270-RICR-10-00-5. Public Safety Grants Administration Office Policies and Procedures

5.1 Placement in State Government A. The Public Safety Grant Administration Office (PSGAO), formerly the Rhode Island Justice Commission (RIJC) is an agency within the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety that is responsible for planning, coordination, data collection/statistical analysis, and grant administration and distribution for the adult and juvenile criminal justice systems. B. The Public Safety Grant Administration Office develops comprehensive planning, coordination, and programming for the purpose of improving the state criminal justice system's overall response to crime issues. The PSGAO pursues a variety of activities authorized by state and executive designation. The support of these efforts is primarily facilitated through the administration of federal grants, which are applied for and subsequently awarded to the PSGAO on behalf of the State of Rhode Island. C. Mission Statement - To facilitate interagency cooperation and collaboration throughout the Rhode Island criminal justice system by way of strategic planning, program coordination, data collection and statistical analysis while providing fair, efficient and accountable grant administration so as to improve the system’s response to crime and victimization and enhance public safety. D. Agency Objectives 1. Coordinate and implement a statewide integrated computerized Criminal Justice Information System, called the Justice Link Public Safety Network; 2. Continue comprehensive/specialized planning and technical assistance efforts in support of the criminal and juvenile justice systems present and future; 3. Ensure that projects receiving funding utilize their funds consistent with federal and state grant administration regulations; 4. Initiate and support programs designed to impact crime and/or improve the criminal and juvenile justice system; 5. Continue to produce studies/reports describing the status of particular crime problems; 6. Perform detailed monitoring, evaluation and analysis. 5.2 Statutory Authority A. The Public Safety Grant Administration Office derives its authority from R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-26-1, “The Rhode Island Justice Commission Act”. B. Duties and Functions 1. The PSGAO develops comprehensive planning, coordination, and programming for the purpose of improving the state criminal justice system's overall response to crime issues. The PSGAO pursues a variety of activities authorized by state and executive designation, including the following: a. Serve as the state planning agency for administration of federal criminal justice related grant programs; b. Establish goals, priorities and standards for the reduction of crime and the improvement of the administration of justice in the state; c. Apply for, contract for, receive, and expend for its purposes any appropriations or grants from the state, its political subdivisions, the federal government, or any other source public or private, in accordance with the appropriations process; d. Collect data from any state, local or non-profit entity which receives state or federal funding whose information is necessary to the PSGAO to carry out its functions; e. Disseminate to state agencies, units of local government, public or private agencies, and others, information such as criminal justice program advancements; research results, training events, and availability of funds. C. Policy Board 1. This legislation also creates a supervisory body identified as the Policy Board. The PSGAO Policy Board meets a minimum of four times a year to review and approve planning and grant funding recommendations from various advisory committees and the Steering Committee. The composition of the Policy Board is such that coordination among all criminal justice system agencies is assured. The Policy Board is comprised of law enforcement personnel, legislators, prosecutors, the public defender, judges, citizens, directors of various state departments and representatives from community service organizations. 2. The Policy Board works toward the strategic planning and coordination of all grant programs administered by the PSGAO as well as to develop criminal justice system policies and priorities. To that end, the Chairman of the Policy Board appoints advisory committees on an as-needed basis. D. Steering Committee 1. The Steering Committee, an eight member executive committee of the Policy Board, identifies the principle problems facing the state's criminal justice system and makes procedural recommendations to the Policy Board and the various grant program advisory committees. Having decided which problems facing the state are top priorities, the Steering Committee makes recommendations to the grant advisory committees to ensure relevant aspects of the identified problems are addressed. Further, the Steering Committee is empowered to specifically coordinate responses to any of the state's priority areas by requesting that grant advisory committees concentrate on specific delineated projects or activities to be advertised in requests for proposals. E. Other Advisory Committees 1. PSGAO staff members directly administer the various grant programs with the assistance of specific advisory committees. Individuals with expertise in a grant program area comprise the membership of the various advisory committees as they represent state, local and private-non-profit entities. In the absence of a specific grant advisory committee, the Steering Committee acts as the Advisory Committee for the development of policy initiatives, the establishment of program priorities and to make funding recommendations to the Policy Board. The following advisory committees develop policy initiatives, establish program priorities and make funding recommendations to the Policy Board: a. the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee; b. the Victims of Crime Act Advisory Committee; c. the Violence Against Women Planning Committee (includes a Law Enforcement Training Task Force and a Curriculum Committee); d. the Crime Prevention Planning Committee; e. the Local Law Enforcement Planning Committee; and f. the Technical Advisory Committee 5.3 Procurement Procedures A. Competition 1. The PSGAO will operate an effective procurement system by obtaining goods and services within a competitive environment whenever possible. 2. Awards shall be made to the most responsive and responsible subgrantee, taking into consideration the reliability of the subgrantee, their conformity with the specifications and the best interests of the state. 3. The PSGAO shall be responsible for verbatim compliance with purchasing legislation enacted by the General Assembly and with all related policies, rules, regulations, procedures and codes promulgated by the Chief Purchasing Officer and shall be held accountable for violations of the spirit, intent and letter of these governing requirements. 4. All employees of the PSGAO shall be responsible for carrying out their designated functions with care, integrity and a sense of responsibility to the taxpayers of Rhode Island for providing public services in the most cost-effective manner possible. B. Competitive Environment 1. A competitive environment shall be considered to exist when the following conditions are met: a. Potential subgrantees are compared to determine relative merit; b. Objective standards of comparison are fairly and impartially applied; c. Subgrantees are evaluated within a specified context conducted using objective standards to assure fairness and to encourage participation; d. An equal opportunity for participation in any request for proposals applies to all prospective subgrantees. C. Awards to Non-Profit Agencies 1. State agencies may obtain grants and then award nonprofit agencies or other entities subgrants for services or programs. When the payment of grant funds is subject to the provision of services or programs, determination of contract award shall be obtained by a request for proposal procedure to obtain the advantages of competition. 2. Nonprofit status shall not automatically exempt organizations from being subject to competitive purchasing principles. 3. All grant contracts entered into by state agencies shall be subject to an audit of competitive practices. 4. Grants in the form of subsidies or general assistance shall be administered by state agencies in accordance with legal mandates restricting or defining the use of such funds. D. Exceptions to Competition 1. The following types of subgrants are not subject to the provisions of competitive procurement: a. To local governments and state agencies; b. To specific recipients or categories of recipients as prescribed by legislative mandate(including federal programs). E. Delegated Authority 1. In order to assure that cost-effectiveness and efficiency are best served, upon application and approval of the Director of the Department of Administration, pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-2-1, the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO, shall have delegated purchase authority to enter into agreements for the purpose of distributing grants. 