After You Get the Grant
CTAS Post-Award Instructions
Congratulations on receiving a grant through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS). We want you to be successful with your grant and to help you comply with federal regulations. This section outlines the steps and reports required to remain in compliance, plus other important information, including how to get paid, records retention and allowable costs.
Grants provided under CTAS are funded through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services , the Office of Justice Programs (including the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime), and the Office of Violence Against Women. Grantees should follow the post award instructions and grant administration procedures outlined by the appropriate granting office (as designated in the award documents).
All programs require that you submit a signed Tribal Authorizing Resolution (or equivalent legal enactment) prior to drawdown of any grant funds. In the case of a Tribal consortium, submit a current authorizing resolution from each Tribe in the consortium, unless existing consortium bylaws allow action without support from all Tribes in the consortium. In this case, submit a copy of the bylaws.
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Instructions
After receiving notice of an award from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), please visit the following links to find materials and instructions related to your new award.
Award recipients will electronically receive an award package containing several important documents including your award document and a Financial Clearance Memo (FCM). The FCM outlines all approved budget costs, as well as any disallowed costs or items that require reprogramming, and any restrictions placed on your award funds. In addition, you will have access to your Award Owner’s Manual, which outlines in detail how to manage the administrative and financial matters of your award.
To officially accept and begin your COPS Office award, your agency must access www.cops.usdoj.gov and select the “Account Access” tab in the upper right corner to log in, review, and electronically sign the Award Document (including Award Terms and Conditions) within 90 days of the date shown on the award congratulatory letter.
The document to accept your new award can be found in the award package. You should carefully read all award information prior to signing the Award Document and accepting your award. In order to electronically sign your Award Document, the appropriate account roles with E-Signature and User Permissions must be established and assigned in the COPS Office Agency Portal. The Agency Portal Instruction Manual, available on our website at portal.cops.usdoj.gov/GrantsManagement/HelpContents/UserGuide.pdf, has been enhanced to include a Quick Step Guide. This guide will provide your agency with all of the information needed to successfully establish Account Roles and assign User Permissions in preparation to sign the Award Document, as well as manage many aspects of your COPS Office award online. Please review and follow these steps carefully as this is the only method for signing your Award Document. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to call the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770.
Who must sign the award document?
The authorized officials are the law enforcement and government executives who have ultimate and final responsibility for all programmatic and financial decisions regarding this award as representatives of the legal award recipient. COPS Office awards require that both the top law enforcement executive (e.g., chief of police, sheriff, or equivalent) and the top government executive (e.g., mayor, board chairman, or equivalent) sign the award document.
For COPS Office TRGP awards under CTAS, the government executive must electronically sign the award document. Once the COPS Office receives your accepted award, you will be able to begin administering your award and drawing down on your funds. Our Grant Payment Request System (GPRS) can provide you with specific financial information.
For non-law enforcement agencies (universities, etc.), the authorized officials are the programmatic and financial officials who have the ultimate signatory authority to sign contracts on behalf of your organization. Typically, these are the same executives named on your agency’s application. If you have any questions as to who should sign the award, please contact your jurisdiction’s local legal advisor.
By when must the award document be signed?
Please electronically sign the award document and all award condition pages within 90 days of the date on the award congratulatory letter. Award funds will not be released until we have received your agency’s signed award document, your budget has received final clearance, and any other relevant award conditions particular to your agency have been satisfied. Failure to submit your signed award document within the 90-day award acceptance period may result in your award being withdrawn and the funds deobligated without additional notification. If your agency requires an extension for accepting the award beyond the 90-day acceptance timeframe (for example, if the governing body needs more time before giving final approval), please submit a request through “Account Access” at www.cops.usdoj.gov. Be sure to explain the circumstances that prevent your agency from signing the award document within the 90-day period and identify the date by which the award document will be electronically signed. The COPS Office will review such requests on a case-by-case basis. The COPS Office reserves the right to deny requests to extend the 90-day award acceptance period.
What if the government or law enforcement executive information on the award document has changed?
