NR 193.04(2)
(2)
The department may conduct an audit of a grantee's records for a grant award at any time during the project period or within 6 years following the issuance of the final payment unless a longer document retention period is directed by the department in writing. The department may require that the grantee repay any prior payment issued by the department if an audit reveals that costs cannot be substantiated.
NR 193.04(3)
(3) Failure of a grantee to comply with one or more terms of the grant agreement issued under this chapter may result in termination of the agreement and the suspension of all obligations of the department. Grant agreements may also be terminated by the department if a grantee fails to make satisfactory progress on activities approved for grant funding, fails to complete the project to the satisfaction of the department, or makes project changes without department approval for a project scope or budget amendment. The department will notify any grantee not in compliance with a grant agreement, in writing, and allow 30 days for the grantee to pursue corrective action. If corrective action does not address department concerns, the department will issue a final termination letter to the grantee, including the reason for termination. Upon termination of a grant agreement, the department may require the grantee to reimburse the department for any grant funds the department deems appropriate. If the compliance failure is determined by the secretary of the department to be due to no fault of the grantee, the amount required to settle at minimum the costs of any irrevocable obligations properly incurred shall be eligible for assistance under this chapter at the department's discretion.
NR 193.04(4)
(4) The grantee may terminate the grant agreement, in writing, at any time prior to the start of the project and before expending any grant funds awarded under this chapter. After the project has been started or grant funds have been expended, a grantee may request to terminate the agreement in writing, subject to approval by the department.
NR 193.04(5)
(5) The department may require the grantee to install and enforce an organization code of conduct that lays out expectations and guiding principles for appropriate workplace behavior. The grantee shall implement the code of conduct when dealing with department staff, volunteers, local elected officials, employees, service providers and customers. Should the grantee fail to comply, all obligations of the department under an agreement may be terminated.
NR 193.04 History
History: CR 19-078: cr.
Register May 2020 No. 773, eff. 6-1-20; correction in (1) (b), (d), (i), (j), (2) made under s.
35.17, Stats.,
Register May 2020 No. 773.
NR 193.05
NR 193.05
DNR cost-share percentages and maximum grant award amounts. Grants awarded under this chapter cover a percentage of total eligible project costs up to a maximum grant award amount, as outlined in Table 1 for each grant subprogram in this chapter. The grantee shall be responsible for contributing the grantee match as specified in s.
NR 193.07 and any project costs that exceed the grant award amount.
a. The maximum amount of combined Education and Planning grant awards to a lake, river, or grantee may not exceed $50,000 in one state fiscal year as specified in s.
281.68 (2) (a), Stats.
b. The watercraft inspection program provides $4,000 for inspection activities carried out on each landing or pair of landings.
c. A maximum of $500,000 may be awarded annually for projects under this subprogram.
d. A grantee acquiring property through title in fee simple or rights to a property via a conservation easement shall ensure that the property provides for public access as provided in s.
281.71, Stats., unless the department determines, and documents in writing, that the property may be closed to public access to protect wild animals, plants or other natural features in accordance with s.
281.71 (1) (c), Stats.
NR 193.05 History
History: CR 19-078: cr.
Register May 2020 No. 773, eff. 6-1-20; correction in Table 1 made under s.
35.17, Stats.,
Register May 2020 No. 773.
NR 193.06
NR 193.06
Eligible and ineligible costs. NR 193.06(1)(1)
Eligible costs. The department may reimburse eligible project costs at the DNR cost-share percentage up to the maximum allowable grant award amount if the costs are reasonable and necessary for the project, documented, consistent with the approved application that is part of the grant agreement, directly related to the project, and incurred during the grant period. Eligible costs include any of the following:
NR 193.06(1)(a)1.1. Labor costs incurred by grantee staff, whether existing or new, to carry out project activities identified in the grant agreement. Labor costs
shall be based on the salary, hourly wages, fringe benefits and other items determined to be appropriate by the department that have been previously established by the grantee and paid to the employee at the time the expense was incurred for staff time.
NR 193.06(1)(a)2.
2. Direct administrative costs, including actual salary or hourly wages and fringe benefits incurred by immediate supervisors and support staff that can be tracked, charged directly to and accounted for by the project. Supervisors and support staff are understood not to be involved in the day-to-day implementation of the project. Costs under this subdivision may not exceed 10% of the project grant award amount.
NR 193.06(1)(b)
(b)
Supply and services costs. Costs for items directly related to the implementation of the project and the proportional share of costs for items only partially used for implementation of a project funded with a grant awarded under this chapter, including all of the following:
NR 193.06(1)(b)2.
2. Mileage costs, not to exceed the federal per-mile business rate.
NR 193.06(1)(b)3.
3. Reasonable planning, engineering, and design costs necessary to complete a regulatory permit application required to implement a project if the costs are incurred within 12 months prior to the grant application submittal deadline.
NR 193.06(1)(b)4.
4. Fees necessary for federal, state, or local permits required for implementation of the project.
NR 193.06(1)(b)5.
