Contract Administration
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Appropriations to non-state entities must be made through a formal contract with a state entity that manages all of the funds for the project on a reimbursement basis. This appropriation to Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) funds the expenses incurred by the DNR in contracting, contract management, and expense re-imbursement for most of the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund appropriations made to non-state entities, including both new projects funded during the biennium and existing projects funded in previous bienniums.
OVERALL PROJECT OUTCOME AND RESULTS
This appropriation, in conjunction with Outdoor Heritage Fund appropriations, was used to support the contract management program, which ensured ENRTF funds were expended in compliance with state law, session law, approved work plans, and Office of Grants Management grants policies.
Services provided under this appropriation included the following:
- Contract Management Services
- Prepared grant agreements and amendments
- Encumbered/Unencumbered Funds
- Executed Use of Funds Agreements
- Advanced funds for land acquisition (if approved)
- Communicated regularly with LCCMR staff and grant recipients
- Contract management documentation, including file management
- Training and Communications
- Trained recipients on state grant requirements
- Worked with recipients to ensure grantees understood the state's reimbursement procedures and requirements
- Provided ongoing technical assistance/guidance to recipients
- Reimbursement Services
- Reviewed reimbursement requests
- Arranged for prompt payment once expenses were verified eligible for reimbursement
- Detailed accounting by pass-through appropriation for each grant recipient
- Fiscal, Audit, and Close-out Services
- Financial reconciliation
- Financial reporting
- Contract management reporting (fund balance/expenditures)
- Examined or audited records of recipients
- Worked with recipients to successful close out of grants
- Worked closely with and responded to requests from the Office of the Legislative Auditor
In support of the above services to appropriation recipients, many contract management projects were completed:
- Two grantee surveys completed,
- Migration to a newly designed database,
- DNR, Admin, LCCMR, and LSOHC pass-through contract administration roles, processes, and guidelines finalized,
- Joint DNR/LCCMR/LSOHC orientation for appropriation recipients held,
- New DNR Grants Management Policy approved, including a financial Grants Monitoring Procedure.
PROJECT RESULTS USE AND DISSEMINATION
Project personnel were in frequent contact with appropriation recipients and LCCMR staff. Information was disseminated through manuals, training sessions, orientations, meetings, memos, letters, emails, and phone.
In addition, two new communication tools were added: a website that includes many appropriation recipient resources and frequently asked questions and a quarterly electronic newsletter, The DNR Grants Journal was established in January 2013 in order to provide another quick and effective way to communicate information to appropriation recipients. Prior issues of the DNR Grants Journal are archived on the Training page of the DNR pass-through administration website.
$88,000 the first year and $87,000 the second year are from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for expenses incurred for contract fiscal services for the agreements specified in this section. The commissioner shall provide documentation to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources on the expenditure of these funds. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2014.
Click on "Final Report" under "Project Details".
Click on "Final Report" under "Project Details".
$88,000 the first year and $87,000 the second year are from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for expenses incurred for contract fiscal services for the agreements specified in this section. The commissioner shall provide documentation to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources on the expenditure of these funds. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2014.
Click on "Final Report" under "Project Details".
Click on "Final Report" under "Project Details".