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User's Guide V1.1 Page 20 of 24 <br /> financial officer is the authorizing official for most organizations. <br /> AUTOMATED CLEARING HOUSE see ACH. <br /> AUTOMATED SUSPENSION An automated process within GAPS that identifies expired grant <br /> awards. Once identified, this process suspends unexpended funds prior to closing out the <br /> grant award. <br /> AWARD A legal document, issued by a program office or by the Grant Policy Oversight Staff, <br /> obligating the Department to provide funds, through GAPS, in support of education programs. <br /> See also authorization. <br /> AWARD PERIODS Awards issued to grantees will enter several different periods over time. <br /> The length of the award periods will vary by program. These periods include: <br /> Performance Period -- The period of time between the grant award begin date and the <br /> grant award end date during which the grantee satisfies the requirements of the grant <br /> award. During this time, a payee may make expenditures, request funds, modify payment <br /> requests, and adjust drawdown amounts on the award. Once the performance period <br /> ends, a grant award begins the close -out process. The closeout process includes the <br /> following periods: liquidation, suspension, and closeout. <br /> Liquidation Period -- Liquidation is the period immediately following the end of the <br /> performance period. During liquidation, no new expenditures may be made on an award, <br /> but payment requests and adjustments may still be processed for expenditures incurred <br /> during the performance period. <br /> Suspension Period -- The suspension period follows liquidation. During the suspension <br /> period, no new payment actions can take place without the approval of the program <br /> office. <br /> Closeout -- Closeout follows the suspension period. During this period, the award is <br /> closed and any remaining funds are de- obligated. <br /> BEGIN /END DATE The month and year on which a grant award begins and ends. It is the <br /> funding period for the award, plus any amendment. Normally, the funding period is 12 months. <br /> BLOCK GRANTS Grants that are specifically issued to government units in accordance with <br /> statutory requirements. Such grants may be used for a variety of activities within a broad area <br /> of responsibility. <br /> BUDGET PERIOD Usually, a 12 -month period where a grant award has an approved budget. <br /> See also project period award. <br /> CASH BASIS The basis of accounting where revenues are recorded when cash is received, <br /> and expenditures are recorded when cash is disbursed. <br /> CASH ON HAND (COH) The amount of federal funds in the depositor account at the payee's <br /> financial institution which have not been disbursed. Cash on hand is calculated as the total <br /> funds received less the Federal share of disbursements made plus refunds received. The <br /> http: / /e- grants.ed.gov /gapsweb /help /intro.html 6/18/2002 <br />