SB3958 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 24542 RJF 33776 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB3958

Introduced 1/21/2022, by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

30 ILCS 708/15
30 ILCS 708/135 new

Amends the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act. Provides that grants shall not restrict the amount of money used to pay for fringe benefits. Provides that grants shall not restrict administrative costs to less than 20% of the grant award. Defines "fringe benefits".

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning finance.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Grant Accountability and Transparency Act is amended by changing Section 15 and by adding Section 135 as follows:

(30 ILCS 708/15)

Sec. 15. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Allowable cost" means a cost allowable to a project if:

(1) the costs are reasonable and necessary for the performance of the award;

(2) the costs are allocable to the specific project;

(3) the costs are treated consistently in like circumstances to both federally-financed and other activities of the non-federal entity;

(4) the costs conform to any limitations of the cost principles or the sponsored agreement;

(5) the costs are accorded consistent treatment; a cost may not be assigned to a State or federal award as a direct cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been allocated to the award as an indirect cost;

(6) the costs are determined to be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

(7) the costs are not included as a cost or used to meet federal cost-sharing or matching requirements of any other program in either the current or prior period;

(8) the costs of one State or federal grant are not used to meet the match requirements of another State or federal grant; and

(9) the costs are adequately documented.

"Auditee" means any non-federal entity that expends State or federal awards that must be audited.

"Auditor" means an auditor who is a public accountant or a federal, State, or local government audit organization that meets the general standards specified in generally-accepted government auditing standards. "Auditor" does not include internal auditors of nonprofit organizations.

"Auditor General" means the Auditor General of the State of Illinois.

"Award" means financial assistance that provides support or stimulation to accomplish a public purpose. "Awards" include grants and other agreements in the form of money, or property in lieu of money, by the State or federal government to an eligible recipient. "Award" does not include: technical assistance that provides services instead of money; other assistance in the form of loans, loan guarantees, interest subsidies, or insurance; direct payments of any kind to individuals; or contracts that must be entered into and administered under State or federal procurement laws and regulations.

"Budget" means the financial plan for the project or program that the awarding agency or pass-through entity approves during the award process or in subsequent amendments to the award. It may include the State or federal and non-federal share or only the State or federal share, as determined by the awarding agency or pass-through entity.

"Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance" or "CFDA" means a database that helps the federal government track all programs it has domestically funded.

"Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number" or "CFDA number" means the number assigned to a federal program in the CFDA.

"Catalog of State Financial Assistance" means the single, authoritative, statewide, comprehensive source document of State financial assistance program information maintained by the Governor's Office of Management and Budget.

"Catalog of State Financial Assistance Number" means the number assigned to a State program in the Catalog of State Financial Assistance. The first 3 digits represent the State agency number and the last 4 digits represent the program.

"Cluster of programs" means a grouping of closely related programs that share common compliance requirements. The types of clusters of programs are research and development, student financial aid, and other clusters. A "cluster of programs" shall be considered as one program for determining major programs and, with the exception of research and development, whether a program-specific audit may be elected.

"Cognizant agency for audit" means the federal agency designated to carry out the responsibilities described in 2 CFR 200.513(a).

"Contract" means a legal instrument by which a non-federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under an award. "Contract" does not include a legal instrument, even if the non-federal entity considers it a contract, when the substance of the transaction meets the definition of an award or subaward.

"Contractor" means an entity that receives a contract.

"Cooperative agreement" means a legal instrument of financial assistance between an awarding agency or pass-through entity and a non-federal entity that:

(1) is used to enter into a relationship with the principal purpose of transferring anything of value from the awarding agency or pass-through entity to the non-federal entity to carry out a public purpose authorized by law, but is not used to acquire property or services for the awarding agency's or pass-through entity's direct benefit or use; and

(2) is distinguished from a grant in that it provides for substantial involvement between the awarding agency or pass-through entity and the non-federal entity in carrying out the activity contemplated by the award.

"Cooperative agreement" does not include a cooperative research and development agreement, nor an agreement that provides only direct cash assistance to an individual, a subsidy, a loan, a loan guarantee, or insurance.

"Corrective action" means action taken by the auditee that (i) corrects identified deficiencies, (ii) produces recommended improvements, or (iii) demonstrates that audit findings are either invalid or do not warrant auditee action.

