A Message from the Office of Head Start

Notice Regarding Potential Government Shutdown

Dear Grantee,

As you are aware, the Government Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 ends on September 30, 2013 and an Appropriation Act for FY2014 has not yet been passed. In the event a continuing resolution or a FY2014 budget is not passed and a lapse of funding occurs, I want to provide you with information related to our grant administration processes.

Your particular grant program is funded by appropriations that are affected by the government shutdown. As a result, HHS’ Head Start staff will not be available to provide routine administrative support services.

<!–more–> HHS will, however, maintain the Payment Management System in an operational status to continue processing grant drawdown requests, so that payments can be made for excepted programs. The robust internal controls that currently exist would continue to ensure the integrity of grant drawdown requests and payments. Given that you have received your award prior to the gap in funding, you may also be able to continue drawing funds from prior awards during an appropriations lapse. If you received your notice of grant award with restrictive terms and conditions, or if your drawdown request triggers one of the Payment Management System edit checks and/or the drawdown limit controls, you will not be able to drawdown funds.

If you are considering submitting an application for additional HHS federal assistance funding, please be advised, that the Grants.gov system will be operational and will be accepting applications from prospective grantees. HHS will take action on those applications for fully funded and excepted programs. For those programs which are non-excepted, the Grants.gov system will accept and store applications until such time as the responsible Department has the authority and funding to return to normal business operations.