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from suspension under 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants).

Termination means the cancellation of Federal sponsorship, in whole or in part, under an agreement at any time prior to the date of completion.

Third party in-kind contributions means the value of non-cash contributions provided by non-Federal third parties. Third party in-kind contributions may be in the form of real property, equipment, supplies and other expendable property, and the value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the project or program.

Unliquidated obligations, for financial reports prepared on a cash basis, means the amount of obligations incurred by the recipient that have not been paid. For reports prepared on an accrued expenditure basis, they represent the amount of obligations incurred by the recipient for which an outlay has not been recorded.

Unobligated balance means the portion of the funds authorized by the Secretary that has not been obligated by the recipient and is determined by deducting the cumulative obligations from the cumulative funds authorized.

Unrecovered indirect cost means the difference between the amount awarded and the amount which could have been awarded under the recipient's approved negotiated indirect cost rate.

Working capital advance means a procedure whereby funds are advanced to the recipient to cover its estimated disbursement needs for a given initial period.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

874.3 Effect on other issuances.

For awards subject to this part, all administrative requirements of codified program regulations, program manuals, handbooks, and other nonregulatory materials which are inconsistent with the requirements of this part are superseded, except to the extent they are required by statute, or

authorized in accordance with the deviations provision in § 74.4.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

874.4 Deviations.

The

Secretary, after consultation with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), may grant exceptions for classes of grants or recipients subject to the requirements of this part when exceptions are not prohibited by statute. However, in the interest of maximum uniformity, exceptions from the requirements of this part are permitted only in unusual circumstances. The Secretary may apply more restrictive requirements to a class of recipients when approved by OMB. The Secretary may apply less restrictive requirements when awarding small awards, except for those requirements which are statutory. Exceptions on a case-by-case basis may also be made by the Secretary.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

874.5 Subawards.

Unless sections of this part specifically exclude subrecipients from coverage, the provisions of this part shall be applied to subrecipients performing work under awards if the subrecipients are institutions of higher education, hospitals, or other non-profit organizations. State and local government subrecipients are subject to the provisions of 34 CFR Part 80-Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

Subpart B-Pre-Award
Requirements

874.10 Purpose.

Sections 74.11 through 74.17 prescribes forms and instructions and other pre-award matters to be used in applying for awards.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

§74.11 Pre-award policies.

(a) Use of grants and cooperative agreements, and contracts. In each instance, the Secretary decides on the appropriate award instrument (i.e., grant, cooperative agreement, or contract). The Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act (31 U.S.C. 6301-08) governs the use of grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts. A grant or cooperative agreement shall be used only when the principal purpose of a transaction is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by Federal statute. The statutory criterion for choosing between grants and cooperative agreements is that for the latter, substantial involvement is expected between ED and the recipient when carrying out the activity contemplated in the agreement. Contracts shall be used when the principal purpose is acquisition of property or services for the direct benefit or use of the Federal Government.

(b) Public notice and priority setting. The Secretary notifies the public of intended funding priorities for discretionary grant programs, unless funding priorities are established by Federal statute.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

$74.12 Forms for applying for Federal assistance.

(a) The Secretary complies with the applicable report clearance requirements of 5 CFR Part 1320-Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Publicwith regard to all forms used by ED in place of or as a supplement to the Standard Form 424 (SF-424) series.

(b) Applicants shall use the SF-424 series or those forms and instructions prescribed by the Secretary.

(c) For Federal programs covered by E.O. 12372-Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (implemented by the Secretary in 34 CFR Part 79-Intergovernmental Review of Department of Education Programs and Activities)— the applicant shall complete the appropriate sections of the SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance) indicating whether the application was subject to review by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC). The name and address

of the SPOC for a particular State can be obtained from the Secretary or the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (available from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office). The SPOC shall advise the applicant whether the program for which application is made has been selected by that State for review.

(d) If ED does not use the SF-424 form, the Secretary may indicate whether the application is subject to review by the State under E.O. 12372. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1880-0513) (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

[59 FR 34724, July 6, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 6660, Feb. 3, 1995]

874.13 Debarment and suspension.

The Secretary and recipients shall comply with the nonprocurement debarment and suspension common rule (implemented by the Secretary in 34 CFR part 85). This common rule restricts subawards and contracts with certain parties that are debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs or activities.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

874.14 Special award conditions.

(a) The Secretary may impose special award conditions, if an applicant or recipient

(1) Has a history of poor performance; (2) Is not financially stable;

(3) Has a management system that does not meet the standards prescribed in this part;

(4) Has not conformed to the terms and conditions of a previous award; or (5) Is not otherwise responsible.