Please review the information on your award document carefully. If the actual law enforcement or government executive listed on the award document has changed, simply update that information through “Account Access”. Instructions can be found at www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/UserGuide.pdf. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to call the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770.
Where can we find a list of conditions that apply to our award?
Attached to your award document are the award terms and conditions. The same conditions can also be found in the Award Owner’s Manual, which is available online at www.cops.usdoj.gov. In addition, if applicable, the special award conditions or high risk conditions are included in the award document supplement. Please read and familiarize yourself with these conditions.
For your convenience, we have several supporting documents available online at www.cops.usdoj.gov to assist you in implementing your award. These resources include the following:
Award Owner’s Manual
Frequently Asked Questions about the Federal Financial Report (SF-425)
Helpful Hints Guide for Completing the Federal Financial Report (SF-425)
Fact Sheet—Online Filing of FFR SF-425 Quarterly Federal Financial Reports
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Grant Payment Request System (GPRS)
We still have questions about our award. What do we do?
If you still have questions, please feel free to call the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 and ask to speak with your state assigned Grant Program Specialist.
Office of Justice Programs Post Award Instructions
After receiving notice of an award from the Office of Justice Programs, grantees should review the Post Award Instructions. Grant notification and grant administration occurs through the OJP Grants Management System (GMS). The Post Award Instructions are tools that provide an overview of the administration of awards with key steps and documents. Some highlights of this resource follow:
- Complete financial point of contact (FPOC) registration;
- Review the award and special conditions and return the signed documents;
- Read the guidelines, including the Financial Guide;
- Complete and Return the Automated Clearing House Form;
- Access Payment Using the Grant Payment Request System;
- Fulfill Reporting Requirements;
- Initiate Closeout within 90 days after the end of the grant; and
- Review Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions.
Access the Post Award Instructions
Questions about GMS for OJP: call 1–888–549–9901(choose option 3) or email us at GMS.HelpDesk@usdoj.gov
Questions about any financial aspect of OJP awards, call the OCFO Customer
Service Center at 1–800–458–0786 (choose option 2) or email us at ask.ocfo@usdoj.gov.
Office of Violence Against Women
After receiving notice on an award from the Office on Violence Against Women, the most important resource to create procedures and answer key questions should be the Financial Guide. Part III of this guide details all post-award requirements. Quarterly financial reports are required to be submitted no later than 30 days after the end of the quarter. The Financial Status Report - SF245 lists the actual expenditures for the prior reporting period as well as the cumulative expenditures for the award.
For key definitions of terms used and services provided through OVW grants, please refer to the Overarching Definitions and Grant Conditions from VAWA 2005. Using the proper term will help you remain in compliance with your grant. Please also review the two award conditions that follow.
Award Condition: Central Contractor Registration and Universal Identifier Requirements (PDF)
Award Condition: Reporting Sub awards and Executive Compensation (PDF)
This award is subject to all administrative and financial requirements, including the timely submission of all financial and programmatic reports, resolution of all interim audit findings, and the maintenance of a minimum level of cash-on-hand.
If you have any questions regarding this award, please contact the Program Specialist identified in the award documents.
For financial grants management questions, contact the OVW Grants Financial Management Division at (202) 514-8556, or by e-mail at ovw.gfmd@usdoj.gov.
For payment questions, contact the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Customer Service Center (CSC) at (800) 458-0786, or by email at ask.ocfo@usdoj.gov.
Share Your Success Stories With Us
The Department of Justice is interested in collecting stories that illustrate how your tribe, village or tribal consortia uses grants awarded under the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) to impact your public safety needs. Your success stories will help the Department of Justice accurately convey how critical these grant funds are in combating domestic violence, improving public safety, serving victims of crime, and supporting youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The Department would like to know how your grant(s) awarded under CTAS benefited your Tribe so that we can share your experiences with others. While considering your story, keep in mind that we are specifically interested in how the grant has improved the safety of your community. Your participation is important to us and we appreciate you taking the time to share your story for consideration.
To begin, access, download and fill out the CTAS Success Story Template.
Plan on submitting photographs with your success story? You may need to fill out and sign our photo-video release form.