Welcome to Academica Grant Training!

Grant Funds Procedures

Grant Development and Approval

Making Purchases and Following Procurement

Purchase Orders

Packing Slips, Invoices and Payment

Inventory and Tagging

Reimbursement Package

Record Keeping in TEAMS

Resources

Grant Application Preparation

Since there are many grants available at this time, it is important to keep track of all the grant applications in one place so that the same purchases/expenditures are not duplicated in multiple grants. TEAMS is the place where all grant documentation should be filed.

Schools should work with their designated Grant Team Member(s) when writing the applications. Once finalized, the grant applications must be submitted to the district for approval.

No purchases should be made, or reimbursements requested, until the district approves the grant application for the funds being used.

After receiving grant approval from the district, the purchasing of items under the grant can begin. When dealing with an emergency grant, such as ESSER I, purchases could have taken place before the approval of the grant (this is an exception). In general, all grant purchases must be made after the grant is approved.

Grant Development and Approval

Once a grant has been announced by a Federal, State or Local Agency, the first step is to see if the school meets all the eligibility requirements of the grant. If the school is eligible, the process for applying and getting a budget approved begins.

Schools should inform their assigned Grant Team Member of all correspondence received from the district on all grants. Grant Team Members can assist with the development of the grant application. It is the school’s responsibility to let Academica know of any grants that the school is awarded. This is vital as the books need to be kept up to date with Receivables and Payments as they occur.

Grant Development and Approval

Grant is announced by FLDOE with RFA & Informs of Allocations per District and Grant Templates and State Deadlines

School needs to decide whether or not to apply for the grant

Yes

No

School Informs the District and Academica

School Informs the District and Academica

School prepares Grant Documentation with Support from Academica

Grant deadlines must be followed

Grant Development and Approval

Once a grant has been announced by a Federal, State or Local Agency, the first step is to see if the school meets all the eligibility requirements of the grant. If the school is eligible, the process for applying and getting a budget approved begins.

Schools should inform their assigned Grant Team Member of all correspondence received from the district on all grants. Grant Team Members can assist with the development of the grant application. It is the school’s responsibility to let Academica know of any grants that the school is awarded. This is vital as the books need to be kept up to date with Receivables and Payments as they occur.

Does your District Require a Narrative?

Yes : Write short narrative on school letterhead explaining project and expenses.

No: Do Nothing :)

Does the grant require signed assurances?

Yes : Check with grant team member for board chair signed assurances for this grant and complete school information.

No: Do Nothing :)

Purchasing Timeline

Vendor Selection

Get Quote

Identify Procurement Methods
(TIPS, Omnia, Sole Source, Piggyback)

Create and get approval for Purchase Order

Shipment of Order/Receipt of Goods

Sign Packing Slip upon arrival of Goods

Invoice and Payment Process

Log on Inventory Tracking sheet and Tag items received accordingly

Reimbursement Notice received from the District

Send to Financial Specialist and your Grant Team Member(s)

Academica updates Financials to reflect receipt of Funds

School Duties

As it relates to purchases with grant funds, the duties of the school include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Ensuring that all school personnel involved in the purchasing process receive appropriate training in the implementation of the procurement procedures for grant funds.
• Ensuring that all steps in the procurement process are followed in sequential order (quote, purchase order, getting tips or sole source letter, invoice).
• Ensuring that only items and services authorized in the grant are purchased.
• Managing contracts and purchase orders to ensure that vendors provide goods or services in accordance with contract terms and supplies, materials, and equipment are received, tagged, and inventoried, in a timely manner, as appropriate.

Knowledge Check

Place the purchasing timeline in the correct order.

Purchasing

Receipt of Goods and Invoicing

Receipt of Funds

Vendor Selection

Get Quote

Identify Procurement Methods
(TIPS, Omnia, Sole Source, Piggyback)

Create and get approval for Purchase Order

Shipment of Order/Receipt of Goods

Sign Packing Slip upon arrival of Goods

Invoice and Payment Process

Log on Inventory Tracking sheet and Tag items received accordingly

Reimbursement Notice received from the District

Send to Financial Specialist and your Grant Team Member(s)

Academica updates Financials to reflect receipt of Funds

Well done!

You seem to be an expert at this.

Not quite.

Try one more time, you were so close!

Good Attempt.

You almost had it but you might need to go back and review the timeline to make sure you know the timeline by heart.

Finding an Approved Vendor

For ALL grant purchases, schools must utilize only vendors that appear on an approved vendors list. Only these vendors have been awarded contracts through formal competitive bids, either through the district, state, national TIPS (The Inter-Local Purchasing System), OMNIA or any other purchasing system.

• The grant purchasing process begins with the school’s acquisition of an appropriate vendor quote(s).

• Vendor quotes, TIPs confirmation letter, sole source letter, or piggybacking letter (when applicable) must be attached to vendor POs at the time of the PO’s creation in Nexus

How to process a Purchase Order under a Grant

Knowledge Check

Once the purchase order is created and paid by operating, can the school then go back and adjust it to be paid by the grant?