"Cost objective" means a program, function, activity, award, organizational subdivision, contract, or work unit for which cost data is desired and for which provision is made to accumulate and measure the cost of processes, products, jobs, and capital projects. A "cost objective" may be a major function of the non-federal entity, a particular service or project, an award, or an indirect cost activity.

"Cost sharing" means the portion of project costs not paid by State or federal funds, unless otherwise authorized by statute.

"Development" is the systematic use of knowledge and understanding gained from research directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, systems, or methods, including design and development of prototypes and processes.

"Data Universal Numbering System number" means the 9-digit number established and assigned by Dun and Bradstreet, Inc. to uniquely identify entities and, under federal law, is required for non-federal entities to apply for, receive, and report on a federal award.

"Direct costs" means costs that can be identified specifically with a particular final cost objective, such as a State or federal or federal pass-through award or a particular sponsored project, an instructional activity, or any other institutional activity, or that can be directly assigned to such activities relatively easily with a high degree of accuracy.

"Equipment" means tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost that equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the non-federal entity for financial statement purposes, or $5,000.

"Executive branch" means that branch of State government that is under the jurisdiction of the Governor.

"Federal agency" has the meaning provided for "agency" under 5 U.S.C. 551(1) together with the meaning provided for "agency" by 5 U.S.C. 552(f).

"Federal award" means:

(1) the federal financial assistance that a non-federal entity receives directly from a federal awarding agency or indirectly from a pass-through entity;

(2) the cost-reimbursement contract under the Federal Acquisition Regulations that a non-federal entity receives directly from a federal awarding agency or indirectly from a pass-through entity; or

(3) the instrument setting forth the terms and conditions when the instrument is the grant agreement, cooperative agreement, other agreement for assistance covered in paragraph (b) of 20 CFR 200.40, or the cost-reimbursement contract awarded under the Federal Acquisition Regulations.

"Federal award" does not include other contracts that a federal agency uses to buy goods or services from a contractor or a contract to operate federal government owned, contractor-operated facilities.

"Federal awarding agency" means the federal agency that provides a federal award directly to a non-federal entity.

"Federal interest" means, for purposes of 2 CFR 200.329 or when used in connection with the acquisition or improvement of real property, equipment, or supplies under a federal award, the dollar amount that is the product of the federal share of total project costs and current fair market value of the property, improvements, or both, to the extent the costs of acquiring or improving the property were included as project costs.

"Federal program" means any of the following:

(1) All federal awards which are assigned a single number in the CFDA.

(2) When no CFDA number is assigned, all federal awards to non-federal entities from the same agency made for the same purpose should be combined and considered one program.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2) of this definition, a cluster of programs. The types of clusters of programs are:

(A) research and development;

(B) student financial aid; and

(C) "other clusters", as described in the definition of "cluster of programs".

"Federal share" means the portion of the total project costs that are paid by federal funds.

"Final cost objective" means a cost objective which has allocated to it both direct and indirect costs and, in the non-federal entity's accumulation system, is one of the final accumulation points, such as a particular award, internal project, or other direct activity of a non-federal entity.

"Financial assistance" means the following:

(1) For grants and cooperative agreements, "financial assistance" means assistance that non-federal entities receive or administer in the form of:

(A) grants;

(B) cooperative agreements;

(C) non-cash contributions or donations of property, including donated surplus property;

(D) direct appropriations;

(E) food commodities; and

(F) other financial assistance, except assistance listed in paragraph (2) of this definition.

(2) "Financial assistance" includes assistance that non-federal entities receive or administer in the form of loans, loan guarantees, interest subsidies, and insurance.

(3) "Financial assistance" does not include amounts received as reimbursement for services rendered to individuals.

"Fixed amount awards" means a type of grant agreement under which the awarding agency or pass-through entity provides a specific level of support without regard to actual costs incurred under the award. "Fixed amount awards" reduce some of the administrative burden and record-keeping requirements for both the non-federal entity and awarding agency or pass-through entity. Accountability is based primarily on performance and results.