(b) If special award conditions are established under paragraph (a) of this section, the Secretary notifies the applicant or recipient of—

(1) The nature of the additional requirements;

(2) The reason why the additional requirements are being imposed;

(3) The nature of the corrective action needed;

(4) The time allowed for completing the corrective actions; and

(5) The method for requesting reconsideration of the additional requirements imposed.

(c) Any special conditions are promptly removed once the conditions that prompted them have been corrected.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

874.15 Metric system of measurement.

The Metric Conversion Act, as amended by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act (15 U.S.C. 205) declares that the metric system is the preferred measurement system for U.S. trade and commerce. The Act requires each Federal agency to establish a date or dates in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, when the metric system of measurement will be used in the agency's procurements, grants, and other business-related activities. Metric implementation may take longer where the use of the system is initially impractical or likely to cause significant inefficiencies in the accomplishment of federally-funded activities. The Secretary follows the provisions of E.O. 12770-Metric Usage in Federal Government Programs.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

874.16 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (Pub. L. 94-580 codified at 42 U.S.C. 6962), any State agency or agency of a political subdivision of a State which is using appropriated Federal funds must comply with section 6002 of the RCRA. Section 6002 requires that preference be given in procurement programs to the purchase of specific products containing recycled materials identified in guidelines developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (40 CFR parts 247-254). Accordingly, recipients that receive direct Federal awards or other Federal funds shall give preference in their procurement programs funded with Federal funds to the purchase of recycled products pursuant to the EPA guidelines.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

874.17 Certifications and representations.

Unless prohibited by statute or codified regulation, the Secretary allows recipients to submit certifications and representations required by statute, executive order, or regulation on an annual basis, if the recipients have ongoing and continuing relationships with ED. Annual certifications and representations shall be signed by responsible officials with the authority to ensure recipients' compliance with the pertinent requirements.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

Subpart C-Post-Award
Requirements

FINANCIAL AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

$74.20 Purpose of financial and program management.

Sections 74.21 through 74.28 prescribe standards for financial management systems, methods for making payments and rules for—

(a) Satisfying cost sharing and matching requirements;

(b) Accounting for program income; (c) Approving budget revisions; (d) Making audits;

(e) Determining allowability of cost; and

(f) Establishing fund availability. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

§74.21 Standards for financial management systems.

(a) Recipients shall relate financial data to performance data and develop unit cost information whenever practical.

(b) Recipients' financial management systems shall provide for the following: (1) Accurate, current, and complete disclosure of the financial results of each federally-sponsored project in accordance with the reporting requirements established in §74.52. If the Secretary requires reporting on an accrual basis from a recipient that maintains its records on other than an accrual

basis, the recipient shall not be required to establish an accrual accounting system. These recipients may develop accrual data for its reports on the basis of an analysis of the documentation on hand.

(2) Records that identify adequately the source and application of funds for federally-sponsored activities. These records shall contain information pertaining to awards, authorizations, obligations, unobligated balances, assets, outlays, income, and interest.

(3) Effective control over and accountability for all funds, property, and other assets. Recipients shall adequately safeguard all assets and assure they are used solely for authorized purposes.

(4) Comparison of outlays with budget amounts for each award. Whenever appropriate, financial information should be related to performance and unit cost data.

(5) Written procedures to minimize the time elapsing between the transfer of funds to the recipient from the U.S. Treasury and the issuance or redemption of checks, warrants or payments by other means for program purposes by the recipient. To the extent that the provisions of the Cash Management Improvement Act (CMIA) (Pub. L. 101-453) govern, payment methods of State agencies, instrumentalities, and fiscal agents shall be consistent with CMIA Treasury-State Agreements or the CMIA default procedures codified at 31 CFR Part 205-Withdrawal of Cash from the Treasury for Advances under Federal Grant and Other Programs.

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the interest of the Federal Government.

(d) The Secretary may require adequate fidelity bond coverage where the recipient lacks sufficient coverage to protect the Federal Government's interest.

