State Letter #09-18

TO: STATE REFUGEE COORDINATORS
OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES

FROM: David H. Siegel
Acting Director
Office of Refugee Resettlement

SUBJECT: Electronic Submission of Grant Reports

Introduction to On-Line Data Collection for Grant Reports

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is introducing to its grantees availability of a system, developed by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), whereby grantee Financial Status Reports may be submitted electronically. The ACF Online Data Collection (OLDC) system is a convenient, easy method for submitting grant-related data.

Beginning in the third quarter of FY 2009 (April 1, 2009, through June 30, 2009), grantees may elect to submit required quarterly grant financial status data for Social Services and Targeted Assistance formula grants electronically through the OLDC. ORR intends that additional ORR financial and programmatic reporting forms will become available through OLDC to grantees in the future.

ORR grantees currently submit financial status data on their Social Services and Targeted Assistance formula grants to the Administration for Children and Families using the Standard Form 269. With OLDC, grantees will be able to enter their data, and retrieve the data, through the internet using an electronic form that closely resembles the paper SF-269 Financial Status Report.

Accessing OLDC

To begin submitting financial data through the OLDC system, each State staff person who will be accessing the system must have a User ID and a password. In addition, each State must select one or more “Job Types” or “roles” for each State staff person who will be accessing the system. Each Job Type establishes certain roles that allow access to OLDC screens but restrict that access to the duties and responsibilities of the staff person. For instance, a State might select the Job Type of “Data Entry” for one staff person; the roles of “Certify” and “Submit” for the person who will electronically sign and submit the form; and have a third staff person as the backup for one or both of those staff. Individual staff may have more than one Job Type or role. States may decide how many staff they wish to have access to the OLDC system and what Job Types and roles they wish them to have. ORR recommends that States select at least three staff to have User IDs and passwords to ensure that staff are available when the SF-269 Financial Status Report must be submitted.

A copy of the Help Sheet “Grant Administrator Overview and List of Roles” is attached. This information is provided to help you determine the Job Type for each member of your staff who will be working with OLDC and any additional roles that need to be assigned to a particular staff person.

Also attached is a Grantee Request Form. If you wish to participate in OLDC, please complete this form and return it to ORR. This information will be used by ORR staff to enter your staff information into OLDC so that your staff will be able to access OLDC. Please be sure to indicate the appropriate persons for the “Certify”, “Submit”, and “Unsubmit” roles. ORR staff will assign the Job Types and roles in OLDC in accordance with your Grantee Request Form. After your information is entered into the system, an e-mail message is automatically sent to each of your staff with the OLDC User ID and password that has been created for that person, as well as additional information on accessing the system.

Please return the Grantee Request Form to Trudi Grant before June 30, 2009, to ensure that your information can be entered into the OLDC in time for you to be able to submit your financial data electronically by July 30, 2009. You may attach the completed form(s) to an e-mail message and send it to Trudi.Grant@acf.hhs.gov or fax the completed forms to Trudi’s attention at (202) 401-0981. If you have questions about the Grantee Request Form, Trudi can be contacted at (202) 401-9250.

Additional Information on OLDC

Additional information on logging into, and using the system, is attached to this State Letter. The OLDC system also provides additional resources, such as a tutorial and FAQs, to assist you. Finally, Administration for Children and Families information systems staff are available to you through a help line to provide further guidance on accessing OLDC and submitting your data. Information on the assistance provided both electronically and through the help line is also attached to this letter.

Use of the OLDC submission process to submit your SF-269 financial data will reduce your paperwork and allow for quicker submission of your reports. ORR staff look forward to working with you and your staff in participating in the electronic submission of your reports. If an organizational unit other than yours submits the SF-269 Financial Status Form for the Targeted Assistance and Social Services formula grants, please forward this State Letter and the attachments to that unit.

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Donnelly at (202) 401-5646 or your ORR State Analyst.