2. Such authority shall be subject to written documentation/explanation as to why the nature of the relationship between the agency and the payee does not constitute a procurement. 3. Delegated contracting authority does not require the issuance of a purchase order. 4. The delegated purchasing authority of the PSGAO resides solely with the Administrative Manager. F. Special Provisions for Grants 1. Grants for the provision of programs, services, and facility improvements shall not be authorized without agreements or contracts which: a. specify the purpose for the grant; b. specify method and terms of payment; c. define service or product, if required; d. outline any legal limitations on the funding; e. set a time limit for distribution of funds; f. require maintenance of records for a specified period of time; g. provide for auditing; and h. provide for termination of the agreement/contract. G. Records and Inspection 1. Documentation records may be in the form of copies, microfilms, computer files or other means permitted in accordance with procedures established and published by the Chief Purchasing Officer or shall be original documents as required by law or the State Controller. 2. Project Abstracts a. Each application for funding submitted by prospective subgrantees, together with the name of the subgrantee, shall be recorded and an abstract made available for public inspection. Subsequent to the awarding of a subgrant, all documents pertinent to the awarding of the subgrant shall be made available and open to public inspection and retained in the subgrant file. b. All documentation records shall be subject to public disclosure with the following exceptions: (1) Information of a proprietary nature submitted by a potential subgrantee; (2) Information furnished by a potential subgrantee in connection with an inquiry related to responsibility. 3. Public Inspection a. Abstracts of potential subgrantee information shall be available for public inspection at the offices of the Public Safety Grant Administration Office no later than ten (10) working days after an award has been made. These summaries are presented to the Policy Board when funding recommendations are presented by advisory committees. b. Requests for access to records other than potential subgrantee abstracts shall be made in writing and signed by the applicant. c. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO shall have a reasonable time to respond to requests for access to information, pursuant to provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 38-2-1 through 38-2-15, as amended, “Access to Public Records.” d. Reviews of document records shall be permitted by appointment only and shall be conducted under the supervision of an employee of the Public Safety Grant Administration Office. e. No documentation shall be removed from the premises of the office of the Public Safety Grant Administration Office without the written consent of the Administrative Manager of the Public Safety Grant Administration Office. H. Grievance Procedure 1. Any actual or prospective subgrantee who is aggrieved in connection with the solicitation or selection for award may file a protest with the Administrative Manager of the Public Safety Grant Administration Office. A protest or notice of other controversy must be filed promptly and in any event within two (2) calendar weeks after such aggrieved person knows or should have known of the facts giving rise thereto. All protests or notices of other controversies must be in writing. 2. In the event of a timely filed protest, the Public Safety Grant Administration Office shall not proceed further with the solicitation or award involved, until the Administrative Manager of the Public Safety Grant Administration Office makes a written and adequately supported determination that continuation of the procurement is necessary to protect substantial interest of the state. 3. The protestor may request access to documentation to support his protest subject to the above procedures for public inspection. I. Violation of Regulations, Policies, and Procedures 1. Deliberate disregard for regulations, policies and procedures shall be subject to disciplinary action, including dismissal of state employees and debarment of subgrantees conducting business with the state. 2. Violations of the purchasing code of ethics set forth herein, shall be subject to appropriate sanctions including dismissal, suspension, and debarment. 3. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO shall have authority to impose sanctions, in accordance with personnel administration requirements, on any PSGAO employee who has been found to have violated the state purchasing code of ethics. 4. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO shall have the authority to suspend or debar subgrantees in accordance with the requirements set forth herein. 5. Suspected violations of state conflict of interest laws and regulations regarding procurement or the state procurement code of ethics set forth herein shall be reported in confidence to the Chief Purchasing Officer and in accordance with the rules and regulations established by the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. J. RI Ethics Law/Supplemental State Code of Procurement Ethics 1. It is the policy of the state of Rhode Island that public officials and employees must adhere to the highest standard of ethical conduct; respect the public trust and the rights of all persons; be open, accountable and responsive; avoid the appearance of impropriety; and not use their positions for private gain or advantage. 2. All state employees shall be subject to the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws § 36-14-1 and all regulations promulgated by the Rhode Island Ethics Commission, as well as any special provisions of this section. 3. Additionally, all state employees are subject to R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-2-9(2)(o), the Supplemental State Code of Procurement Ethics. K. Standards and Specifications 1. Responsibility of Subgrantees a. A reasonable inquiry to determine the responsibility of a subgrantee may be conducted. The failure of a subgrantee to supply information promptly in connection with an inquiry related to responsibility may be grounds for a determination of non-responsibility. b. Prompt shall mean five (5) working days unless otherwise specified by the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO. c. Except as otherwise provided, by law, information furnished by a subgrantee pursuant to this section may not be disclosed outside of the PSGAO without prior written consent of the subgrantee. d. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO may utilize factors such as financial capability, reputation, management, etc., to evaluate the responsibility and qualifications of potential subgrantees in order to develop a list of prospective subgrantees qualified for awards. e. As a prerequisite condition for grant award, the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO may require any subgrantee to submit current certifications of financial responsibility, affirmative action compliance, drug-free and barrier free environment, and status as small, women-owned and/or disadvantaged businesses. 2. Pre-qualification of Subgrantees a. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO may provide for prequalification of subgrantees as responsible prospective subgrantees for particular types of supplies, services, and construction. 3. Standards and Specifications a. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO shall have the responsibility for issuing and maintaining all standard specifications for subgrantees. Among his/her duties, he/she shall, to the greatest extent practicable, assure that all specifications shall be drafted so as to maximize competition in fulfillment of the state's requirements. b. Solicitations shall be prepared in a manner and form which enables potential subgrantees to submit fully responsive and knowledgeable offers, and which clearly define the criteria to be used in evaluating responses. 