Records management

[WJVaughn]

There has been a lot of talk over the years of what and how grant and purchases paperwork should be kept for auditing purposes but I have not seen it mentioned how long you need to keep the records.
I am getting a list together of old records to submit for approval to destroy for my records committee and I am sitting on several years worth of grant records that I would like to add to the list. Anyone seen anything on AFG or Edward Byrne records keeping?

[chiefb1]

This is a slide off the 2012 AFG Workshop Presentation, says three years after closeout. But I still have a 09 grant not closed because of the module issue, i guess this means 6 years.

Text from slide 86
The department must maintain accurate records and have them available. All awards are subject to a possible audit or desk review.
All records must be kept for three years after the final closeout.
Any award may be subject to a desk review and/or audit. An award of any amount may require inclusion in an A-133 audit if the grantee’s EIN cumulative total federal share spent in one Grantee FY exceeds $500,000.

[FIRE117]

Why would you destroy the records? They may be needed for warranty claims in the future. Also, if you have a loss and need to collect insurance for that loss, those records could help prove your initial purchase and for how much. Also, if new leadership comes into your FD, they may need to look at those records to determine when something was bought.

IMHO, keep the records. They are irreplacable.

[onebugle]

This is addressed in the PG as well.

7. Grant Closeout Process

Within 90 days after the end of the period of performance, grantees must submit a final FFR and final progress report detailing all accomplishments throughout the period of performance. After these reports have been reviewed and approved by FEMA, a closeout notice will be completed to closeout the grant. The notice will indicate the period of performance as closed, list any remaining funds that will be deobligated, and address the requirement of maintaining the grant records for three years from the date of the final FFR. The grantee is responsible for returning any funds that have been drawndown but remain as unliquidated on grantee financial records.

[ktb9780]

Until such time as DHS says "Uncle" on dealing with the computer system and gives you written permission to deviate from what has been printed about records retention, you will need to hold onto those records. Also bear in mind that even if they do open the computer module up again for you to file the closeout module report, once they approve your final FFR you will still have to keep those records available for 3 years.