Helping You Navigate ARPA-E’s Invoice Process

Helping You Navigate

ARPA-E’s Invoice Process

Table of Contents

1

Overview

2

ARPA-E’s Responsibilities

Review all incurred costs for: Reasonableness, Allowability, and AllocabilityBe available to answer questions and communicate with PerformersMaintain accountability for the expenditure of public fundsEnsure that claimed amounts are used to meet project objectives and goalsExplain problems or discrepancies with invoice submissionsApprove the reimbursement for allowable costs within 30 days

Performer’s Responsibilities

Submit invoices for incurred costs related to the project SOPO, within the award period of performance, and in accordance with the applicable federal regulations

Submit the necessary supporting documentation to allow ARPA-E to determine: Reasonableness,

Allowability

, and

A

llocability

of invoiced costs

Submit an invoice that is mathematically correct

Respond to questions from ARPA-E within the timeframe provided

Background Overview of Cost Terms

3

Financial Assistance Awards

Cost Terminology

Financial assistance awards

4

GrantTransfers of a thing of value from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose without substantial involvement by ARPA-E.

Cooperative AgreementTransfers of a thing of value from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose with substantial involvement by ARPA-E.

Substantial Involvement

Refers to the degree of ARPA-E participation in project decision making, including stage-gate approvals at various times in the project.

Cost terminology

5

Costs that, in its nature and amount, does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person in the conduct of competitive business.

Reasonable Costs

Costs that are assignable to the Federal award or other cost objectives in accordance with relative benefits received.

Allocable Costs

Must be necessary and reasonable for performance

Must be allocable per the cost principlesMust conform to any limitations identified in the award or cost principlesMust be consistent with the Recipient’s practiceMust be afforded consistent treatmentMust be determined in accordance with GAAPMust be adequately documented

Allowable Costs

Those charges to a Federal award that are determined to be unallowable in accordance with applicable Federal statues, regulations, or the terms of the Federal award.

Disallowed Costs

Unsupported Costs

Any cost that lacks sufficient documentation to enable a definitive conclusion

Cost Share

Percentage

of the total allowable project costs to be provided by the Prime Recipient

.

ARPA-E’s Invoicing Approach

Invoices are Linked to Project ObjectivesInvoice Review Approach

6

Invoicing is linked to project objectives

Invoices provide additional understanding of a project’s financial performance in relation to task/milestone/deliverable status

7

ARPA-E’s Invoice Review Approach

8

The invoice form (SF-270) states, “I certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief the data on the

reverse are correct and that all outlays were made in accordance with grant conditions or other agreement and that payment is due and has not been previously requested.” Invoice submissions are subject to the terms of the False Claims Act (FCA). Performers in violation of the FCA may be subject to criminal and civil penalties.

Preparing an ARPA-E Invoice

9

Invoice 30-day

T

imeline

Actions ARPA-E will Take on an Invoice

Preparing an Invoice Submission

Supporting Documentation

Helpful Invoice Preparation Hints

Invoice 30-day timeline

ARPA-E will work to meet this notional timeline; we ask Performer teams to partner with us to achieve it.

10

Actions ARPA-E will take on invoices

11

Preparing an invoice submission

SF-270 federal and cost share amounts

must tie to the invoice supporting documents submitted. If they do not, ARPA-E may reject the invoice.

12

Supporting documentation

Sign

AND

date

before submitting the SF-270 to VIPERS and ARPA-E

13

Performers are

required to submit a signed SF-270 which can be found at the following link: https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/sf270(6).pdf

Make sure the amount requested on the SF-270 matches the amount requested in

VIPERS

AND

the supporting documentation

submitted

…or the invoice will be rejected

Supporting documentation (continued)

14

Additional information can be found in Attachment 1 of the Cooperative Agreement.

Travel:

An expense report/ summary that indicates the business purpose

and itinerary for each trip and receipts for all travel expenses over $75

Other Direct Costs:

Receipts/invoices

for all large dollar ODCs and documentation to justify any business meal expenses

Technology Transfer and Outreach: Supporting documentation broken out by Personnel, Travel, Supplies, Equipment, Contractual, and ODCs using the same criteria as above

Helpful invoice preparation hints

15

Helpful invoice preparation hints (continued)

16

Examples of travel-related expenses disallowed by ARPA-E

Helpful invoice preparation hints (continued)

17

Other

costs that ARPA-E has disallowed and

may

not

be claimed

Contacts and Information Links

18

Tracking Invoices

Staff Who Can Help

Key Contacts

Guideline Links

How do I track my invoice?

19

Click on

Electronic Invoice Instructions (overview) to see how to submit an invoice in VIPERS 

Click:

Click on

Electronic

Invoice Instruction

(detailed)

for detailed instructions

Staff who can help

20

Works

to inform, connect, and advocate in support of the commercial success of

projects

once

a

Project Team

has identified a

commercialization strategy

Key contacts

ARPA-E Procurement Director and Contracting Officer (CO)Bart Bridwell E-mail: Bart.Bridwell@hq.doe.gov Phone: 202-287-1015 ARPA-E Associate Director for FinanceHai DuongE-mail: Hai.Duong@hq.doe.govPhone: 202-287-6583ARPA-E Contracting general e-mail: ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov

21

If questions arise, please direct them to the ARPA-E support team

before submitting

an invoice.

Guideline links

22

Award TypeFederal Regulation/GuidanceLinksGrants and Cooperative Agreements for “For-Profit Companies”Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 31.2  http://www.acquisition.gov/Far/  Grants and Cooperative Agreements with Non-Profit Organizations1, Educational Institutions2, and other Governmental units32 C.F.R. § 200, Subpart E http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl

FAQs : https://arpa-e.energy.gov/?q=faq/general-questions

For Grants

and Cooperative Agreements with Non-Profit

Organizations (

Does not apply to colleges and

universities) made prior to 26-Dec-2014

,

please refer to 2 CFR

Part 230

(formerly

OMB Circular A-122)

http://

www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2012-title2-vol1/CFR-2012-title2-vol1-part230/content-detail.html

For Grants and Cooperative Agreements with

Educational Institutions

made prior to 26-Dec-2014,

please refer to 2 CFR Part 220 (formerly OMB Circular A-21)

http://

www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2012-title2-vol1/CFR-2012-title2-vol1-part220/content-detail.html

For Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments made prior to 26-Dec-2014, please refer to 2 CFR Part 225 (formerly OMB Circular

A-87)

https://

www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2012-title2-vol1/CFR-2012-title2-vol1-part225