4. Grant Applications a. All material submitted by prospective subgrantees to the PSGAO for consideration shall be in sufficient detail and shall contain adequate supportive information to: (1) Describe the purpose, use, or desired performance level of the requirement; (2) Identify measurable criteria for evaluation of potential subgrantees including, but not limited to, acceptance testing; and (3) Wherever possible, solicitations shall incorporate a standard specification, describing the level of performance required, and measurable criteria which define acceptance. b. The Chairperson of the PSGAO Policy Board, with the advice of the Policy Board, based on the recommendation of the PSGAO Steering Committee and the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO, shall develop advisory committees to review, develop, and update specifications and standard item designations for frequently and/or extensively granted programs. (1) Selection and evaluation criteria shall be clearly defined in all solicitations. (2) The invitation for proposals shall state the criteria upon which the award shall be made. (3) Unless alternate offers are clearly requested or allowed, only those offers, which are responsive, in all material respects, to the terms of the solicitation, shall be considered. (4) Except as otherwise authorized by federal mandate, or as specifically exempted herein, all subgrants shall be awarded as the result of requests for proposals. (5) Requests for proposals shall be published in sufficient time to afford potential subgrantees a fair opportunity to respond (1 month standard). (6) The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO may advertise in widely circulated newspapers. trade journals, the PSGAO website and the RI Division of Purchases website to promote effective competition. (7) The Public Safety Grant Administration Office shall be under no obligation to consider an offer which has been submitted without solicitation. 5. RFP Cancellations a. A request for proposals or any other solicitation may be cancelled, or all proposals may be rejected, if it is determined in writing that the action is taken in the best interest of the state. b. If a solicitation results in none of the proposals being reasonably close to expectations, the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO shall declare all proposals unacceptable and resolicit the procurement. c. If a solicitation results in only one proposal, the price of which is not reasonably close to expectations, the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO shall declare the bid unacceptable and either resolicit the procurement or ask that the proposal be negotiated with the subgrantee. d. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO may eliminate subgrantees whose offers are clearly noncompetitive prior to resolicitation. 6. Correction/Withdrawal of Proposals a. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO or his designee shall be the sole determiner of whether correction or withdrawal of proposals may be made without penalty. b. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO shall respond to requests for correction or withdrawal within ten (10) working days of the request. c. Correction of a proposal at any time prior to close of the application process may be permitted without penalty when a subgrantee requests that his proposal be returned and he resubmits a corrected proposal prior to the closure of the appellation process. d. A potential subgrantee that fails to resubmit a corrected proposal before the closure of the application process shall be considered nonresponsive. e. Requests by the apparent subgrantee for correction of proposals identifying all error(s) and specifying corrective action shall be submitted in writing to the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO and shall be re-evaluated with all other proposals within five (5) working days after the award of the grant. f. Requests for withdrawal of proposals shall be submitted in writing to the Administrative Manager of the Public Safety Grant Administration Office providing an explanation for the action. L. Source Selection 1. Requests for Proposal a. Requests for Proposal (RFP) shall be utilized to solicit competitive offers in all cases where: (1) Lowest price is not the sole or primary consideration to be used in determining an award; (2) Performance is neither specific nor objective, and open to the offeror's interpretation; (3) It is otherwise anticipated that offers may be substantially different and that there is insufficient common ground for objective comparison; or (4) It is anticipated that changes will be made after proposals are opened and that the nature of the proposals and/or prices offered will be negotiated prior to award. b. Wherever possible, the Request for Proposal shall define the performance or benefit required and shall set forth specific criteria to be utilized in evaluation of offers. c. Offers will be evaluated by a committee comprised of appropriate parties on the basis of: (1) The qualifications of the proposals, established by professional accomplishment and previous experience; (2) Aspects of proposals which provide benefit, other than those based on cost; and (3) Other provisions of proposals which are determined to serve the best interests of the state. d. Nothing herein shall be construed to preclude the possibility of determining an award solely on the basis of cost. e. The evaluation of offers, including the weight assigned to various aspects of the offerors, and all award determinations, including the reasons for a selection recommendation, shall be fully documented. 2. Competitive Negotiation a. Awards may be competitively negotiated when it is determined in writing by the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO that the proposals received by competitive solicitation either are unreasonable as to all or part of the requirements, or were not independently reached in open competition, and for which each competitive subgrantee has been notified of the intention to negotiate and is given reasonable opportunity to negotiate. b. Competitive negotiation may be used in any case where the scope, term, or other requirements of the procurement has not been determined at the time that a requisition is issued, or where optional offers are desired and encouraged, or where the value of the procurement has not been definitively established. c. Written or oral discussion shall be conducted with all potential subgrantees who submit proposals determined in writing to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award. Discussions shall not disclose any information derived from proposals submitted by competing offerors. d. Such competitive negotiations shall be conducted under the following restrictions: (1) If discussions pertaining to the revision of the specifications or quantities are held with any potential subgrantee, all other potential subgrantees shall be afforded an opportunity to take part in such discussions. (2) A request for proposals, based upon revised specifications or quantities, shall be issued as promptly as possible, shall provide an expeditious response to the revised requirements, and shall be awarded upon the basis of the most responsive and responsible proposal. e. An award shall be made to the responsible offeror whose proposal is determined in writing to be the most advantageous to the state taking into consideration price and the evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposals. 3. Non-Competitive or Sole Sources a. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO may authorize the award of a contract on the basis of noncompetitive negotiation, where it has been determined in writing that: (1) A single or sole source procurement is involved, or (2) The product, or market in which a product is sold, is noncompetitive in nature. b. Sole source categories may include: (1) Items of a unique nature which are unavailable from other sources due to patents or proprietary processes; (2) Books, maps, periodicals, and technical pamphlets, films, video and audio cassettes obtained from publishers; (3) Certain computer software; (4) Licenses - computer software, electronic transmittal; (5) Specialized replacement/repair parts or expansion parts necessary to maintain the integrity of system or function; (6) Specialized services for which there is only one documented accepted source, such as transactions involving unique professional services and/or educational institutions, e.g., visiting speakers or professors, and performing artists; repair/maintenance agreements with manufacturers; (7) Advertisements, public notices in magazines, trade journals, newspapers, television. c. Purchase of advertising and public relations campaign services must be established through a competitive selection process. d. The Administrative Manager of the Public Safety Grant Administration Office, at his/her initiation or upon the review of a justified request and/or recommendation, make a determination that a