8/18/2014

This Program Instruction (PI) advises grantees of new policies and procedural requirements for the electronic submission of noncompetitive grant applications in the Head Start Enterprise System HSES and informs programs of the increased use of electronic communications systems for official purposes.

The Administration for Children and Families ACF, in 76 FR 66721 – New Policies and Procedural Requirements for the Electronic Submission of Discretionary Grant Applications, dated Oct. 27, 2011, acknowledged that electronically generated and/or stored documents are recognized equivalents of an official paper grant file. Electronic submission will eliminate duplicative effort and administrative burden for grantees and the Office of Head Start OHS.

HSES is recognized as the appropriate electronic system for grant application submission to GrantSolutions.gov, as discussed in the above-referenced Federal Register notice. Grantees, including State Collaboration Offices, are required to submit noncompetitive grant applications and grant amendments electronically in HSES.

ACF previously provided OHS grantees the option of submitting grant applications in both electronic and paper formats, and required hard copies of the physically signed signature pages be mailed to the Regional Grants Officer. Hard copies will no longer be accepted as the official application.

OHS is moving toward providing communications requiring official acceptance by authorizing officials and key staff through email, HSES, and/or other electronic means. Communications formerly delivered in hard copy and requiring receipt will be delivered by email notification with a return receipt acknowledgment request. Recipients are asked to select a link to receive the notice on behalf of the organization. The earliest date of acknowledgment will be recorded as the official date of receipt.

Please direct questions regarding this PI to your Regional Office.

Thank you for your work on behalf of children and families.

Ann Linehan

Ann Linehan
Acting Director
Office of Head Start

See PDF Version of Program Instruction:
Electronic Grant Applications and Program Communications [PDF, 87KB]

See Spanish Version of Program Instruction:
Solicitudes electrónicas de subvenciones y comunicaciones dirigidas a los programas

Source: Office of Head Start

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/standards/pi/2014/resour_pri_003_081814.html