• 

  If it has not been paid yet the PO can be adjusted by the school

• 

  If it has been paid already contact accounts payable staff at Academica to reallocate to the grant in MRI (we cannot change a PO but we can change the expense in MRI and reclassify)

• 

  No

Well done!

If the purchase order has not been paid yet the PO can be adjusted by the school, otherwise contact accounts payable staff at Academica to reallocate to the grant in MRI.

Not quite.

If the purchase order has not been paid yet the PO can be adjusted by the school, otherwise contact accounts payable staff at Academica to reallocate to the grant in MRI.

Purchase Order Important Notes

• Purchase orders are created in Nexus by schools. Make sure the correct funding source (e.g., Title I/ESSER, CSP, CMO) and GL account and Grant department must be selected.
• The school must verify that the vendors quote reflects the correct name, location, and address for the school. A collocated school must choose which campus will be funding the purchase. The delivery address of the materials must match the campus address.
• The TIPS Contract Number or other procurement documents must be uploaded with the PO.
• Prior to the Principals approval, the principal should review the alignment of the quote with the TIPS/ Omnia/ Sole Source letter and that these are dated correctly before the approval of the PO. After this process is verified, the Principal must approve the PO in Nexus prior to submission to vendors for orders.
• Only a Nexus Purchase Order, electronically approved by the school Principal, may be submitted to vendors for placing of orders. No other PO version is acceptable.
• At no time should a vendor’s invoice be attached to a PO in Nexus, as the purchase must always be completed prior to the delivery of items and the receipt of an invoice.
• POs issued after the invoice date are not acceptable. Expenditures incurred not following procurement procedures for grant funds must be paid out from the school operating budget or the items must be returned to the vendors and the school will be responsible for all shipping charges.
• Purchase Order Audit Trail: most districts require electronic date, time stamp, and initiator and approver on the PO. This is generated on Nexus by clicking on the purchase order, clicking the print icon on the left-hand action bar, selecting your school logo under templates, and selecting “history log.” Then, click print and save the PDF.
• Orders for two different charter schools nested in the same campus must have separate POs created for submission to vendor. The school purchasing and using the items must be listed on the PO as the only school. If the PO has the incorrect name of the school, or general campus name, it may cause the reimbursement to be disallowed.
• Purchase Orders with grant funds may not also include items to be funded by the operating account. They must be limited to the order for that particular grant/school – not campus.

Knowledge Check

What items should be listed on a vendor’s quote?

• 

  Correct name, location, and address for the school (not campus)

• 

  TIPS/OMNIA/Sourcewell Contract Number

Well done!

All of these items should be listed on a vendor's quote.

Not quite.

All of these items should be listed on a vendor's quote.

Knowledge Check

What items must be listed on a purchase order?

• 

  Correct name, location, and address for the school (not campus)

• 

  TIPS/OMNIA/Sourcewell Contract Number

Well done!

All of these items must be listed on a purchase order.

Not quite.

All of these items must be listed on a purchase order.

Knowledge Check

What should I do if the vendor puts the campus name instead of individual school name on the quote or purchase order?

• 

  Ignore it and pay the invoice from one school anyway

• 

  Contact the vendor to correct the quote and/or purchase order

• 

  Split the invoice by school

• 

  Call Marlene crying

Well done!

Payments cannot be split by school for grants

Not quite.

Payments cannot be split by school for grants. You should contact the vendor to correct the quote and/or purchase order.

Uploading a Grant Purchase Order (PO) to Nexus

Select your procurement method and then upload the correct
documents to Nexus.

Purchase Order with
contract number (TIPS/OMNIA/Sourcewell)

Invoice

Vendor Quote

TIPS or Sole Source Letter

Well done!

At no time should a vendor’s invoice be attached to a PO in Nexus, as the purchase must always be completed prior to the delivery of items and the receipt of an invoice.

Not quite.

At no time should a vendor’s invoice be attached to a PO in Nexus, as the purchase must always be completed prior to the delivery of items and the receipt of an invoice.

Good try.

At no time should a vendor’s invoice be attached to a PO in Nexus, as the purchase must always be completed prior to the delivery of items and the receipt of an invoice.

Knowledge Check

Can a Purchase order ever be issued AFTER an invoice?

• 

  Yes

• 

  No

Well done!

POs issued after the invoice date are not acceptable. Expenditures incurred not following procurement procedures for grant funds must be paid out from the school operating budget or the items must be returned to the vendors and the school will be responsible for all shipping charges.

Not quite.

POs issued after the invoice date are not acceptable. Expenditures incurred not following procurement procedures for grant funds must be paid out from the school operating budget or the items must be returned to the vendors and the school will be responsible for all shipping charges.

Invoices

Order is
Delivered!

Important Notes About Invoices

• Invoices and Shipping/ packing slips should be uploaded into Nexus by the vendor. The date of the invoice and the approval process for invoices should be followed based on whether the goods have been received or services have been rendered.
• Payment will be made by the Academica Accounting team according to the terms on the invoices which need to be 30 days term. The 30 days terms will start counting on the date that the invoice is uploaded into Nexus.
• Depending on the amount of the invoice, the payment will require second signature.
  