category of nonprofit providers constitutes sole source suppliers for certain types of service. M. Awards and Termination of Awards 1. Awards a. Competitive / discretionary awards shall be made within seventy five (75) business days of the close of the application period unless expressly provided for to the contrary in the solicitation. Proposals may not be withdrawn during this period without the express permission of the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO. Non-competitive awards will be made within five (5) business days from the receipt of the application. b. While PSGAO employees (grant administrators) directly administer the various grant programs, it is important to note that no PSGAO employee can authorize a grant award. Grant programs are subject to review by a designated advisory committee comprised of individuals representing state, local and private, non-profit entities with expertise in the particular grant program area. The advisory groups, with the support of PSGAO administrators, review federal regulations, develop policy initiatives, and establish program priorities. The advisory committees submit their findings and recommendations to the PSGAO Steering Committee, an eight member executive committee of the state legislated Policy Board. The Steering Committee makes suggestions to the Advisory Committees to ensure that relevant aspects of any identified criminal justice statewide problem will be satisfactorily addressed via grant implementation. c. Advisory committees subsequently develop specific Request for Proposals that the PSGAO advertises in the Providence Journal, the PSGAO website and the State of Rhode Island Division of Purchases website and in appropriate local newspapers to notify all potential applicants of funding availability. PSGAO staff also sends RFP packages to existing subgrantees, previously unsuccessful applicants and parties that have requested grant information during the course of the year. Prospective applicants are always allowed a full month to develop grant proposals for submission. For competitive grants, the PSGAO will offer pre-application workshops to discuss the application package. Advisory Committee members review grant applications and make funding recommendations to the PSGAO Policy Board for approval. Once approved, the PSGAO administrator makes grant awards to the successful applicant agencies and then monitors grant performance. d. Unsuccessful applicants must be notified prior to the presentation to the Policy Board, allowing sufficient time for the applicant to file a grievance, as set forth in § 5.3 of this Part, Procurement Procedures. 2. Termination of Subgrant Award a. Decision for termination of subgrant funds will be initiated by the Administrative Manager of the PSGAO, with approval of the Policy Board, and will be based upon the subgrantees inability to perform in accordance with the general and/or specific conditions of the subgrant award, or unsatisfactory or non-filing of progress reports or any other reports or statements stipulated under the subgrant conditions. b. The Administrative Manager of the PSGAO will notify by letter the highest official responsible for the subgrant award and advise them he/she of the decision to suspend or terminate funding and said letter will cite with specificity the reason(s) for suspension or termination. c. The Policy Board can only approve reinstatement of funding after satisfactory compliance has been made by the subgrantee. 5.4 Grant Administration A. The PSGAO administers federal grants that are applied for and subsequently awarded to the PSGAO on behalf of the State of Rhode Island. In addition to the federal grants, the PSGAO administers one state grant program, the Rhode Island Neighborhood Crime Prevention Act, conditional upon availability of funds. B. Administrative Responsibilities - PSGAO Grant Administrator 1. Each of the federal/state grant programs that the agency oversees require many administrative activities that include (but are not limited to): a. liaise with and staff the appropriate advisory committee(s); b. develop and submit a program plan and application; c. develop an RFP (request for proposals) and subgrant application; review submitted applications; d. present advisory committee recommendations to the Policy Board; e. create subrecipient databases in MS Access; craft grant awards and distribute to subrecipients; f. create and maintain subgrant files; g. liaise with fiscal administrator to process subgrant payments; h. monitor and evaluate programs/projects via both desk audits and on-site visits; i. prepare program progress reports; in accordance with requirements, as set forth in the Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide. j. provide administrative support/technical assistance to subrecipients; k. perform grant closeout and audit procedures; and l. other requirements unique to the various programs. m. create a Grant Binder for each new federal award. C. Types of Grants 1. There are several different kinds of grants that the agency administers. They are: a. Block Grant (1) A block grant represents a fixed award amount, determined by a formula, made to states to provide assistance to state agencies and local units of government (and potentially private, nonprofit agencies) for programs in accordance with delineated legislative requirements. Block grants tend to have broad purpose areas and a requirement that the PSGAO make complete advance payments to subrecipient agencies. Block grants usually require an annual progress report. b. Formula Grant (1) A formula grant represents a fixed award, determined by a formula (usually based on population and/or crime rates), made to states to provide assistance to state agencies and local units of government (and potentially private, nonprofit agencies) for programs in accordance with delineated legislative requirements. Formula grants tend to have more narrow purpose areas and a requirement that the PSGAO make payments to subrecipients on a reimbursement basis. Formula grants usually require comprehensive annual progress reports. c. Discretionary Grant (1) A discretionary grant represents non-formula programs that encourage states, units of local government, or private organizations to prepare proposals for consideration. Discretionary grants are very competitive by nature. Awards are made on an arbitrary basis based on the quantity of applications and the relative quality of the proposals submitted. The limited funds available are ultimately dispersed to a few grant recipients. These grants usually have many detailed special conditions and require quarterly categorical progress reports to the federal administering agency. d. Quasi-Formula Grant (1) These grants are not common but may combine aspects of block, formula and/or discretionary grants. Quasi-formula grants may have the same amount allocated to each state; and/or may allow for supplemental funding for additional activities. The Statistical Analysis Center Program is an example of a quasi-formula grant. These grants usually require quarterly progress reports. D. Notice of Grant Program Funding 1. Announcement of Federal Formula Grants 2. The PSGAO is the designated Rhode Island State Administering Agency (SAA) for the following federal formula grants in fixed funding amounts by the Department of Justice: a. the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program; b. the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) Grant Program; c. the Juvenile Justice Title V Community Partnership Grant Program; d. the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) Program; e. the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victims' Assistance Grant Program; f. the S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Grant Program; g. the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Grant Program for State Prisoners; h. the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant i. the National Criminal History Improvement Grant Program (NCHIP) 3. The Public Safety Grant Administration Office also administers the following quasi-formula grants that are made available to the state in non-definitive funding amounts: a. the Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) Program; 4. Each of the formula and quasi-formula grant programs follow a different timeline for administration, however, the grant administrator anticipates new formula grant funding and together with the Advisory Committee, begins to update the previous year’s plan prior to receiving the federal notice. Most grants maintain a core strategy from year to year. 5. The PSGAO usually receives notice six to ten weeks in advance of the deadline for submission of the application/plan to the specific Department of Justice agency that oversees the grant program. The notification normally includes the program announcement, specific program guidelines/funding criteria, and a standard federal grant application package. 