(e) Where bonds are required under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, the bonds shall be obtained from companies holding certificates of authority as acceptable sureties, as prescribed in 31 CFR Part 223-Surety Companies Doing Business with the United States. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1880-0513) (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474; OMB Circular A-110)

[59 FR 34724, July 6, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 6660, Feb. 3, 1995]

$74.22 Payment.

(a) Payment methods shall minimize the time elapsing between the transfer of funds from the United States Treasury and the issuance or redemption of checks, warrants, or payment by other means by the recipients. Payment methods of State agencies or instrumentalities shall be consistent with Treasury-State CMIA agreements or default procedures codified at 31 CFR part 205.

(b)(1) Recipients are paid in advance, provided they maintain or demonstrate the willingness to maintain

(i) Written procedures that minimize the time elapsing between the transfer of funds and disbursement by the recipient; and

(ii) Financial management systems that meet the standards for fund control and accountability as established in §74.21.

(2) Cash advances to a recipient organization are limited to the minimum amounts needed and be timed to be in accordance with the actual, immediate cash requirements of the recipient organization in carrying out the purpose of the approved program or project.

(3) The timing and amount of cash advances are as close as is administratively feasible to the actual disbursements by the recipient organization for direct program or project costs and the proportionate share of any allowable indirect costs.

(c) Whenever possible, advances are consolidated to cover anticipated cash needs for all awards made by the Secretary.

(1) Advance payment mechanisms include, but are not limited to, Treasury check, and electronic funds transfer.

(2) Advance payment mechanisms are subject to 31 CFR part 205.

(3) Recipients are authorized to submit requests for advances and reimbursements at least monthly when electronic fund transfers are not used.

(d) Requests for Treasury check advance payment shall be submitted on SF-270-Request for Advance or Reimbursement or other forms as may be authorized by OMB. This form is not to be used when Treasury check advance payments are made to the recipient automatically through the use of a predetermined payment schedule or if precluded by ED instructions for electronic funds transfer.

(e) Reimbursement is the preferred method when the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section cannot be met. The Secretary may also use this method on any construction agreement, or if the major portion of the construction project is accomplished through private market financing or Federal loans, and the Federal assistance constitutes a minor portion of the project.

(1) When the reimbursement method is used, the Secretary makes payment within 30 days after receipt of the billing, unless the billing is improper.

(2) Recipients are authorized to submit request for reimbursement at least monthly when electronic funds transfers are not used.

(f) If a recipient cannot meet the criteria for advance payments and the Secretary has determined that reimbursement is not feasible because the recipient lacks sufficient working capital, the Secretary may provide cash on a working capital advance basis. Under this procedure, the Secretary advances cash to the recipient to cover its estimated disbursement needs for an initial period generally geared to the awardee's disbursing cycle. Thereafter, the Secretary reimburses the recipient for its actual cash disbursements. The working capital advance method of payment is not used for recipients unwilling or unable to provide timely ad

vances to their subrecipient to meet the subrecipient's actual cash disbursements.

(g) To the extent available, recipients shall disburse funds available from repayments to and interest earned on a revolving fund, program income, rebates, refunds, contract settlements, audit recoveries, and interest earned on these funds before requesting additional cash payments.

(h) Unless otherwise required by statute, the Secretary does not withhold payments for proper charges made by recipients at any time during the project period unless

(1) A recipient has failed to comply with the project objectives, the terms and conditions of the award, or Federal reporting requirements; or

(2) The recipient or subrecipient is delinquent in a debt to the United States as defined in OMB Circular A129-Managing Federal Credit Programs. Under these conditions, the Secretary may, upon reasonable notice, inform the recipient that ED does not make payments for obligations incurred after a specified date until the conditions are corrected or the indebtedness to the Federal Government is liquidated.

(i) The standards governing the use of banks and other institutions as depositories of funds advanced under awards are as follows:

(1) Except for situations described in paragraph (i)(2) of this section, the Secretary does not require separate depository accounts for funds provided to a recipient or establish any eligibility requirements for depositories for funds provided to a recipient. However, recipients must be able to account for the receipt, obligation, and expenditure of funds.

(2) Advances of Federal funds shall be deposited and maintained in insured accounts whenever possible.

(j) Consistent with the national goal of expanding the opportunities for women-owned and minority-owned business enterprises, recipients shall be encouraged to use women-owned and minority-owned banks (a bank which is owned at least 50 percent by women or minority group members).

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