How You Request Funds
- Current: Funds are pooled by payee in EDPMS. Payees then request a lump-sum amount based on their immediate need without identifying the specific program awards for which the funds are being drawn. (Note: Refer to Page 4 for definitions of grantee and payee).
- Future: Under GAPS, payees will request drawdown amounts by grant award number (this is the ED assigned award number that appears on your grant award notification). With GAPS, payees will also have the flexibility to modify both ACH and Fedwire payment requests prior to receipt of funds. In addition, once funds are deposited in your bank account, you can adjust or redistribute your drawdown requests between grant awards to help ensure ED’s records reflect your actual use of funds.
Benefits of GAPS and Changes in Procedures
Implementation of GAPS and the changes in procedures will result in benefits to grantees/payees, ED, and other education partners and recipients. These benefits include: - Simplifies expenditure reporting with certification of expenditures once a year versus monthly/quarterly under the current system.
- Takes advantage of improved technology, such as access via the Internet and operating in a Windows environment.
- Supports on-line access to request funds and report expenditures.
- Gives payees the flexibility to modify ACH and Fedwire payment request prior to receipt of funds and/or to reallocate drawdown amounts between grants after funds are deposited in their bank account.
- Provides immediate update and notification of changes in awards, such as authorization changes issued by the Office of Post-Secondary Education (OPE) program office.
- Provides access to more timely and accurate financial information including: authorization amounts, cumulative drawdowns, current balances, and payment and award histories.
Programs Affected
Implementation of GAPS and the changes in procedures will affect those discretionary and formula grant programs that require payees to submit a drawdown request. These programs represent approximately 80% of the $31 billion disbursed by the Department in FY 1997.
In addition, approximately $12 billion in Direct Loan funds will be drawn through the new system. While these funds will be drawn using GAPS, the drawdown and reporting procedures discussed above will not affect the Direct Loan Program.
Implementation Schedule
ED plans to bring GAPS on-line in early 1998. All Participants will be notified as soon as the GAPS Phase III implementation is rescheduled. The Department anticipates that this decision will be made by the end of March.
Preparing for GAPS Implementation
You can prepare for GAPS’ implementation in three ways:
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Accurate Records: First, making sure your records and the Department’s records agree is key to ensuring conversion of accurate data on your ED awards and award activities from EDPMS to GAPS. Payees should make sure their records on award authorizations, drawdowns, and expenditures match ED’s records. You can do this two ways:
1) Make sure your EDPMS 272 expenditure reports (monthly or quarterly) are accurate and filed in a timely manner. If a EDPMS 272 report indicates a discrepancy between your records and ED’s records, contact your payment account representative for drawdown discrepancies and contact your program office representative for authorization discrepancies (even if the discrepancy is several years old). ED’s account representatives will work with you in reconciling any discrepancies between ED’s and your records. Also, if you would like additional, detailed financial information on the Department’s records for your awards, contact your payment account representative and he/she can send you a Payment and Expenditure Statement (PES). This statement captures all of your grant awards and award payments, adjustments, and expenditures since you began participating in Department of Education programs.
2) ED will send you a final EDPMS 272 report and corresponding Federal Cash Award Certification Statement at the time of conversion to the new system. You should use these statements to verify that all of your grant awards were converted from EDPMS to GAPS properly.
- Software/Hardware Requirements: In order to access GAPS on-line, you will need a Web browser such as Netscape Navigator 2.0 or Microsoft Explorer 2.0. The hardware requirements to access GAPS depend on the type of Web browser used. Check the information provided with the software to determine the hardware and operating system requirements to support the Web browser (e.g., 386 computer, Windows 3.1, etc.).
Resources
- Information on GAPS can be found at ED’s web page at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCFO/. This web page is updated regularly and houses the latest information on GAPS and the new procedures.
- A GAPS training website has been developed so you can familiarize yourself with the payment request process prior to implementation. You will be able to download the training tutorial which will walk you through the external access screens. This training website is located at http://e-grants.ed.gov/egWelcome.asp.
- The NEW Department of Education Payee's Guide is also available at http://e-grants.ed.gov/egWelcome.asp. The guide will provide detailed instructions on all new GAPS processes.
- A hot-line number is being established to provide assistance. The Toll Free Hot Line Telephone Number is 1-888-336-8930.
Outreach Activities/Training
Recent Outreach Activities/Training:
Past Outreach Activities:
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