6. Each PSGAO grant administrator completely reviews the grant program announcement that he/she is responsible for and discusses the potential impact on the current plan prepared by the administrator and advisory committee. Together, they develop the new plan and the administrator prepares the grant program application. 7. Notice of Availability of Discretionary Funding a. Many discretionary grants are also announced periodically by the Department of Justice as Congress approves new programs or attempts to address criminal justice problems not related to a specific formula grant. Discretionary grant programs are competitive in nature. States, counties and municipalities submit proposals with no guarantee of funding. The PSGAO may apply for the funding on behalf of potential beneficiaries. b. The recommendation to apply for a discretionary grant must be approved by the Administrative Manager. The PSGAO will only approve such an application if the eligibility criteria dictates that a state agency be the applicant. c. Staff of the PSGAO become aware of many funding opportunities, both public and private, that may be of interest to other state agencies, local units of government and private, nonprofit organizations. PSGAO staff will, when time permits, pass along funding information to the appropriate agencies. 8. Notice of Availability of State Funding a. In addition to the federal grants, the PSGAO administers one state grant program: (1) the Rhode Island Neighborhood Crime Prevention Act. b. The Crime Prevention program funds are included in the PSGAO’s operational budget and are available for program activities at the beginning of the state fiscal year, conditional upon the availability of funds. E. Advisory Committees 1. The PSGAO Administrative Manager and grant administrators do not make funding decisions. PSGAO grant administrators directly manage the various grant programs with the input of the designated advisory committees. Individuals with expertise in the grant program area comprise the membership of the various advisory committees. Representation includes state, local and private-non-profit entities. No advisory committees exist for those grant programs that are intended solely for distribution to one or two state criminal justice agencies, i.e. RSAT. In this instance, the two agency directors work out an acceptable distribution of funds. If there is a dispute as to the distribution, the Steering Committee will make the final funding recommendations. 2. The following advisory groups work with the appropriate PSGAO grant administrator to develop policy initiatives, establish program priorities (with input from the PSGAO Steering Committee), make funding recommendations to the Policy Board and monitor the progress of subgrantee agencies: a. the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (JJAC); b. the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Advisory Committee; c. the S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women (VAWA) Planning Committee (includes the Subcommittees: Law Enforcement Training; and Curriculum Development); d. the Crime Prevention Planning Committee (CPPC); e. the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) Committee; f. the Local Law Enforcement Planning Committee; and g. the Technology Advisory Committee (TAC) with several ad hoc subcommittees. 3. The grant administrator acts as staff to the Advisory Committee and is responsible for taking minutes at all committee meetings. 4. Membership a. Membership on most Advisory Committees is determined by identifying and including members from a representative sample of those agencies, both public and private that ensure pertinent issues are addressed fully, impartially and completely. Committees may have certain membership requirements set forth by the federal granting authority. In such cases, the grant administrator, with the assistance of the advisory committee, will recommend all federally mandated members for appointment. b. The Governor, Policy Board Chair, or Administrative Manager can appoint members to an Advisory Committee, with the exception of those with membership requirements set forth by the federal granting authority, such as the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee. 5. Meetings a. Advisory Committee meetings are normally scheduled at least a month in advance and on an average of six to eight times per year, depending on the various committees’ needs. All meetings are subject to the RI Opening Meetings law and must be handicapped accessible. 6. Notices a. Meeting notices for all grants programs are mandatory. They are to be uniform and include all pertinent information such as: main agenda items, votes to be taken, date, time, and location. The grant administrator’s name and contact number are also to be included. b. The meeting notice is to be posted at least one week in advance at no less than the three following locations: the PSGAO, the 1st floor in the Department of Administration (outside the bank of elevators) and one copy to the State House library for posting on the public bulletin board. The meeting notices are also filed with the Secretary of State electronically at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting, pursuant to Rules and Regulations adopted by the secretary of State pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-46, as amended. c. Grant administrators must mail, fax or e-mail copies of the minutes along with the meeting notice to all committee members a minimum of one week prior to the meeting to allow sufficient time for review of materials. 7. Minutes a. The grant administrator is responsible for ensuring that minutes of all committee meetings are taken. Minutes may be assigned to a secretary elected by the committee. Minutes must contain: the date, time and location of the meeting, the name of the advisory committee and grant, members present, a general description of discussions and a specific record of all votes and/or decisions arrived at by consensus. All recommendations for funding are to be in the form of a motion with a vote ensuing. Motions are to be recorded verbatim indicating the proposer, the seconder and those members voting “nay” or abstaining. Some committees (such as TAC) may make decisions by consensus at the approval of the Administrative Manager. However, decisions are still to be recorded and any pertinent discussion or opposition must be noted. b. The minutes of Policy Board meetings must be electronically filed with the Secretary of State through the Secretary of state’s Open Meetings website according to protocols set forth by the Office of the Secretary of State. c. Copies of minutes are to be included in a section of the grant binder and retained with all of the federal grant files for the particular grant year. All grant files are to be retained for a period of three years after the Single Audit Report has been filed for the fiscal year during which the grant has been officially closed by the original funding agency and the final Financial Status Report has been filed with the Office of the Comptroller. 8. Plan Development/Approval a. Once an Advisory Committee reviews the newest grant program announcement, it meets to develop specific funding strategies that are based on the grant’s delineated eligible priority areas. The grant administrator and Advisory Committee Chair (or other designated committee member) meets with the PSGAO Steering Committee to present the plan. The Steering Committee reviews the Advisory Committee’s plan and either approves the plan or makes recommendations to ensure that relevant aspects of any identified criminal justice system problem will be addressed. Specifically, the Steering Committee may direct that any RFP include specific language requiring a focus on certain projects or activities. b. Upon Steering Committee approval, the grant administrator submits the plan and application to the appropriate federal office for review and approval. 9. Plan Submission a. All applications are to be submitted to the Office of Justice Programs electronically via the Grants Management System (GMS), or through Grants.Gov when required. 