5. A proportional share of costs associated with implementation of the project.
NR 193.06 Note
Example: Suppose that an approved grant application included costs for annual rental of a multi-function machine for the office. Suppose further that there are 6 staff in that office, each working on different projects. The proportional share of the annual rental of the multi-function machine that can be assigned to a grant awarded under this chapter would be no more than 1/6 of the annual cost.
NR 193.06(1)(b)6.
6. Engineering, landscape architecture design, construction, consulting or other professional services.
NR 193.06(1)(b)7.
7. Sampling, monitoring, resource assessments and other field work and data collection costs.
NR 193.06(1)(b)8.
8. Analyses performed by the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene or another facility approved in writing by the department.
NR 193.06(1)(b)9.
9. Rental or lease of equipment and facilities necessary for the completion of the project.
NR 193.06(1)(b)10.
10. A proportional share of website design and maintenance costs associated with implementation of the project.
NR 193.06(1)(b)12.
12. A proportional share of the costs of required financial and compliance audits for the project.
NR 193.06(1)(b)13.
13. Training for grantee staff or volunteers that execute project activities, including registration costs, lodging, meals, transportation, mileage, and other cost associated with the training that are approved by the department.
NR 193.06(1)(b)14.
14. Development, editing and distribution of informational or educational programs and materials, reports, management plans and other project documents and deliverables.
NR 193.06(1)(b)15.
15. Installation of equipment and supplies, limited to the initial cost of installation.
NR 193.06(1)(b)16.
16. Legal costs, including costs associated with the preparation and filing of deed restrictions and other contracts, the review of ordinance language, and other legal costs necessary to carry out a project funded under this chapter as approved by the department.
NR 193.06(1)(b)17.
17. Costs for a department-approved watercraft inspection program, limited to the following:
NR 193.06(1)(c)
(c)
Equipment and capital asset costs. Equipment and capital assets purchased with grant funds awarded under this chapter, if approved in advance by the department. Inclusion of the equipment or capital asset in a grant agreement constitutes the department's approval for costs under this paragraph. Equipment and capital assets shall conform to the procedures for maintenance and disposition of assets outlined under s.
NR 193.14. If several component parts are purchased separately and assembled into a single piece of equipment, the department may consider the total cost of all components of the unit for reimbursement when considering the appropriate cost-share percentage.
NR 193.06(1)(d)
(d)
Acquisition costs. Acquisition costs associated with the purchase of fee simple interest or a conservation easement land acquisition.
NR 193.06(2)
(2)
Ineligible costs. Costs not directly associated with or necessary for the implementation of the project, as determined by the department, are ineligible for reimbursement. Ineligible costs include those for activities outlined under ss.
NR 193.54 and
193.64 as well as all of the following:
NR 193.06(2)(a)
(a) Fines or penalties incurred due to a violation of, or failure to comply with, federal, state, or local laws and regulations.
NR 193.06(2)(b)
(b) Ordinary operation expenses of a grantee, such as salaries and expenses of public officials that are not directly related to the project.
NR 193.06(2)(c)
(c) Purchase of aquatic plant harvesters, boats, motor vehicles, or office furniture.
NR 193.06 Note
Note: Financial support for the purchase of aquatic plant harvesters is available as specified in s.
30.92 (4) (b) 8., Stats.
NR 193.06(2)(h)
(h) Routine maintenance and operating costs of equipment or facilities, including pumps, aerators, plant harvesters, or sedimentation basins.
NR 193.06(2)(i)
(i) Indirect costs not directly assignable to a grant, program or project.
NR 193.06(2)(k)
(k) Clothing, except as provided under the department-approved watercraft inspection program and other authorized department activities.
NR 193.06(2)(L)
(L) Consulting costs for preparing an application for a grant awarded under this chapter.
NR 193.06 History
History: CR 19-078: cr.
Register May 2020 No. 773, eff. 6-1-20; correction in (1) (a) 1., (c), (d), (2) (intro.), (k) made under s.
35.17, Stats.,
Register May 2020 No. 773.
NR 193.07(1)(1)
The grantee shall pay the grantee match for a grant awarded under this chapter using funds not provided by the department. The minimum grantee match shall amount to the percentage of the total project cost that is specified in Table 1 under s.
NR 193.05. The grantee shall confer with the department if the grantee match includes federal funds or other state funds to determine applicability as grantee match.
NR 193.07(2)(a)
(a) Eligible sources of grantee match may be cash or in-kind contributions. Cash match may include cash from the grantee; funds generated by local, non-department state or federal governments; and grants or contributions from foundations, businesses, private individuals or nonprofit organizations. In-kind contributions shall otherwise be eligible expenses under the awarded grant subprogram and shall conform to the requirements of expense eligibility for that particular subprogram, except as indicated under subd.
6. In-kind contributions may include any of the following:
NR 193.07(2)(a)1.
1. Labor from grantee staff established by grantee time sheets including salary, hourly wages, fringe benefits, and other costs determined by the department to be appropriate for the direct implementation and administration of the project.
NR 193.07(2)(a)2.
2. Donated labor from volunteers, the maximum value of which is established by the department and included in the Surface Water Grant Program Guidance available on the Surface Water Grant Program website. Volunteers shall be at least 14 years of age in order for their time to be eligible as match.
