HiAP Grant and Contract Evaluation Tool Step 3: Application Administrative Requirements

Grants and contracts may include various administrative requirements. This section focuses on Application Administrative Requirements.

A. Required Proposal Documents

Any minimum requirements or documents are listed in the Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Information (RFI), and other formal requests. The agency and State shall make minimum requirements or documents available.

• Have you referenced the State Contracting Manual from Department of General Services (DGS) for state contracts or the Grant Administration Regulations?

B. Reasonable Timelines

Reasonable Timelines include turnaround times for administering awards, including the award cycle for grants or contracts. During the outreach or announcement process of available funding, keep any seminars as a simple, step-by-step process.

• How many people are reviewing the grant or contract? (If a small number of people are reviewing, you may want to provide a longer review period.)
• Is translation available for seminars and are staff available to answer questions in other languages?
• Are the presentation slides shareable?

C. Budget

Include a realistic budget cap that can support contractors and grantees. This helps grantees and contractors develop their budgets that meet the requirements.

• Has the budget been developed with people who know what it will take to do the work?
• Depending on the complexity of the grant or contract, is the budget realistic for the amount of work? This should reflect the grant application and contract administrator’s understanding of what it takes to do the work.
• Keep the seminars as a simple, step-by-step process. Is translation available for the seminars and are staff available to answer questions in other languages? Are presentation slides available?
• Is the invoicing process clear and accessible for all grantees, including under-resourced organizations?

D. Invoicing Protocols

Identify the system of reimbursement the grantee or contractor and agency will use before the grant or contract is awarded. The grantee or contractor will use this system to submit evidence of completed work and the agency will use it to approve and pay requests.

State grant programs may offer Invoice Templates. Templates can guide grantees and contractors to submitting the necessary information when reporting invoices and expenses. SGC’s Regional Climate Collaboratives Round 2 Program Guidelines provide an Invoice Template (pages 17-18). The California Department of Conservation’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program Grant Agreement materials also provide invoicing templates (pages 17-18).

• For community-based organizations (CBOs) and small businesses, are there systems in place to accommodate up-front payments to reduce the burden on them and launch the project?

E. Advance Payment Options (Grants and potentially Contracts)

Reduce the burden on grantees to get compensated for work up front. Offer a 25% advance on the total cost of the contract so grantees can get started on the work and be compensated up front. For example, most non-profits have limited budgets and some businesses have very small margins.

• For CBOs and small businesses, are there systems in place to accommodate up-front payments to reduce the burden on them and launch the project?

F. Community Compensation

For any proposals or RFPs related to community outreach and engagement, ensure that funding any community engagement activities includes allowable costs for stipends and childcare to flow grantee/contractor. Compensate Tribes and CBOs for participation in advisory or focus groups.

• Does the grant or contract require community engagement and/or community-based participatory research? Have you made accommodations for community compensation through the grant, including labor costs for the grantee/contractor to implement?
• When specifying the grant or contract goals and deliverables with community engagement components, consider allocating funding for participant stipends, food costs, travel, childcare, supplies, and more.