25 CFR § 276.15 - Grant closeout.

§ 276.15 Grant closeout.

(a) In closing out Bureau grants, the following shall be observed:

(1) Upon request, the Bureau shall make prompt payments to a grantee for allowable reimbursable costs under the grant being closed out.

(2) The grantee shall immediately refund to the Bureau any unencumbered balance of cash advanced to the grantee.

(3) The Bureau shall obtain from the grantee within 90 days after the date of completion of the grant all financial, peformance, and other reports required as a condition of the grant. The Bureau may grant extensions when requested by the grantee.

(4) The Bureau shall make a settlement for any upward or downward adjustments to the Federal share of costs after these reports are received.

(5) The grantee shall account for any property acquired with grant funds, or received from the Government in accordance with the provisions of § 276.11.

(6) If a final audit has not been performed before the closeout of the grant, the Bureau shall retain the right to recover an appropriate amount after fully considering the recommendations on disallowed costs resulting from the final audit.

(b) Suspension. When a grantee has materially failed to comply with the terms and conditions of a grant, the Bureau may after reasonable notice to the grantee, suspend the grant. The notice preceding suspension shall include the effective date of the suspension, the reasons for the suspension, the corrective measures necessary for reinstatement of the grant, and, if there is no immediate threat to safety, a reasonable time frame for corrective action prior to actual suspension. No obligations incurred by the grantee during the period of suspension shall be allowable under the suspended grant, except that the Bureau may at its discretion allow necessary and proper costs which the grantee could not reasonably avoid during the period of suspensions if such costs would otherwise be allowable under the applicable cost principles specified in appendix A of this part. Appropriate adjustments to the payments under the suspended grant will be made, either by withholding the payments or by not allowing the grantee credit for disbursements which he may make in liquidation of unauthorized obligations he incurs during the period of suspension. Suspensions shall remain in effect until the grantee has taken corrective action to the satisfaction of the Bureau or given assurances satisfactory to the Bureau that corrective action will be taken, or until the Bureau cancels the grant.

(c)

(1) Cancellation for cause. The Bureau may cancel any grant in whole, or in part, at any time before the date of completion, whenever it is determined that the grantee has:

(i) Materially failed to comply with the terms and conditions of the grant;

(ii) Violated the rights or endangered the health, safety, or welfare of any persons;

(iii) Been grossly negligent in or has mismanaged the handling or use of funds provided under the grant.

(2) When it appears that cancellation of a grant shall become necessary, the Bureau shall promptly notify the grantee in writing of this possibility. This written notice shall advise the grantee of the reason for the possible cancellation and the corrective action necessary to avoid cancellation. The Bureau shall also offer, and provide if requested by the grantee, any technical assistance which may be required to effect the corrective action. The grantee shall have 60 days in which to effect this corrective action before the Bureau provides notice of intent to cancel the grant as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

(3) Upon deciding to cancel for cause, the Bureau shall promptly notify the grantee in writing of that decision, the reasons for the cancellation, and the effective date. The Bureau shall also provide a hearing for the grantee before cancellation, as provided in § 272.51. However, the Bureau may immediately cancel the grant, upon notice to the grantee, if the Bureau determines that continuance of the grant poses an immediate threat to safety. In this event, the Bureau shall provide a hearing for the grantee within ten (10) days of cancellation.

(4) Payments made to grantees or recoveries by the Bureau under grants cancelled for cause shall be in accordance with the legal rights and obligations of the parties.

(d)

(1) Cancellation on other grounds. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, grants may be cancelled in whole or in part only as follows:

(i) By the Bureau with the consent of the grantee, in which case the two parties shall agree upon the cancellation conditions, including the effective date, and in the case of partial cancellation, the portion to be cancelled; or

(ii) By the grantee, upon written notice to the Bureau, setting forth the reasons for the cancellation, the effective date, and, in the case of partial cancellation, the portion to be cancelled.

(2) When a grant is cancelled in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section, the grantee shall not incur new obligations for the cancelled portion after the effective date, and shall cancel as many outstanding obligations as possible. The Bureau shall allow full credit to the grantee for the Bureau share of the noncancellable obligations properly incurred by the grantee before cancellation.

[40 FR 51316, Nov. 4, 1975, as amended at 45 FR 13452, Feb. 29, 1980]