     - If the invoice is over $10,000.00 but below $25,000.00,
       then second signature is required from a second authorized signer.
  
     - If the payment is over $25,000.00, then second signature must be the network board chair.
• Payment is then made via ACH if the accounting department has the vendor’s ACH information entered and verified by the fraud prevention team. ACH payments are reflected in the vendor’s bank account in 24-48 hours.
• If the accounting department does not have the vendor’s ACH information, then a check is sent from the Academica address to the vendor’s address that the vendor provided on their W9.

Payment Process

• Accounts Payable Representative receives the invoice. Invoices can be received through Nexus, email, school upload onto Nexus, or snail mail.
• AP processes invoice if there is an approved purchase order available
• Invoice is then sent to the principal for review and approval
• Once the invoice is approved by the principal, the invoice is sent to the financial specialist which reviews that the GL codes, Department and Funding Source are correct.
• Once the invoice is approved by the FS, the invoice is transferred to MRI for payment

Packing Slips

All Grant Purchases must have the following documentation available in case an auditor asks for them.

• Packing Slips: All goods received must include a packing slip or other support documentation confirming delivery and must be kept on file at the school for 5 years.
• If the order does not have a packing slip, first reach out to the vendor. If the vendor cannot provide this document, the CMO Grant Team will assist with alternatives. These alternatives include:
     - A reprinted copy of the packing slip or
     - Individual digital pictures of the items received.
• These documents must be kept on file and scanned into its respective file

Knowledge Check

What should I do with my packing slip?

• 

  Throw it away

• 

  Sign it, scan it, save it to TEAMS grant folder

Well done!

All packing slips must be signed, scanned, and saved to the TEAMS grant folder.

Not quite.

All packing slips must be signed, scanned, and saved to the TEAMS grant folder.

Knowledge Check

When should my vendors expect payment?

• 

  2 days after placing invoice on my desk

• 

  30 days after the invoice is uploaded to nexus

Well done!

Vendors should expect payment 30 days after the invoice is uploaded to Nexus.

Not quite.

Vendors should expect payment 30 days after the invoice is uploaded to Nexus.

Inventory

Upon receipt of federal, non-consumable purchased items, each item must be logged into the inventory tracking spreadsheet within 10 workdays of receipt of merchandise. The inventory tracking spreadsheet must include the following separate fields:

• School number
• School name
• Description of Item
• Manufacturer
• Vendor Name
• Inventory ID Tag/Asset Tag Number
• Serial number
• Date of Purchase (date on PO)
• Purchase Order Number
• Invoice Number
• Item Cost
• Physical Location
• Object
• Function
• Disposal Date
• Reason for Disposal

Sample Inventory Spreadsheet

Click the image to download a sample inventory spreadsheet excel document.

Tagging

Upon receipt of federal, non-consumable purchased items, each item must be tagged with the required information. Tag must include the following:

• Property of [Insert School Name]
• Purchased with [Insert Grant Name] Grant Funds
• Grant TAPS Number
• Inventory ID Tag Number

Each grant has a specific threshold that will require a recorded asset tag. Instructions for those amounts will be determined and communicated by the grants team.

Knowledge Check

What items do you need for submitting an invoice reimbursement? (Check all that apply)

• 

  Quote

• 

  Purchase Order

• 

  Proof of Procurement Process

• 

  Vendor Contract or Sole Source Letter

• 

  TIPS Confirmation Letter, if applicable

• 

  Packing Slip

• 

  Purchase Order

• 

  Invoice

• 

  ACH Report

• 

  Regions Payment Detail Report (Broward County Only)

• 

  Bank Statements

Well done!

All of these items are needed when submitting an invoice reimbursement.

Not quite.

All of these items are needed when submitting an invoice reimbursement.

Knowledge Check

What folders should be included under each grant? (select all that apply)

• 

  Budgets

• 

  Reimbursements

• 

  District Payment Advices

• 

  TIPS and Sole Source Letters

Well done!

Budgets, Reimbursements, and District Payment Advices are the folders that should be included under each grant.

TIPS and Sole Source letters do not need to be uploaded to Teams as long as you are uploading them with the PO in Nexus.

Not quite.

Budgets, Reimbursements, and District Payment Advices are the folders that should be included under each grant.

TIPS and Sole Source letters do not need to be uploaded to Teams as long as you are uploading them with the PO in Nexus.

Knowledge Check

The grant reimbursement submissions are in charter tools/epicenter/my email do I have to do it twice and also upload to teams?

• 

  Yes

• 

  No

Well done!

Grant Reimbursement Submissions must be uploaded to both charter tools/epicenter/my email and to TEAMS.

Not quite.

Grant Reimbursement Submissions must be uploaded to both charter tools/epicenter/my email and to TEAMS.

Resources

Inventory Tracking Sample Spreadsheet

DOE100 Budget

DOE 100A Project Application

TIPS Letter Directions

Function/Object Code Cheat Sheet

Grant Funds Procedure Manual

Congratulations!

You have completed Grant Training!