10. Receipt/Acceptance of Grant Award a. Normally, it takes upwards to two months for the plan to be approved and an official federal award forwarded to the PSGAO after submission of the plan/application to Washington. Upon receipt, the Administrator reads all special conditions and advises the Administrative Manager of any concerns. Usually, there are two original grant award documents. The Administrative Manager signs both awards. The grant administrator immediately forwards one original award to the federal granting office and files the other original award in the Grant Binder. The administrator also forwards a copy of the award to the Central Business Office for processing. F. RFP/Application Process 1. Display Advertisement a. Once the Steering Committee has provided its input, the Administrator finalizes the RFP and application package. (1) The RFP is advertised at least once in the Providence Journal, preferably on the highest circulation days of Sunday and/or Wednesday. The display ad is usually two columns wide by 5 to 8 inches tall. The PSGAO requests that the ad be placed in either the main section (front page) or the local section (regional) of the paper. (2) The RFP is also advertised on the PSGAO website and the State of Rhode Island Division of Purchases website. (3) Display advertising is normally charged off to the particular grant program’s administrative account. Be sure sufficient funding exists for ad prior to placing the order. (4) The RFP identifies the grant program, the federal (or state) fiscal year, the amount of funds available, the federal program priorities, selection and evaluation criteria, notice of a pre-bidders’ conference (if required), grant submission deadline, number of application copies required, PSGAO address and contact name and telephone number. (5) The advertised RFP must allow a minimum of one full month between advertised date and deadline for submission of proposals. (6) All advertisements for RFP’s must be approved by the Administrative Manager prior to publication. (7) The Administrator must have application packages and/or related materials available in sufficient quantities on or before the RFP is advertised. The administrator is to provide a copy of the advertisement and the application package to the Administrative Manager, the Grants Assistant and the Administrative Assistant prior to the publication of the RFP ad. (8) A sufficient quantity of application packages are to be placed in a designated location within an area of public access for the life of the RFP cycle. 2. Automatic Notification a. The grant administrator automatically forwards a copy of the RFP/application to all existing subrecipients of the grant program. Further, RFPs are to be mailed to any agency or individual that had requested same since the last RFP. 3. Pre-Bidders’ Conference a. For all RFP grants, the Grant administrator schedules a pre-bidders’ workshop shortly after the RFP is advertised (within 7-10 days). Depending upon the grant program and the decision of the Advisory Committee, the workshop may be mandatory or optional. However, there must be suitable reasons to designate a pre-bidder’s workshop as mandatory. Designations of mandatory participation workshops should be discussed with the Administrative Manager. b. Prospective sub-recipients that do not send a representative to a mandatory pre-bidders’ workshop are not eligible to apply. Any application submitted by a group that has missed a mandatory pre-bidders’ workshop will be not be distributed to committee members for consideration. c. At the pre-bidders’ workshop, the Grant administrator discusses all relevant aspects of the subgrant application focusing on the federal intent of the grant program and the state’s specific selection and evaluation criteria. The Administrator will describe the application pages thoroughly. The goal of the workshop is to ensure that all prospective subgrantees understand the application and complete it in a timely and accurate manner. All prospective applicants will further be briefed on the provisions of the grant conditions and assurances that they will have to comply with if selected for funding. Included in this briefing will be the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order No. 13279 and Justice Department Regulations 28 C.F.R. Part 38 which seeks to prevent discrimination of faith based organizations, protect the organization’s autonomy while ensuring no federal funds are used to engage in inherently religious activities (i.e. praying, proselytizing, etc). d. All questions by the attendees are answered to the best of the Administrator’s ability. Should there be any significant clarification requiring research by the Administrator, a written response is provided to all attendees within 7 days of the session. Normally, no telephone calls to the Administrator are allowed after the bidders’ conference regarding the application. The Administrator may use his/her discretion, however, in answering certain questions that would not give other prospective applicants an advantage over competing proposals. 4. Submission of Applications to PSGAO a. The Grant administrator accepts applications up until the deadline for submission. The original application is date stamped upon receipt by the Administrator or other PSGAO staff. Agencies hand-delivering applications are provided a photocopy of the original date stamped cover as proof of receipt. The Administrator anticipates the influx of applications and prepares a holding area for submitted applications and communicates this to other PSGAO staff. b. The Administrator accepts the grant applications and logs them into a program abstract computer database. The abstract database includes the name and address of the agency, proposed project title, a brief project description and amount requested. c. Important Note - Under no circumstances can anyone other than the chief elected official or agency director apply for a grant. Should any other agency representative sign the grant application, the grant administrator should return the application and request that the appropriate official sign the application. However, an application submitted at deadline without the appropriate signature (or with other omissions) may cause the application to be rejected. The Advisory Committee may, however, allow an application to be amended should it deem the proposal worthy of consideration. Should this be the case, the grant administrator would request that the applicant agency make the appropriate amendments and resubmit the document prior to an award being made. d. Late Submissions - Mailed applications must be received at the PSGAO by the deadline day or subsequently with a postmark no later than the deadline date. Those applications received after the deadline or without the appropriate postmark date, will usually be rejected and not reviewed or considered for funding. With the recommendation of the grant administrator, only the Administrative Manager can allow for a waiver of the late submission policy. An exception may be made based on special circumstances and conditions, taken on a case by case basis. 5. Grant Review a. The grant administrator disseminates copies of the applications to the various Advisory Committee members. An administrator may require an original application with a sufficient number of copies for distribution to committee members. If insufficient copies of application exist, the grant administrator must make the appropriate number of copies. Normally, each committee member reviews and rates all grants. Any other system whereby all grants would not be reviewed and rated by all committee members will require the approval of the Administrative Manager. b. Sufficient time must be allowed for committee members to review the grants, usually one to two weeks at a minimum. c. Rating Sheets - The PSGAO generally utilizes standardized ratings forms to objectively review grants applications. Grant administrators and their advisory committees may wish to include additional criteria unique to their specific grant program. This is an acceptable procedure; however, the unique criteria should be discussed with the Administrative Manager. Advisory Committee members utilize the rating sheets to assign point values to various sections of the application as detailed in the RFP. Committee members submit the rating sheets to the Administrator who averages the scores and creates a list, ranking the various proposals. The very critical computations must be checked by one other PSGAO employee. All PSGAO staff checking the computations are to initial and date a printout of the figures. d. An Advisory Committee may choose to eliminate from consideration those proposals that score below an arbitrary “cut-off” point. Those grants that survive the “cut” are then discussed at subsequent committee meetings. The Committee may then decide to pare budget line items or amend programmatic activities for any grant proposal in order to bring the total funding requests into line with available grant funds. The Administrator makes note of both discussions and votes and records them in the minutes of the meeting. e. Retention - All meeting minutes and rating sheets are to be kept with the