specific NSGO person that works with the Grants
Online group?**

A: Jon Eigen & Rich Fales (Grants Management Division)

**Grants Online**

**(Q16) It would be very helpful to be able to see delinquent
reports...some programs do not know reports are delinquent until the
program officer calls the program.**

A: Recipients can run reports now through Grants Online. Also, emails
are now sent to the PI(s) that have been listed under \"manage award
personnel.\" Usually the Campus Sponsored Program Office is the only one
that can do this. Some Sea Grant programs list a number of \"PIs.\" An
email is sent 45 days in advance of a PPR being due, then another email
at 30 days when the report can be uploaded to Grants Online. PLEASE have
your Campus Sponsored Program Office update the award personnel so that
the appropriate person(s) will receive this notification.

**(Q17) When are reports made available Online?**

A: One day after reporting period ends (30 days before it is due). For
example, a PPR for 11/1/2006 - 10/31/2007 would be available to upload a
progress report on 11/1/2007. The report would not be delinquent until
11/30/2007.

**(Q18) In Grants Online if Sea Grant awards are not awarded to the
\"institution-sea grant,\" the sponsored programs office has no way to
break them out for the program to review. All Sea Grant awards must be
awarded to \"Institution-Sea Grant\". Is this a problem within NOAA?**

A: It is my understanding that Grants Online is set up so your home
institution can receive funds as the University of XXX or University of
XXX-**\*Sea Grant\***.  This gives University of XXX the ability to give
XXX Sea Grant access to the Sea Grant only funds and submit reports,
request actions, receive notification etc. Many institutions are unaware
they can have this done.

**(Q19) After submitting a request to NOAA through Grants On-line why
does the status state \"RecipientAuthorizedRepresentativeActions - Not
Started\" It would help if it clearly stated NOAA had received the
request.**

A: There are different levels of authorization. Grants Online has a
\"creator\" and then an \"authorized representative\" who submits to the
Agency. The creator is often the authorized representative, so they have
to submit to themselves. Then the authorized representative gets the
task to forward the request to the Agency.

**(Q20) Grants on -line only allows for a PPR to be 10mb. Our final
report for the omnibus was 126mb. What should the breakout be on PPRs?**

A: PPRs should be unlimited. Grants Online is looking into this now.

**(Q21) Would it be possible to have the Special Awards Conditions (SAC)
included for each award as these vary?**

A: All the SACs are in the award and are numbered. 

**ANNUAL REPORT**

**(Q22) Clarification on the content wanted in each section of the
Annual Report is requested.**

A: See Annual Report Guidance
(<http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/other/admininfo.html>)

**(Q23) How should we complete section IVa of the Annual Report for
researchers? When we award funds to agencies the PI lists their time to
be spent on that award but we have no idea how they spend the balance of
their time or even if they are 100%? Is this section only for Sea Grant
Program staff?**

A: This section is not only for Sea Grant Program staff, but also
research PIs. We want to know the time that the PI spends on a Sea Grant
award (not what they spend the balance of their time on). You usually
fill this out on the 90-4 and the 90-2 forms for each research award
(see attached). Please count the man-months for each project and the Sea
Grant Program staff.

**(Q24) Asking for a \"project completion report\" no longer than one
page is extra work when we have a final report. Programs do not have the
time to summarize every final report. Why is this necessary and what
should the content be. Some projects can not be summarized in one
page?**

**AND**

**(Q25) Why can\'t the PI\'s Performance Project Report suffice in
section I? Section one seems to be asking for a rewrite (by the program
office) of every report?**

A: The reason we requested a one pager for a project completion report
is so that we would have a summation of the conclusions (i.e., what did
the project yield, and what are the implications?) once the project is
finished. Ideally, this information would be provided by the PIs,
describing their results and conclusions. It could be an abbreviated
(preferably) PPR report so that we can quickly and easily grab that
information for different NSGO reporting requirements.

In National Information Management System (NIMS), ideally the PPR report
would be copied and pasted into the Completion Report text box (which
allows for almost unlimited characters). This way, the information is
searchable. If this is not possible, this report could be attached.

Also, by using NIMS, all projects will easily be updated for reporting
purposes.

**(Q26)Why aren\'t all NOAA awards included in the Annual Report, and
what is the distinction?**

A: The NSGO is responsible for Sea Grant award numbers only, but we
understand the need for NIMS to include other awards. One of the next
steps for improvement to the system is to include other NOAA awards so
that you can develop other NOAA performance progress reports for Grants
Online.

**(Q27) There needs to be a NIMS workshop?**

A: If you are requesting a NIMS workshop for training purposes,
unfortunately during tight budget times, this will not happen. All
program officers, however, are familiar with the system and can help
with your questions.

**Award Management**

**(Q28) Can there be more than one award extension requested**

A: Yes. You must use the no-cost extension under expanded authority
first. The next year you can request a no-cost extension without
expanded authority. This second request requires the approval of the FPO
and Grants Officer. The no-cost extension without expanded authority is
not guaranteed.

**(Q29) Can there be more than one subaward extension granted to a
subaward PI by the SG programs without notifying the NSGO?**

A: Subaward extensions are the responsibility of the recipient but
cannot extend past the Grant life.

**(Q30) Can a subawardee be granted a reallocation larger than 10%
without NOAA approval if the prime award does not go over 10%?**

A: The 10% rule trickles down. A subaward of 10k can not have more than
1K rebudgeted.

**A-133**

**(Q31) Explain red flags a) excessive numbers of cost transfers, b)
transfers made at end of project that result in addition charges, c)
appearance of moving deficit from one federal award to another, d)
salary transfers made after effort was certified, and f) transfer with
inadequate explanations**

A: Refer to the Yellow Book (Government Accounting book)

**General**

**(Q32) Why is NOAA no longer giving the workshops? They were very
valuable to new employees and for helping to resolve issues that
arise.**

A: We hope to have one in Dec 07. Budget constraints.

**(Q34) It would be very helpful to have someone explain what the
content of a Performance Report for the omnibus should consist of and
for the NSGO to understand the work involved in the various formats.**

A: The NSGO wants to work with programs to streamline the reporting.
This is the goal of the NIMS system. Therefore, let\'s work together to
make the processes simpler and less work. 15 CFR Part 12 Subpart C
s14.51 (P157) are the Federal reporting requirements for Performance
Progress Reports (PPR)

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/15cfr14_00.html

**(Q35) With budgets being cut, why is the National Office requesting
more work of the programs with all this additional reporting?**

A: The NSGO has not asked for more reporting the last few years. If this
is your belief, please inform Kola of these increases via email at
nikola.garber@noaa.gov. As mentioned above, the NSGO is working to
streamline all reporting. Note: Government Performance Reporting Act of
1993 does require more information than before 1993. See website below

http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/406/1/90