EPA Publication Number 202K09001 EPA Contract Number EP-W-08-042 Learner Manual Introduction: Learner Tips TRIBAL, U.S. TERRITORIES AND INSULAR AREAS ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL GUIDANCE MANUAL FOR ASSISTANCE AGREEMENTS "A Nation is a stable, historically developed community of people who share territory, economic life, distinctive culture, and language. Office of Environmental Justice, US. EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Updated August 2013 ------- Introduction: Learner Tips This manual was originally developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Tribal Nations, but content also pertains to U.S. Territories and Insular Areas. Exception: U.S. Territories and Insular Areas are treated as states under Part 31 (and also under Part 35, Subpart A for PPGs, unlike Tribes that are covered under Subpart B). Contents INTRODUCTION: LEARNER TIPS 3 TRAINING MATERIALS Activities Booklet Qwizdom Actionpoint. Introductions .3 .3 .5 .5 .7 ------- Introduction: Learner Tips Introduction: Learner Tips Tribal, U.S. Territories and Insular Areas Administrative and Financial Guidance for Assistance Aqreements [.earner Tips: Introduction to Learning Materials mdiQuizdomAetionpaint Interactive System Training How will training help? EPA training can help grant recipients manage assistance agreement awards. Learn about grant requirements and EPA expectations. Learn how to manage an entire program, manage a specific piece of the project, or refresh understanding of specific tasks. Grants management can be complicated. Get training; it makes your job easier. Training Learn to: ° Manage EPA assistance agreement awards ('(>m ply \vilh federal regulalii HIS - Locate essential information Where can people get training? Training sessions are offered in traditional face-to- face workshops and conference settings. Training is also offered online as individual web-based training modules. Ask a Grants Specialist (GS) or Project Officer (PO) for the program and location that is right for you. Contact your: • EPA Regional Grants Administrative Office • EPA Regional Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) Coordinator • EPA Regional Grants Specialist (GS) • EPA Project Officer (PO) When should people take the training? Take the training before applying for an assistance agreement award. If you already have an award, sign up for training now. Regulations change; stay informed. Who should attend training? ALL Tribal Nation or Consortia personnel involved in EPA assistance agreement award management should attend training, including but not limited to: • The authorized certifying officials (i.e., those responsible for signing the documents) • Department heads • Human resource managers • Local grant mangers • Managers of award proj ects • Finance and accounting staff • Office and bookkeeping staff Office and bookkeeping staff should attend the training if at all possible. Low cost and free sources of training are available. Contact your EPA regional office for training options. Materials Manual Appendix Materials What is included in the training? Training includes a Manual with ten instruction modules taught by Grants Management Specialists. ------- Introduction: Learner Tips Trainees receive an Appendix with examples of forms and tools for managing an assistance agreement award according to EPA regulations and requirements. Why is a training manual necessary? The purpose of the training Manual is to help Tribal Nations and EPA work together. The manual explains what an assistance agreement award is and how to manage one. After completing the training learners should more fully understand: • The assistance agreement award • Which regulations apply to an assistance agreement award • How to administer an assistance agreement award • How to financially manage an assistance agreement award • The roles and responsibilities of both EPA and the Tribal Nation • How to comply with: • Financial, accounting, and administrative requirements • Cost principles • Regulations • "Terms and conditions" The training Manual is designed to assist Tribal Nations in the administrative and financial areas when applying for assistance agreements, as well as for tracking and reporting on the financial status of work performed under those agreements. The Manual is an excellent desk reference when questions come up and you need answers fast. It contains forms, sample narratives, instructions, and answers to frequently asked questions. What is in the Tribal Administrative and Financial Guidance Manual for Assistance Agreements? The Manual provides a set of standard operating policies and procedures to guide administrative and programmatic staff, Tribal Leaders and oversight committees through the decision making process. These guidelines are NOT intended to replace or restrict the sovereignty of Tribal Nation. Grants management training helps Tribal administrators work effectively with EPA. Assistance agreement award projects are easier to manage when everyone understands the process. This manual describes how the assistance agreement award process works. The Tribal Administrative and Financial Guidance Manual for Assistance Agreements and training program consists often (10) modules explaining: 1. The grant application process 2. Assistance agreements 3. Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act 4. Grants management systems 5. Administrative system components 6. Financial system requirements 7. Accounting policies and procedures 8. Source documentation for procurement and purchasing 9. Disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) 10. Assistance agreement monitoring and closeout Learner Notes Review the Manual Contents, so you know how to find the information you need when you need it. What is in the Appendix? The Appendix contains official EPA documents and best practice examples. Most of what a Tribal Nation might need to manage an assistance agreement award is provided in either the Manual or the Appendix. See the manual's Appendix for: • Official forms • Applicable regulations • Glossary of terms • List of common acronyms • List of useful websites • Sample policies and procedures • Federal rules and regulations • And much more... ------- Introduction: Learner Tips Learner Notes Examine your copy of the Appendix, so you know where to find documents when they are explained. Activities Booklet What is the Activities Booklet? Activities to help you better understand the information learned in each Module can be found online at www.petetribal.org in the Activities Booklet. These Activities are designed to help you apply the concepts you have learned throughout this manual to your own organization. Quizdom Actionpoint MENU -On'Off SEND Clear Answer Buttons Qwizdom Actionpoint How does Qwizdom work? Face-to-face training sessions use an interactive system for answering questions. All answers are anonymous. There are no names associated with any of the answers. No one will know how you answered a question except you. The instructor and data collection system group answers together. This lets the instructor know how well the information is being understood. Please answer honestly. Each trainee should receive a handheld Remote. Use this Remote to answer questions during the training. The instructor will prompt you when it is time to answer a question. How does the Remote work? Wait until the instructor tells you to turn on the Remote. Each presentation requires a short initiation period to prepare the system for data collection. Turn the Remote on by pressing the MENU button. • The MENU button is just under the screen on the left. • You may need to hold it down for several seconds. • When you see the word QWIZDOM appear on the Remote's screen, the system is ready to use. When it is time to answer a question, a list of options will appear on the Remote's screen. There is a two-step process for answering a question: • First, press the button that corresponds to your answer. • Yes and True answers use the button marked with YES and T. • No and False answers use the button marked with NO and F. • Answer A by pressing button number 1. • Answer B by pressing button number 2. • Answer C by pressing button number 3. • Answer D by pressing button number 4. • Answer E by pressing button number 5. • Second, press the SEND button. • The SEND button looks like two arrows facing in different directions and is located just below the MENU button. Once your answer is selected and sent to the system, you will see either a checkmark (V) or an * on the Remote's screen. • The S means your answer is correct. • The * means your answer is incorrect. S and * means the answer was received. If the instructor has enabled this functionality, you may choose to change your answer, if you wish. ------- Introduction: Learner Tips • You can only change an answer if the instructor has not yet moved ahead in the presentation to the answer slide. • To change an answer: • Press the CLEAR (C) button located just under the screen on the right. • The answer options should again appear on the Remote's screen. • Press the button with your new choice and then the SEND button. • Again a ^or * will appear on the Remote's screen. • Only your last answer will be recorded by the system. You should not need to use the forward or backward arrow buttons. To reset the Remote: • Press the MENU button until the screen goes dark. • Press the MENU button again until you see the word QWIZDOM. Where in the Manual is the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program covered in detail? A. Module 7 B. Modules C, Module 9 D. Module 4 E. All of the above Where in the Manual is the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program covered in detail? A. Module 7 B. Modules C. Module 9 D. Module 4 E. All of the above Explanation Module 9: Though the DBE program is referenced in several modules, it is covered in detail in Module 9. Let's test the Qwizdom process. Use your Remote to answer the following questions. That's fine. Let's try another question just to be sure we've got it figured out. ------- Introduction: Learner Tips Does the Appendix contain everything a grantee needs to know? A. Yes B. No Introductions • Name • Position • Role on your grants managementteam Does the Appendix contain everything a grantee needs to know? A. Yes B. No Explanation The Appendix provides documents and examples for assistance award management It cannot possibly hold everything a grantee may need to know. Regional EPA office personnel can answer questions about specific awards and individual circumstances. Introductions Please introduce yourself to the other learners. Tell them your name, position, and role on your grants management team. For example: • Jane Juniper • Office Manager for the Wide River Indian Community • Financial Officer for the Water Reclamation and Irrigation Project Great, everyone is ready to begin the training. Working with EPA isn't something Tribal Nations do for the government; it is something they do for themselves. ------- ------- |