"Foreign public entity" means:

(1) a foreign government or foreign governmental entity;

(2) a public international organization that is entitled to enjoy privileges, exemptions, and immunities as an international organization under the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288-288f);

(3) an entity owned, in whole or in part, or controlled by a foreign government; or

(4) any other entity consisting wholly or partially of one or more foreign governments or foreign governmental entities.

"Foreign organization" means an entity that is:

(1) a public or private organization located in a country other than the United States and its territories that are subject to the laws of the country in which it is located, irrespective of the citizenship of project staff or place of performance;

(2) a private nongovernmental organization located in a country other than the United States that solicits and receives cash contributions from the general public;

(3) a charitable organization located in a country other than the United States that is nonprofit and tax exempt under the laws of its country of domicile and operation, but is not a university, college, accredited degree-granting institution of education, private foundation, hospital, organization engaged exclusively in research or scientific activities, church, synagogue, mosque, or other similar entity organized primarily for religious purposes; or

(4) an organization located in a country other than the United States not recognized as a Foreign Public Entity.

"Fringe benefits" means allowances and services provided by employers to their employees as compensation in addition to regular salaries and wages. "Fringe benefits" include, but are not limited to, the costs of leave (vacation, family-related, sick, or military), employee insurance, pensions, and unemployment benefit plans.

"Generally Accepted Accounting Principles" has the meaning provided in accounting standards issued by the Government Accounting Standards Board and the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

"Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards" means generally accepted government auditing standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States that are applicable to financial audits.

"Grant agreement" means a legal instrument of financial assistance between an awarding agency or pass-through entity and a non-federal entity that:

(1) is used to enter into a relationship, the principal purpose of which is to transfer anything of value from the awarding agency or pass-through entity to the non-federal entity to carry out a public purpose authorized by law and not to acquire property or services for the awarding agency or pass-through entity's direct benefit or use; and

(2) is distinguished from a cooperative agreement in that it does not provide for substantial involvement between the awarding agency or pass-through entity and the non-federal entity in carrying out the activity contemplated by the award.

"Grant agreement" does not include an agreement that provides only direct cash assistance to an individual, a subsidy, a loan, a loan guarantee, or insurance.

"Grant application" means a specified form that is completed by a non-federal entity in connection with a request for a specific funding opportunity or a request for financial support of a project or activity.

"Hospital" means a facility licensed as a hospital under the law of any state or a facility operated as a hospital by the United States, a state, or a subdivision of a state.

"Illinois Debarred and Suspended List" means the list maintained by the Governor's Office of Management and Budget that contains the names of those individuals and entities that are ineligible, either temporarily or permanently, from receiving an award of grant funds from the State.

"Indirect cost" means those costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefitted without effort disproportionate to the results achieved.

"Inspector General" means the Office of the Executive Inspector General for Executive branch agencies.

"Loan" means a State or federal loan or loan guarantee received or administered by a non-federal entity. "Loan" does not include a "program income" as defined in 2 CFR 200.80.

"Loan guarantee" means any State or federal government guarantee, insurance, or other pledge with respect to the payment of all or a part of the principal or interest on any debt obligation of a non-federal borrower to a non-federal lender, but does not include the insurance of deposits, shares, or other withdrawable accounts in financial institutions.

"Local government" has the meaning provided for the term "units of local government" under Section 1 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution and includes school districts.

"Major program" means a federal program determined by the auditor to be a major program in accordance with 2 CFR 200.518 or a program identified as a major program by a federal awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with 2 CFR 200.503(e).

"Non-federal entity" means a state, local government, Indian tribe, institution of higher education, or organization, whether nonprofit or for-profit, that carries out a State or federal award as a recipient or subrecipient.

"Nonprofit organization" means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization, not including institutions of higher education, that:

(1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest;

(2) is not organized primarily for profit; and

(3) uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operations of the organization.

"Obligations", when used in connection with a non-federal entity's utilization of funds under an award, means orders placed for property and services, contracts and subawards made, and similar transactions during a given period that require payment by the non-federal entity during the same or a future period.

"Office of Management and Budget" means the Office of Management and Budget of the Executive Office of the President.

