Western Grants Forum: Super Circular Training & Cost Principles Deep Dive

April 5 and 6, 2018

Seattle, Washington (Sheraton Seattle Hotel)

Learn about the OMB Super Circular's Key Requirements and Take a "Cost Principles Deep Dive" to Learn Even More about Indirect, Direct, and Specific Costs.

Get answers to your questions about the OMB's Uniform Grants Guidance (better known as the "Omnicircular" or "Super Circular") during this exclusive "OMB Super Circular Training & Cost Principles Deep Dive" edition of the Western Grants Forum in Seattle. The Uniform Grants Guidance has detailed rules that govern the management and spending of grant funds, including administrative rules, audit standards, and cost principles.  Failure to follow these requirements can lead to costly disallowances and repayment of funds and even loss of your grant funding.  Grant-funded organizations (whether direct grantees, pass-throughs, or subrecipients), therefore, need to understand and fully comply with the Super Circular.  However, the Uniform Grants Guidance can be difficult to navigate, and not only did the Super Circular include many changes that grant-funded organizations are still discovering, but the Super Circular continues to evolve with amendments since the supposedly "final" version was issued.  By attending the 2018 Western Grants Forum's "Super Circular Training & Cost Principles Deep Dive" on April 5 and 6, you will learn about the Super Circular's key rules (with an extended look at direct, indirect, and specific costs under the cost principles), and how to better comply with grants requirements.

During this two-day training, you will learn all about the Super Circular's administrative requirements, audit standards, procurement rules, and cost principles.  As part of the special "Cost Principles Deep Dive," you will also examine in greater detail what costs can be charged to your grants and subawards and how to recover those costs.  Among the topics that you will explore are: 

• Administrative requirements under the Uniform Grants Guidance;
• Unified cost principles under the Uniform Grants Guidance (Super Circular) and issues encountered in navigating the revised cost principles;
• General rules for allowability;
  
• Meanings of reasonableness, necessity, and allocability;
• Direct and indirect cost fundamentals and negotiation of indirect cost rates;
• Changes affecting indirect costs (including the de minimis indirect cost rate, requirements for subawards, and extension of current rates);
• Procurement standards and the relationship to the cost principles;
• Recovery of facilities costs;
• Treatment of equipment and other capital expenditures contrasted to supplies;
• Limitations on allowability of specific items of cost;
• Time and effort reporting requirements;
• Fringe benefits and employee welfare costs (including "employee morale");
• Treatment of travel-related costs;
• Cost of insurance, losses, and claims;
• Allowability of training, conferences, and similar costs;
• Prior written approval requirements;
• Exceptions to the Uniform Grants Guidance's cost principles;
• Effects of recent developments in grants management;
• Audits under the Uniform Grants Guidance;
• Fighting fraud, waste, and abuse; and,
• Answers to frequently asked questions about the cost principles.

The "Super Circular Training & Cost Principles Deep Dive" will discuss these topics and more to help you successfully navigate the Super Circular's requirements.  You will also have ample opportunities to ask and get answers to your individual questions about the Super Circular and grants management.

AGENDA

This two-day conference is scheduled to be held at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel on April 5 and 6, 2018. The planned agenda for each day is as follows:

Day One (Thursday, April 5, 2018)

8:00 A.M. - On-site Conference Check-in
8:30 A.M. - Session I-A:  The Uniform Grants Guidance: Administrative Requirements
10:00 A.M. - Morning Break
10:15 A.M. - Session I-B:  The Uniform Grants Guidance: Administrative Requirements (Continued)
12:00 P.M. - Lunch Break (On Your Own)
1:30 P.M. - Session II:  General Cost Principles
3:00 P.M. - Afternoon Break
3:15 P.M. - Session III:  Direct and Indirect Costs (and Cost Allocation)
4:30 P.M. - Adjourn (Day One)

Day Two (Friday, April 6, 2018)

8:00 A.M. - On-site Conference Check-in
8:30 A.M. - Session IV:  Specific Items of Cost
10:00 A.M. - Morning Break
10:15 A.M. - Session V:  Time and Effort Reporting & Personnel Costs
12:00 P.M. - Lunch Break (On Your Own)
1:30 P.M. - Session VI:  Procurement Issues
3:00 P.M. - Afternoon Break
3:15 P.M. - Session VII:  Audits (Combatting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse)
4:30 P.M. - Adjourn (Conference)

OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES

When you attend the "Super Circular Training & Cost Principles Deep Dive," you will learn about the Uniform Grants Guidance's key requirements and how properly to charge costs to your grants and subawards.  After attending, you will be able to:

• Describe at least five major features and goals of the revisions to Federal grants management requirements under the Uniform Grants Guidance ("Super Circular");
• Describe the administrative requirements under the Super Circular;
• List the requirements for general allowability under the cost principles;
• List the changes to the treatment of direct and indirect costs under the Uniform Grants Guidance;
• Distinguish the documentation requirements for time and effort (personnel costs) under the prior rules and the OMB Super Circular;
• Identify the five acceptable methods for procurement under the Super Circular;
• Describe at least three ways in which grant-funded organizations can be attuned to potential fraud, waste, and abuse, related to costs; and,
• Identify the changes to the audit standards under the Uniform Grants Guidance ("Super Circular").

AUDIENCE

REGISTRATION

Early birds get the discount! Registration is just $499 per person through March 5, 2018, and just $549 per person after the Early Bird period.  Cancellations before February 19, 2018, are subject to a $25 administrative fee, and all cancellations on or after February 19, 2018 (but before March 5, 2018) are subject to a $125 administrative fee.  Refunds will not be issued for cancellations on or after March 5, 2018.  In lieu of cancellations, registrants may substitute another participant from his or her organization at no charge.  Registration does not include lodging or transportation; you are responsible for making your own hotel and transportation reservations.  Space is extremely limited.

CONFERENCE HOTEL

Our conference hotel will be the Sheraton Seattle Hotel, conveniently located in the heart of downtown near local dining, shopping, and attractions as well as public transportation.  Rooms are available for special conference rates starting at the government per diem of $179 per night (plus tax).  The special rates are available for April 4 through 6 and may be offered for additional nights, subject to hotel availability.  Hotel reservations can be made by calling 1-888-627-7056.  Please ask for the special rate for the "Western Grants Forum April 2018 Meeting."  Reservations can also be made on-line by clicking here for the reservations page.  The room reservation cut-off date is March 5, 2018 (or until the block is exhausted). Because of the small number of rooms available, we advise making your reservations as soon as possible.

Register Now!

R. Brian Tipton is a practicing attorney with more than fifteen years' experience working with nonprofits, governmental units, and other grant-funded organizations across the United States.  Currently, Brian is Managing Director with The Private Client Law Group, P.C., in Atlanta, where he heads the firm's tax-exempt and grant-funded solutions practice.  He is a summa cum laude graduate of the Louisiana State University and the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University.  Brian regularly represents grant-funded entities of all types in the areas of regulatory compliance, audits, funding source disputes, administrative appeals, and litigation.  Brian also consults with organizations on governance, human resources, programmatic, and corporate matters, and develops and presents training programs for nonprofits and grant-funded organizations.