Recovery.gov - Track the Money

The Extramural Construction program consists of two main activities:

Extramural Research Facilities Improvement Program (RFIP) (approximately $700 million) - The RFIP activity awards grants to public and nonprofit private entities to expand, remodel, renovate, or alter existing research facilities or construct new research facilities for biomedical and behavioral research.

Core Facility Renovation, Repair, and Improvement (approximately $300 million) - The Core Facility activity awards grants to public and nonprofit private entities to renovate, repair, or improve core facilities. A core facility is defined as a centralized shared resource that provides access to instruments or technologies or services, as well as expert consultation to investigators supported by the core. Applicants may request support to alter and renovate (A&R) the core facility as well as to improve the general equipment in the core facility or to purchase general equipment for specialized groups of researchers. Specialized equipment over $100,000 in cost cannot be requested. Such equipment can instead be requested under a separate announcement for shared instrumentation (PAR-09-028). In situations when similar core facilities exist in different departments at an institution, funding can be requested in support of centralizing these core facilities.

The National Institutes of Health through the Extramural Grants Management Advisory Committee (GMAC), and the Contract Management Advisory Committee (CMAC), has established policies and procedures to assure a consistent and integrated approach to oversight practices that monitor extramural grantee activities for NIH contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements. These committees meet approximately twice a month. Guidance for progress tracking, financial management, and administrative management of NIH grants includes OMB Circular A-110, OMB Circular A-123, Management's Responsibility for Internal Control, sections of the Recovery Act including Section 1512, and the Updated Implementing Guidance for the Recovery Act of 2009.

In addition, the NIH Office of Management Assessment (OMA) and the Office of Financial Management (OFM) will use the established NIH risk management framework for identifying, assessing, and testing of operational and financial risks and internal controls associated with implementing Recovery Act requirements. OMA will work with NIH offices that are responsible for implementing programs receiving Recovery Act funding to: identify and score the Recovery Act risks, assess controls related to the identified the Recovery Act risks, remediate controls as needed, monitor the inventory of the Recovery Act risks, and report on the risks and controls to leadership. These assessments will be done consistent with the statutory requirements of the Federal Manager’s Financial Integrity Act, which required managers to assess the effectiveness of management controls applicable to their responsibilities, and the Improper Payments Information Act, as well as OMB’s circular A-123 Management’s Responsibility for Internal Control, which strengthens financial management controls so that Federal agencies can better detect and prevent improper payments.

NCRR is responsible for administering and overseeing the extramural construction program, while each grantee is responsible for ensuring that the awarded grant funds are used properly and as specified. NCRR works closely with the grantee, which is ultimately responsible for the activity of the contractors, to make sure the federal funds maximize research capacity and that adequate progress is being made. Additionally, NCRR is employing management tools to mitigate program risk through all program phases including grant review, award, and post-award monitoring.

Transparency:

NIH will be open and transparent in all of its contracting and grant competitions and regulations that involve spending of Recovery Act funding consistent with statutory and OMB guidance. NIH will ensure that recipient reporting required by Section 1512 of the Recovery Act and OMB guidance is made available to the public on Recovery.gov by October 10, 2009. Recovery Act recipients must report on a quarterly basis. NIH will inform recipients of their reporting obligation through standard terms and conditions, grant announcements, contract solicitations, and other program guidance. NIH will provide technical assistance to grantees and contractors and fully utilize Project Officers to ensure compliance with reporting requirements.

To ensure recipient cost and performance requirements are reported, all awards issued with Recovery Act funds have special accounting numbers and codes to track the funds and awards. All Recovery Act funds must be awarded separately from the normal appropriation funds. The awards must comply with both existing NIH reporting requirements and the Recovery Act reporting requirements. More specifically, grants will include special terms and conditions based on guidance provided by OMB and HHS. NIH will have a link to Recovery.gov on its web site.

Accountability:

To ensure that managers are held to high standards of accountability in achieving program goals under the Recovery Act, NIH will build on and strengthen existing processes. Senior NIH and Extramural Construction officials will meet regularly with senior Department officials to ensure that projects are meeting their program goals, assessing and mitigating risks, ensuring transparency, and incorporating corrective actions. The personnel performance appraisal system will also incorporate Recovery Act program stewardship responsibilities for program and business function managers.

The extramural construction program has a database that provides a data collection and monitoring tool that allows NCRR to track required documents, monitor progress, and monitor proper usage of the facility. Reports generated from the database show progress of individual projects and in turn facilitate more effective program management. The database enables NCRR staff to make adjustments to the program and implement corrective actions with grantees as needed.

NIH is coordinating efforts with its Office of Management Assessment and Office of Financial Management to ensure that existing risk management processes are fully used as NIH implements the provisions of the Recovery Act. Terms and conditions of award notices will also be amended so that awardees are fully aware of the reporting requirements associated with these funds.

This program does not support Federally-owned assets.