"Other clusters" has the meaning provided by the federal Office of Management and Budget in the compliance supplement or has the meaning as it is designated by a state for federal awards the state provides to its subrecipients that meet the definition of a cluster of programs. When designating an "other cluster", a state must identify the federal awards included in the cluster and advise the subrecipients of compliance requirements applicable to the cluster.

"Oversight agency for audit" means the federal awarding agency that provides the predominant amount of funding directly to a non-federal entity not assigned a cognizant agency for audit. When there is no direct funding, the awarding agency that is the predominant source of pass-through funding must assume the oversight responsibilities. The duties of the oversight agency for audit and the process for any reassignments are described in 2 CFR 200.513(b).

"Pass-through entity" means a non-federal entity that provides a subaward to a subrecipient to carry out part of a program.

"Private award" means an award from a person or entity other than a State or federal entity. Private awards are not subject to the provisions of this Act.

"Property" means real property or personal property.

"Project cost" means total allowable costs incurred under an award and all required cost sharing and voluntary committed cost sharing, including third-party contributions.

"Public institutions of higher education" has the meaning provided in Section 1 of the Board of Higher Education Act.

"Recipient" means a non-federal entity that receives an award directly from an awarding agency to carry out an activity under a program. "Recipient" does not include subrecipients.

"Research and Development" means all research activities, both basic and applied, and all development activities that are performed by non-federal entities.

"Single Audit Act" means the federal Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 7501-7507).

"State agency" means an Executive branch agency. For purposes of this Act, "State agency" does not include public institutions of higher education.

"State award" means the financial assistance that a non-federal entity receives from the State and that is funded with either State funds or federal funds; in the latter case, the State is acting as a pass-through entity.

"State awarding agency" means a State agency that provides an award to a non-federal entity.

"State grant-making agency" has the same meaning as "State awarding agency".

"State interest" means the acquisition or improvement of real property, equipment, or supplies under a State award, the dollar amount that is the product of the State share of the total project costs and current fair market value of the property, improvements, or both, to the extent the costs of acquiring or improving the property were included as project costs.

"State program" means any of the following:

(1) All State awards which are assigned a single number in the Catalog of State Financial Assistance.

(2) When no Catalog of State Financial Assistance number is assigned, all State awards to non-federal entities from the same agency made for the same purpose are considered one program.

(3) A cluster of programs as defined in this Section.

"State share" means the portion of the total project costs that are paid by State funds.

"Stop payment order" means a communication from a State grant-making agency to the Office of the Comptroller, following procedures set out by the Office of the Comptroller, causing the cessation of payments to a recipient or subrecipient as a result of the recipient's or subrecipient's failure to comply with one or more terms of the grant or subaward.

"Stop payment procedure" means the procedure created by the Office of the Comptroller which effects a stop payment order and the lifting of a stop payment order upon the request of the State grant-making agency.

"Student Financial Aid" means federal awards under those programs of general student assistance, such as those authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1070-1099d), that are administered by the United States Department of Education and similar programs provided by other federal agencies. "Student Financial Aid" does not include federal awards under programs that provide fellowships or similar federal awards to students on a competitive basis or for specified studies or research.

"Subaward" means a State or federal award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a federal award received by the pass-through entity. "Subaward" does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a federal program. A "subaward" may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that the pass-through entity considers a contract.

"Subrecipient" means a non-federal entity that receives a State or federal subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a federal program. "Subrecipient" does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such program. A "subrecipient" may also be a recipient of other State or federal awards directly from a State or federal awarding agency.

"Suspension" means a post-award action by the State or federal agency or pass-through entity that temporarily withdraws the State or federal agency's or pass-through entity's financial assistance sponsorship under an award, pending corrective action by the recipient or subrecipient or pending a decision to terminate the award.

"Uniform Administrative Requirements, Costs Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards" means those rules applicable to grants contained in 2 CFR 200.

"Voluntary committed cost sharing" means cost sharing specifically pledged on a voluntary basis in the proposal's budget or the award on the part of the non-federal entity and that becomes a binding requirement of the award.

(Source: P.A. 100-997, eff. 8-20-18.)

(30 ILCS 708/135 new)

Sec. 135. Contract limitations.

(a) Grants shall not restrict the amount of money used to pay for fringe benefits.

(b) Grants shall not restrict administrative costs to less than 20% of the grant award.