Contracting Overview
The NYS Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) is 100% federally funded and operates as a New York State agency under the direction of the Governor. As such, organizations who enter a contract with the CDD shall adhere to:
- Standard Terms and Conditions; as outlined in the NYS Master Contract of Grants
- CDD Terms and Conditions as outlined in Attachment A-1
- Federal Terms and Conditions outlined in Attachment A-2
Contract Development Timeline:
The below timeline provides estimations of when various contracting stages should be completed for a timely start.
- 120 Days Prior to Contract Start: CDD staff reach out to begin process.
- 90 Days Prior: Grantee staff drafts documents and submits for CDD review.
- 60 Days Prior: CDD and grantee staff sign off on contracting documents.
- 30 Days Prior: Contract is sent to the State Comptroller for official review.
- Contract Start: Contract executed, and project work can officially begin.
Multi-Year Contracts:
Some grant awards are intended to support a project for multiple years. In these instances the contract will need to be renewed every year. During the renewal period, both the grantee and the CDD will have an opportunity to revisit the contract and make updates if needed.
NYS Statewide Financial System
The NYS Statewide Financial System (SFS) allows organizations to apply for and manage their New York State grants, like the ones made available by the NYS Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD).
Through the SFS system, organizations interested in grant opportunities with the CDD will be able to:
- Search for and respond to grant opportunities.
- Manage grant contracts
- Review payments, purchase orders, and invoices.
Your contract with the CDD is developed and executed within SFS. The latest workplan, budget and contract agreements will be located under the current contract in SFS.
Developing a Workplan
The workplan is drafted by the prospective grantee, reviewed by CDD staff, and will be agreed upon by both parties and included in the executed contract.
The workplan includes the overall objectives of the project, the tasks that will be conducted to meet those objectives, and performance measures that will be used to determine progress toward meeting the intended project outcomes.
Objectives:
- Objectives are the major goals of the grant initiative.
- For example, an objective could be to “Develop a statewide advocacy training program” or “Evaluate the impact of a statewide advocacy training program.”
Tasks:
- Tasks are the actions and activities that grantees will conduct during the grant period to meet the defined Objectives.
- For example, one task may include “Implement advocacy trainings across the State for at least 30 people with developmental disabilities”.
Performance Measures:
- A Performance Measure is a specific target that assists with evaluating the impact and success of a grant initiative in meeting the Workplan Objectives.
- For example, a Performance Measure can be a specific output (i.e., 1 Resource Guide, 30 people trained) or a specific outcome (i.e., increased awareness of housing options).
Workplan Example:
Objective | Task | Performance Measure |
Develop a statewide advocacy training program | Implement advocacy trainings across the State for at least 30 people with developmental disabilities | 1 Resource Guide |
30 people with developmental disabilities trained | ||
People with DD better able to advocate for themselves |
Building a Budget
A project’s budget will outline what expenses are expected to meet the deliverables outlined in the project workplan. The projects budget will be agreed upon by both parties and included in the executed contract.
Allowable Expenses:
Program Budgets must adhere to applicable federal regulations, CDD regulations, and specific terms of the award to determine the allowability of expenditures.
In addition to the specific allowability of the expenditure, the cost must be:
- reasonable (does not exceed what would be spent under similar circumstances),
- necessary (is required for efficient and effective project operation).
- project related (including cost allocations for administrative time)
Direct and Indirect Expenses:
Direct Costs are those that are specifically spent to carry out the grant, such as:
- Compensation of employees for the time devoted specifically to the performance of the grant;
- Cost of materials acquired, consumed, or expended specifically for the purpose of the grant; and
- Travel expenses incurred specifically to carry out the grant contract.
Indirect Costs are items associated with general infrastructure support, such as general administration, rent, equipment, operations, office supplies and maintenance.
Please note: Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rates can be used to compute allowable Indirect costs.
- Indirect Costs of up to 10% of all direct CDD share of expenses are allowable for grantees that do not have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate.
- If a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate is used on a grant, line items covered by the rate may not be budgeted as additional grant costs.
- For grantees with a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate above 10%, the amount above 10% of direct costs may be allowed as match contributions.
Match Funds (Cost Sharing):
Each grantee is required to contribute to the overall cost of the project. This contribution is called “match”. Match funds are part of the total funds; management and accounting standards must be kept for all funds in the project budget.
Management and accounting standards must be kept for the Match share, just as for the federal share of grant awards.
If by the end of the approved budget period, a grantee fails to satisfy the minimum match obligation as outlined in the Notice of Grant Award, the grantee must return to the CDD office the portion of the federal award not properly matched.
Required Grantee Documents
Before entering a contract agreement all CDD grantees must submit documentation and ensure required certifications are up to date. All applicable contract documents must be submitted as part of the contracting process.
Required Documentation Includes but may not be limited to:
- Certificate of NYS Workers' Compensation Insurance Coverage
- NYSIF Disability Benefits Certificate
- Certificate of Attestation of Exemption (CE-200) (If applicable)
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Certification Form
- Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire (VRQ)
- Business with Russia Prohibition Certification
Modify an Existing Contract
Throughout the course of a project a contract can be modified to help address new and emerging needs. If a program needs to be amended in anyway, you should always contact your Grants Coordinator to make sure that you are receiving approval before making the change. This will allow the CDD to best support your project as well as ensuring that any changes still adhere to the Terms and Conditions outlined in the approved contract.
Budget Modifications:
Funds granted for a project may be used only as described in the approved contract budget and workplan, and within the budget period. Any changes to the work plan or budget as described below must have prior written approval.
Program Modifications:
If changes to the grant activities or deliverables are required throughout the term of the grant, a program modification process will enable the grantee to amend their workplan to better reflect current project needs. Be mindful that if you are looking to adjust the program and workplan, there likely may be change in your projects as well to accommodate this change.
Referenced Documents
Need a document in a language other than English? Reach out to CDD staff to make a request.