Appendix C: Reviewer Responsibilities

Action(s) and Responsibilities of the Reviewer by Tasks and Key Elements 

Colorado Operations Resouce Engine (CORE) Reviewer Only (Account and Control)

The CORE Reviewer(s) are responsible for the following:

Period dates represent the Period/Quarter being reported/covered:

• Period End Date CAN extend past grant agreement expiration date. This would be used for final reports
• Period Dates cannot be future dates (when compared to the date of portal filing)
• Used to track reporting requirements in accordance with the contract (quarterly, monthly, etc.)

Amount(s) to be paid from Grant Funds:

• Must be listed on the RFR and match the amount(s) requested in the portal
• Cannot “overdraw” a budget line; grants portal prevents this from occurring
• If retainage exists, payment request cannot access/dip into retainage amount unless it is the Final payment; grants portal prevents this from occurring

Service Dates represent the period of time that the Work being invoiced occurred

• Reflects dates when the Work was done/performed (NOT the date(s) of the invoice(s))
• Service Start Date cannot pre-date grant agreement execution
• Service End Date cannot extend past grant agreement expiration date
• Service Dates cannot be future dates (when compared to the date of portal filing)
• Some projects/programs require review of specific budget line(s) “spend by” dates 

Grants Portal Reviewer Only - Level 1

The Level 1 Reviewer(s) are responsible for the following:

All of the above tasks for CORE Reviewer.

Authorized: Verify that the submission in the portal is authorized by the grantee:

• Includes RFR or program form (signed by Chief Elected Official or authorized delegate)
• Submitted in the grants portal by the Responsible Administrator, or authorized agent/contact
  (Per the contract: if a person is an agent of the grantee, such person much have signature authority to bind the grantee and must provide evidence of such authority)

Eligible Expenses: Confirm that the expenses claimed for reimbursement from grant funds are eligible:

• Expenses claimed are not prohibited under the terms of the grant agreement (Exhibit B)
• Expenses claimed are within the definition(s) of the budget line(s) in the program budget

Proof of Payment: Confirm that the expenses claimed for reimbursement have already been paid by grantee:

• Copy of canceled check or warrant, OR, copy of check or warrant (prior to mailing, not canceled)
• Copy of report from accounting software showing check/warrant issued (NOT a spreadsheet)
• Copy of release of lien from contractor corresponding to Work invoiced/paid/claimed

Attachments: Supporting documentation:

• Must be legible
• Must be complete (every expense claimed on the signed RFR must have appropriate supporting documentation)
• Invoices must reference the date(s) the Work was performed (NOT just the period ending date, or the date of the invoice)
• Invoices and/or Proof of Payment must reflect DOLA project name or number 

Grants Portal Reviewer Level 2 And Contract Administrator

The Level 2 and Contract Administrator (Level 3) Reviewer(s) are responsible for the following:

All of the above tasks for CORE Reviewer and Grants Portal Reviewer Only - Level 1.

Reviewer: Verify in the review history that the appropriate program staff has approved at each level. 

Grants Portal And CORE Division Approver

Division Approver (Level 4) Reviewer(s) are responsible for the following:

All of the above tasks for CORE Reviewer.

Reviewer: Verify in the review history that the appropriate program staff has approved at each level.

PAYMENT REQUESTS

Requests for reimbursement from grant funds:

• Funding must be available to reimburse (contract or purchase order has been fully executed, sufficient positive balance remaining in the requested budget line(s), funding not expired, etc.). The grants portal will not allow a grantee to proceed with a request if these things aren’t in place.
• Grant Funds can only pay for Work that occurred after execution date of the grant agreement and before expiration date of the grant agreement.
• Expense must be eligible for reimbursement from grant funds pursuant to language in the grant agreement (Exhibit B).
• Grantee can prove that they have already paid the full amount of each expense.
• Request for reimbursement (RFR) payment must be authorized by the grantee (RFR or program specific form signed by the Responsible Administrator or Chief Elected Official, or written delegee made using the required form).
• The portal maintains a live running balance of the contract. Because of this, only a single reimbursement request is allowed “in flight” at a time.

Requests for advance payment from grant funds (includes one-time advance payment or one check/one pay for future expenses):

• Funding must be available to disburse (contract or purchase order has been fully executed, sufficient positive balance remaining in the requested budget line(s), funding not expired, etc.).
• Advance Payment(s) must have been authorized in advance and, if applicable, expense must be eligible for advance payment pursuant to language in the grant agreement (Exhibit B).
• Request for advance payment must be authorized by the grantee (RFR or program specific form signed by the Responsible Administrator or Chief Elected Official, or written delegee made using the required form).
• Grantee must have expended, and provided documentation to DLG in the grants portal, prior to requesting subsequent/next advance payment.

Requests for mitigation payment from grant funds (one check/one pay for past expenses – GAME):

• Funding must be available to disburse (contract or purchase order has been fully executed, sufficient positive balance remaining in the requested budget line(s), funding not expired, etc.).
• Expense must be eligible for mitigation payment from grant funds pursuant to language in the grant agreement (Exhibit B).
• Request for mitigation payment must be authorized by the grantee (RFR or program specific form signed by the Responsible Administrator or Chief Elected Official, or written delegee made using the required form).

TIPS:

• Who is “authorized”: Anyone that has access to a project can create a pay request; only the Responsible Administrator or an employee of the grantee can submit the pay request.
• The difference between “Period dates” and “Services dates”:
  • Period dates - dates of reporting required in the contract; Service dates - dates of performance of work or services
• Use the Review History. Leave explanatory or clarifying notes for others; read notes left by others.
• If you Suspend a payment request, explain why in the Reviewer Notes and send a courtesy email to the level reviewer(s)/grantee it is going back to.
• Open more than one window/session in the grants portal when reviewing payment requests. This makes it easier to reference the grant agreement terms and conditions and/or the RFR while evaluating the detailed supporting documentation.
• If you are using the portal to track Match, have your grantee create a separate attachment for invoices and documentation that do not support their payment request and label it Match Only.