original federal grant file and retained as long as required by state and federal mandate. f. Unsuccessful Applications - All rejected applications for funding are to be kept with the original federal grant file and retained as long as required by state and federal mandate. Successful applications are filed in their individual grant folders. g. Policy Board Involvement - Once the Advisory Committee has determined its funding recommendations, the Administrator creates a detailed summary following the standard mail merge ready form consistent with all other grant awards in style and format. The summary will include all applicants, successful and unsuccessful, the agencies’ funding history (under the specific grant program), comments from the Advisory Committee and specific recommended funding allocations. This summary is derived from the original grant database. The administrator submits the summary to the Administrative Manager for review and approval. Approved grant recommendation summaries are mailed or faxed to members of the Policy Board for consideration at least a full week in advance of the next scheduled Policy Board meeting by the Administrative Manager. h. The Chair of the Advisory Committee and/or the grant administrator attend the Policy Board meeting, present the committee’s recommendations and entertain questions regarding the grant review process and the funding recommendations. The Policy Board then votes to approve the recommendations. G. Subgrant Awards 1. Create Draft Award Documents a. Grant Summary - Create a one page summary of each approved project following the standard mail merge ready form consistent with all other grant awards in style and format. Be sure that all fields have data inputted. b. Grant Award - The Grant Award should be the standard mail merge ready form consistent with all other grant awards in style and format. Specific grant information can be merged along with other subrecipient information and/or added to the merged document. c. Important Note: The end date for all grant awards must coincide with the end of the state fiscal year, nothing before, even if the project is slated to end prior to the state fiscal year. This practice allows programs more time to encumber and expend grant funds. 2. Approval of Awards - Administrative Manager a. Award Letter - Prepare award transmittal letter from Administrative Manager to the chief elected official or agency director, whichever is the authorized agency official that signed the grant application. b. Award Process - Place one unsigned award in subrecipient grant folder as a placeholder and have the Administrative Manager sign the remaining three (3) awards and cover letter. Submit the grant award packages to the Administrative Manager in the order and/or format requested. Once documents are signed and returned to the grant administrator, forward the letter of transmittal, the three original awards (and three (3) original cooperative agreements in the case of state agencies) and all appropriate report forms (fiscal and programmatic) to either the chief elected official or project director. (1) Note - A grant administrator may choose to send the award sets to the project director rather than the agency director if that would be beneficial in expediting the award acceptance process. Nonetheless, the awards still need to be signed by the CEO. c. Make two copies of the signed letter. File one in the appropriate section of the subgrantee folder and submit one copy to the Administrative Manager’s Executive Assistant. One letter, if standard, may suffice for the Director’s correspondence file as long as a list of recipients is attached. (1) Note - If an agency is receiving more than one grant, combine information on all grants in one letter and mail all grants in one envelope. d. Upon receipt of the signed awards from the subgrantee agency, the grant administrator forwards one set to the Central Business Office which sets up the official state account while one original set is filed in the main subgrant file folder. e. Cooperative Agreement - Create a one page cooperative agreement for each state agency project. The end date for all cooperative agreements must coincide with the end of the state fiscal year, even if the project is slated to end prior to the end of the state fiscal year. This practice allows subrecipients more time to encumber and expend grant funds without the grant administrator having to execute an amended grant and/or cooperative agreement. (1) Note - It is allowable to run a project’s end date out past the next fiscal year end if the program’s timeline dictates. H. Subgrant Files 1. Subgrant File Folder a. The Subgrant file folder is a six-part pressboard folder and is created at the time that the grants are being processed. Using the grant database, merge the state subgrant number, recipient agency name and project title on a file folder label and place on the raised tab of the file folder for ease of identification (see below). (1) Coventry Police Department (2) 96-SI-106 Justice Link b. The “96” is the federal grant year. The “SI” is an abbreviation for the grant program and the “106” is an arbitrarily designated grant number. Grant numbers should be three numbers and ideally be designated in a sequential order. If an agency has more than one project in any given grant year, the administrator may wish to include a brief project title to differentiate the folders (see Justice Link above). c. The folders for all grants in one fiscal year should all be the same color unless specific circumstances dictate the use of various colors. Each subgrant file folder, regardless of grant program, is organized in the same fashion as follows: (1) Inside Cover (left) - Grant Application submitted by sub recipient; (2) Inside Cover (right) - Grant Award (with cooperative agreement for state agencies as page three of the award document); (3) Middle Section (left) - Financial status reports, most recent on top; (4) Middle Section (right) - Reimbursement Requests, most recent on top; (5) Back Section (left) - Program progress reports (most recent on top) and any press clippings; (6) Back Section (right) - Grant correspondence, to and from subrecipient. d. This uniformity of arrangement ensures that if one wished to peruse a grant, one would expect to find the same type of information, in the same place as in all other PSGAO grant files. This is essential should the Administrative Manager, or other interested party (auditor, federal liaison) need to locate specific information about any particular grant. 2. Reimbursements a. The grant reimbursement request form is completed by the subrecipient and forwarded to the grant administrator along with a current fiscal report for review and approval. Upon approval, the grant administrator forwards the request, with the fiscal report, to the Administrative Manager for final approval and signature. Both are then forwarded to the Central Business Office fiscal personnel. 3. Monitoring a. Each grant administrator is required to fully monitor the performance of all subgrantee programs. Grant proposals are required to include a budget narrative and measurable objectives. The main reason to monitor is to ensure that grant funds are expended according to the approved project budget and that activities and purchases are impacting stated objectives. b. The two types of monitoring are: (1) Desk audit - reviewing submitted fiscal and progress reports and/or consultation on the telephone; meeting at Public Safety Grant Administration Office; and (2) On-site visit at agency or location of subgrant program. c. Regardless of the type of monitoring used, a monitoring worksheet summary is to be completed by the grant administrator and filed in the subgrantee folder. 4. Site Visits a. Grant administrators are to perform a minimum of 6 site visits annually with a goal of visiting all funded programs in each three year period. Grant administrators may wish to have one or more advisory members accompany them on site visits. Further, should concerns exist regarding a subgrantee’s financial records or practices, the PSGAO Financial Agent (of the Central Business Office) may be called upon to review the grant file and/or accompany the administrator on a site visit. Always check with the financial agent to determine his/her availability before scheduling a site visit that required his/her presence. b. Schedule site visits after consulting with the subgrantee for a mutually agreeable time. Confirm the site visit, in writing under the Administrative Manager’s signature, as soon as the visit has been arranged. Be sure to forward written correspondence to the Chief Elected Official with a cc to the project director (if different from CEO). 