NR 193.07 Note
Note: For a county conducting a project requiring compliance with U.S. department of agriculture natural resources conservation service standards, the value of donated labor rate in that county may be established by the U.S. department of agriculture farm service agency.
NR 193.07(2)(a)3.
3. Donated professional services with the value determined in writing by the donor on donor letterhead.
NR 193.07(2)(a)4.
4. Donated supplies or construction materials, with the value determined in writing by the donor.
NR 193.07(2)(a)5.
5. Donated equipment, with the equipment purchase and rental value determined by the WisDOT's Classified Equipment Rates Standard and Special Rated Units for highway equipment. If the item donated does not appear on the WisDOT's Classified Equipment Rates Standard and Special Rated Units document, the applicant shall determine the value of donations using one of the following methods:
NR 193.07(2)(a)5.a.
a. By choosing the closest equipment equivalent from WisDOT's Classified Equipment Rates Standard and Special Rated Units for highway equipment. Where the WisDOT's Classified Equipment Rates Standard and Special Rated Units for highway equipment lists “rate set locally,” the department may determine a rate as published in the Surface Water Grant Program Guidance.
NR 193.07(2)(a)5.b.
b. By determining the current market value using at least 3 estimates for purchase of equipment from vendors within the vicinity of the project. The lowest estimate will be used to establish the value of donated equipment. The applicant shall submit copies of all estimates with the grant application and the grantee shall maintain copies of estimates in the grantee's project file.
NR 193.07(2)(a)5.c.
c. By determining the daily market rental rate at the time of application. The applicant shall establish the daily market rental rate using at least 3 estimates for the daily rental rate of equipment from vendors within the vicinity of the project. The lowest estimate will be used to establish the value of donated equipment use, prorated to reflect the number of hours of actual use.
NR 193.07 Note
Example: Presume the daily market rate for renting a trailer is $60 every 8 hours, and the project requires 2 hours of use. The donated value for the trailer rental would amount to $15.
NR 193.07 Note
Note: An applicant shall use the version of the WisDOT's Classified Equipment Rates Standard and Special Rated Units for highway equipment in effect in the year in which the equipment usage occurred. The rates for equipment may be obtained from the Wisconsin department of transportation. See the department's Surface Water Grant Program website for the current Wisconsin department of transportation's Classified Equipment Rates published in the State Highway Maintenance Manual.
NR 193.07(2)(a)6.
6. Eligible costs associated with a watercraft inspection project as outlined in s.
NR 193.63 if the costs are used as grantee match for Education grants and Lake, River and AIS Planning grants. Watercraft inspection costs funded in part with state dollars are not eligible sources of grantee match.
NR 193.07(2)(a)7.
7. Other costs determined by the department to be necessary to carry out a successful project.
NR 193.07(2)(b)
(b) The grantee shall track match expenditures by subcategory shown in the approved project budget, maintain proofs of purchase and proofs of payment for cash expenditures, and maintain all documentation that established the value for all donated, in-kind contributions.
NR 193.07(2)(c)
(c) The grantee shall track the substantiated value of donated materials, equipment, services, and labor as all or part of the local share of the project costs.
NR 193.07 Note
Note: In-kind contributions may come from grantee members or from third parties. For grant purposes, “third parties” are neither the department of natural resources nor the grantee.
NR 193.07 History
History: CR 19-078: cr.
Register May 2020 No. 773, eff. 6-1-20; correction in (2) (a) (intro.) made under s.
35.17, Stats.,
Register May 2020 No. 773.
NR 193.08(1)(1)
Procedures. A grantee shall implement cost containment measures for all capital assets and any supply, service, or equipment item purchased by a grantee for projects funded with a grant awarded under this chapter if the cost exceeds $2,500. The grantee shall identify the cost containment procedure used when requesting reimbursement. The department may request that the grantee submit proof of cost containment procedures used in an application. The grantee shall use one or more of the following cost containment procedures:
NR 193.08(1)(a)
(a)
Average cost. Using cost information obtained within the 12 months prior to the start date of the grant agreement, determine an average cost per unit of material or labor for the implementation of activities. The grantee may use information obtained from the department, other departments, or other sources to determine average costs. Under this option, eligible project costs may not exceed the average cost.
NR 193.08(1)(b)
(b)
Competitive bidding. Following the requirements under ch.
16, Stats., a grantee may request bids from contractors for the implementation of practices listed in a grant agreement. The grantee shall identify criteria for determining acceptable qualifications and publish these with the bid notice. Under this option, a grantee may select the lowest responsible bidder.
NR 193.08 Note
Note: Applicants may wish to review the Procurement Guide available on the Surface Water Grant Program website.
NR 193.08(1)(c)
(c)
Flat rate. The department may establish flat rates for eligible costs funded under this chapter. An applicant or grantee may choose to use the department's flat rate as one means of cost containment. Cost containment for services provided by a sub-unit of a local government may use one or more of the flat rates chosen by that sub-unit of local government. The grantee may use data obtained from the department, other departments, or from other sources to determine a flat rate.
NR 193.08 Note
Note: Flat rates will be published by the department on the Surface Water Grant Program website.
