Washington State Department of Ecology

Watershed Planning Grants - Biennium Transition Guidance

The 2007-2009 Biennium is closing and the 2009-2011 Biennium starts in about one month. We want to make the transition to the 2009-2011 Biennium as easy as possible for you. We need your help to make this happen.

Here is guidance on end-of-biennium expenses, spending estimates, and 2007-2009 final billings. Please take a moment to begin thinking about the 2009-2011 Biennium, the process, and information you can provide us. Funds will continue to be budgeted and spent on a fiscal year basis. Please consider this as you develop your project scopes and budget by fiscal year 2009-2011.

Any FY 10 funds granted to you but not spent within FY10 may be forfeited and returned to the state’s General Fund.

Reminders:

The current 2007-2009 Biennium covers July 1, 2007-June 30, 2009.
- FY 09 is July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009.
The next 2009-2011 Biennium covers July 1, 2009-June 30, 2011
Fiscal years 10 and 11 are within the 2009-20011 Biennium and cover the following time periods:
- FY 10 - July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010.
- FY 11 - July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011.

Guidance for Existing Watershed Planning Grants

You can use one of the following options for your existing grants:

Option A. Using FY 10 funds, request a pre-authorization letter to cover spending for the first four months of the biennium, followed by a formal amendment.

or

Option B. Closeout the grant.

Options

Please review the following guidance and steps for these two options, to determine which option fits your situation.

Option A. Pre-authorization letter – 2 Steps Needed

If you have a grant that extends into the new biennium and you need additional funds immediately, we will write a pre-authorization letter to cover costs incurred in the first 4 months of the new biennium.

Option A Step 1 - Pre-authorization letter request
Prepare an estimate of anticipated spending levels from July 2009-October 2009. Also, work that will be done with the dollars in a brief paragraph. This information is used for a pre-authorization letter described below.

Please provide:

Amount of funds you are requesting.

Itemized expenses -salaries/benefits, contracts, travel, etc.

A description of the work you will do with the funds.

An update of your cash flow projection for the remainder of this biennium.

All Pre-Authorization Requests must be received by June 15, 2009

Pre-authorization Request Letter/2009-2011 Biennium - MS Word

Option A Step 2 - Prepare Draft Scope of work

Prepare a DRAFT scope of work for the 2009-2011 Biennium to begin the formal amendment process. The scope can be written for the entire two year period, but break out tasks, deliverables, due dates, and budget for FY 10 and FY11 which must be done separately.

The grant will be written by fiscal year. Budget carefully, accurately, and realistically. Unspent FY 10 funds may be forfeited.

If you are in Phase 2 and will enter Phase 3 sometime during the biennium you will need to apply for a Phase 3 grant separately, see Watershed Planning Grant Information

If you anticipate moving into Phase 4, you will need to apply separately. A new grant will be written for Phase 4 activities, see Watershed Planning Grant Information

The formal amendment will be written once Ecology has processed the final FY 09 reimbursement payment request.

Please use the updated format documents below for the scope of work and budget. We understand that the scope may be modified by the time the formal amendment is written and further negotiation will take place.

Draft Scopes of Work are due by June 24, 2009

Phase 4 Amended Temporary Scope Budget - with match - MS Word

Phase 4 Amended Temporary Scope Budget - with no match - MS Word

Option A - Issuance of Pre-authorization letter by Ecology

Ecology will issue a Pre-authorization letter allowing you to incur costs in the new biennium, starting July 1, 2009.

The information you provide in Step 1 will be used to complete the letter. We will not write a pre-authorization letter without a draft scope of work.

Ecology will send out the Pre-authorization letter by June 30, 2009

Option B. Close-out the grant

If your grant ends on June 30, 2009 and you are requesting final payment, we need the following:

A Project Completion Report. The requirements are in the Special Terms and Conditions of the grant. Project Completion Template - MS Word
Two hard copies and one electronic copy (CD) of all deliverables and products.
Final billing documents (billing forms and back-up documentation).
The grant number should be on the front cover or title page of all documents produced under the grant.
Compliance with all Quality Assurance and Information Management requirements have been met as outlined in the Special Terms and Conditions section of the grant.

We will not make the final payment until the Project Completion Report has been received, along with the deliverables and products.

End of biennium spending estimates

Please note the following as we close the 2007-09 Biennium:

Ecology’s Fiscal Office will not be sending an estimate letter this year, as in years past. However, we may still need to contact you if we need final spending estimates.

Final FY 09 Billing to Ecology

Turn your final actual billings and quarterly reports into Ecology as soon as possible after June 30, 2009, but no later than July 20, 2009.
All services/products must be received and be in hand by (not just ordered by) June 30, 2009. If goods or services are received by you July 1, 2009, or after they are a FY 10 expense and will be paid for out of your FY 10 allocation.
Final billings for FY 09 include all costs incurred by the jurisdiction, that is, when services or products are received, NOT when the jurisdiction pays the bill (which could be several months later).
Contractor services, apply to services performed through June 30, 2009. This can be different from their invoice billing date. Please let your contractors know they need to submit their expenses incurred through June 30, 2009 as quickly as possible to you. Be sure the contractors’ invoices clearly show services provided through June 30, 2009. If it does not, we will request clarifying documentation that could delay your payment process.
Be sure numbers add correctly and the appropriate backup documentation is provided with each billing. Improperly completed invoice requests could delay your payment. Be sure all of your billing invoice documentation and your Ecology reimbursement forms have the same timeframe dates that you have noted on your A-19 form.

Additional Information

Facts to Remember - highlighting some important aspects of the Watershed Planning Grant Program
Calendar of Important Dates

Thank you for your continued work in administering watershed grants and management for our programs.

Contacts

If you have questions please contact your Ecology Watershed Lead or one of the following Grant Administrators:

Cathy Hubbard Grants Administrator for WRIAs 1-29a 360-407-6491		Amy Krause Grants Administrator for WRIAs 29b-62 360-407-7107
Mailing Address: WA State Department of Ecology Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program P.O. Box 47600 Olympia, WA 98504-7600		Physical Address: Department of Ecology Headquarters Building 300 Desmond Drive Lacey, WA 98503