5. Mandatory Reports a. All reports that are mandated in the grant regulations or in the special conditions, including periodic progress reports and quarterly Financial Status Reports (SF-269) will be filed in a timely manner according to the requirements as set forth in the individual grant. 6. Retention of Records a. Records to support all expenditures charged to federal grants, including time and attendance reports for all individuals reimbursed under the award will be retained for three (3) years after the submission of the closure of the single audit report which covers the entire award period. All records pertaining to federal awards are maintained in accordance with the requirement set forth in 28 C.F.R. Parts 66 and 70. 5.5 General Responsibilities A. Files 1. Computer a. All grant documents are to be filed on the G-shared network drive. Copies may be retained on individual administrators’ hard drives. b. There should be one main folder for each grant program, i.e. Byrne, JJDP, VOCA, VAWA, etc. Within that main folder, there should be sub folders with each grant year. All documents pertaining to that particular grant year are to be filed within. There may be any number of sub folders that the grant administrator deems necessary to accurately file documents. For example, a typical Byrne grant year folder contains the following sub folders: awards, cooperative agreements, plan, letters, conference, and minutes. 2. Awards a. Grant award files from any one grant year should occupy one drawer in the grant administrator’s file cabinet and be stored in alphabetical or numerical order. The drawer is to be labeled with the grant name and federal year. All grants are to be returned to the drawer when not in use. b. Grant files should only be removed from the office for purposes of an on-site subgrantee monitoring visit. B. Conference Planning 1. Conferences, workshops, seminars or other types of training sessions are critical PSGAO endeavors. Strict planning and PSGAO staff cooperation and coordination are absolutely essential to ensure that an PSGAO function is successfully implemented. 2. Conferences may be proposed by advisory committees, grant administrators or the Administrative Manager. 3. Timing a. Normally, conferences are planned anywhere from 4-12 months in advance. All conferences must be approved by the Administrative Manager before any substantive planning takes place or major decisions made. 4. Dates and Venue a. Select the date and venue at the soonest possible opportunity. b. The selection of a date should be given careful consideration. The conference planner should check extensively to determine if there will be any significant event or meeting conflicts with the target date. Further, the date may be affected by the availability of a particularly desired venue. c. Depending on the project’s anticipated budget and the prospective number of attendees, free venues such as the Community College of Rhode Island for larger functions and the Departments of Administration, Health or BHDDH for smaller functions should be considered. Parking is another major consideration. 5. Budget a. It is critical to determine the event budget and source of funding at the outset of the planning process. The most significant event expenses include room rental, food/refreshments, and printing. If grant funds are to be used, the specific advisory committee must approve the project and anticipated budget expenditures. 6. Other Tasks a. Notify all PSGAO staff of conference and date b. Compose and send a “save the date” card to all targeted conference participants once the date and venue have been selected and confirmed. c. Develop the program agenda. d. Contact all potential workshop speakers and presenters then confirm participation in writing. e. Enlist the support of PSGAO staff for event preparation and implementation, i.e. creating brochure/registration mailer, staffing registration table, etc. f. Mail/fax registration brochure/flyer no later than one month in advance of function. Note: Registrations should be designed to be one page faxable. g. Create a registration database. Consult with office manager on appropriate format. h. Prepare art for: name badges, agenda, signage, and table tent name panels. C. Travel - Out of State 1. There are many conferences, workshops, training sessions, seminars that target PSGAO staff. Some are sponsored by the federal granting agencies but many others are hosted by state, regional or national organizations/associations. Some grant awards (JJDPA, VAWA) may stipulate in special conditions that certain conferences/events are to be attended by the grant administrator or SAA representative. 2. Approval a. The grant administrator must seek approval from the Administrative Manager to attend an out of state function. 3. Arrangements a. The traveler must coordinate his/her travel request with the executive assistant and provide all requisite information including: event brochure, agenda, preferred travel times, etc. Arrangements will be made pursuant to approved procedures in use at the time. 4. Reimbursement a. In order to facilitate the processing of Travel Expense Vouchers submitted for payment by the State of Rhode Island, the following conditions must be followed in order to receive reimbursement: (1) If traveler is not a state employee, a W-9 for will need to be completed prior to traveling; (2) Retain original boarding passes, tickets, original hotel receipts, and any original receipts for parking or ground transportation (i.e. taxis, shuttles); (3) Retain a copy of the conference agenda; (4) Hotel and flight (or rail, bus) arrangements will be pre-paid by the State of Rhode Island through a Master Price Agreement with an approved travel agency vendor; (5) If for any reason a traveler checks out of hotel early, any refund given by the hotel must be returned to the approved vendor upon return or mailed directly by the hotel; (6) If it is necessary to cancel a trip, the approved vendor must be notified as soon as possible prior to trip departure date to avoid jeopardizing the refund process. (7) Meals will be reimbursed at the currently approved rate as determined by state policy. Reimbursement above that rate will not be allowed. D. Travel - In-State 1. Grant administrators may have need to travel in-state to perform site visits or attend meetings. 2. Daily Log a. If a PSGAO employee expects to be reimbursed for in-state mileage, he/she must fill in the date, time, destination and expected return time in the daily log book that resides in the office. This log was established at the recommendation of the Bureau of Audits to provide a back-up to employees’ requests for travel reimbursements. 3. Calendar a. All out-of-the-office meeting are to be posted on the planning calendar 4. Reimbursement a. All in-state travel reimbursement is the responsibility of the traveler. Travel reimbursement forms are to be filled out for the Administrative Manager’s approval and then forwarded to the Central Business Office for processing. 5. Time and Attendance Records a. Pursuant to OMB Circular A-87, employees paid with Federal grant funds will complete personal activity reports (Time sheets) to document the amount of time spent on grants. The standard time sheet, adopted by the former RI Justice Commission, will be utilized and should reflect an after the fact distribution of the actual activity of the employee on a weekly basis, signed by the employee. 5.6 Fiscal Administration A. The Central Business Office of the Department of Public Safety conducts the fiscal administrative responsibilities for the RI Public Safety Grant Administration Office. The Fiscal Administrator’s responsibilities include: 1. Filing quarterly electronic financial reports to the Office of the Comptroller at the US Department of Justice for all federal grants administered by the PSGAO; 2. Creating and maintaining grant files for all sub recipients for all grant programs administered by the PSGAO; 3. Process all grant payments properly submitted by the PSGAO Grant Administrators; 4. Provide Grant Administrators with periodic updates as to cumulative grant payments and grant balances for all sub recipient agencies; 5. Research state system for status of payments per the request of the Grant Administrators; 6. Provide assistance in the preparation of purchase orders; 7. Liaise with the department of purchasing on behalf of the agency; 8. Develop and maintain the PSGAO’s administrative budget considering both state and federal funding; 9. Testify on behalf of the PSGAO at requisite budget hearings; 10. Provide technical assistance to PSGAO Grant Administrators and sub recipient agencies; 11. Advise the necessity to, and perform site visits to, and/or desk audits of sub recipient agencies for purposes of monitoring compliance to the grant’s fiscal requirement.