The Federal Government awards billions of dollars in grants and cooperative agreements to a wide selection of recipients, including states and local governments, research institutions, healthcare providers and many non-profits. Many of these recipients – and their subgrantees and subrecipients - need to make purchases or contract out functions in order to achieve the goals of the grant. All this must be done in accordance with the federal rules for contracting with grant dollars and the federal government will be watching.

This course is essential for the recipients of federal grant dollars and their subgrantees and subrecipients. Attendees will learn how grantees are required to make their contractor selections and administer their contracts and how federal government employees, especially those new to grant process, are involved in this process.

The program opens with an overview of the federal grant practice, delving into the responsibilities and relationships of the parties in the federal grant process and the management of federal grants including financial and property management. The program will cover the rules for grantee and subgrantee contracting for both state and non-state recipients, as well as the conflicts of interest, gratuities and penalties that must be considered.

Our expert instructor will examine the distinctions between grants, subgrants and contracts, recognized procurement methods as well as the grantee’s responsibilities for contract management. The program will then examine the undeniable impact of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Economic Stimulus) on the federal grant practice.

The federal rules for grantee contracting are replete with requirements that have no definitions, but which have very definite meanings in federal contracting, such as "Organizational Conflicts of Interest," "Small" and "Minority" Businesses, Contractor "Responsibility," "Within Scope" Changes, etc. These federal contracting practices and concepts will be explained.

Finally, this course will review the basic principles of contract interpretation and examples of misconduct, including the indicators of government and contractor misconduct in contracting and federal, criminal and civil consequences of grant fraud, including "Qui Tam" law suits.

Attendees will benefit from a clear presentation of the mechanics of federal grants and the roles and responsibilities of all its players. Whether you are a federal employee, grantee recipient or subgrantee, you will find this course indispensible to your understanding of the practice.