Working with MDHHS

Stand-alone project proposals are usually competitive and may include federal prime sponsors. Please refer to the solicitation for specific submission requirements and work with your regular ORSP Project Representative (PR) with questions. 

U-M currently supports 85 projects funded under the MDHHS Master Agreement. These projects provide various services to the residents of the state of Michigan. ORSP has PRs dedicated to help support MDHHS projects.

Important Dates / What to Expect

All proposals, subsequent amendment requests, and reports are submitted in EGrAMS, and project periods are usually from October 1 to September 30.
 

Projects are individual in scope, but each falls under the same overall agreement issued by MDHHS. PIs should start discussing projects with MDHHS Program Managers in the spring, develop a budget with their Research Administrators based on the specific scope, and route a PAF for proposal submission via email. See the deadline Master Agreement Dates & Deadlines Table below for dates.
 

ORSP’s MDHHS Team will notify PIs and project teams about allocated projects opened in EGrAMS sometime in July. Research Administrators will then enter the proposal in EGrAMS, and ORSP will submit it.

 

The Master Agreement is issued to U-M in late September and ORSP aims to have projects set up in eResearch by the beginning of October. If MDHHS delays in issuing the agreement, ORSP will also be delayed in executing the agreement. Adjustments, additions, or removals/reductions to projects are done during Amendment cycles which happen, on average, 4 times a year. See the Master Agreement Dates & Deadlines Table below for dates and details.

The Electronic Grants Administration & Management System (EGrAMS) is MDHHS's primary grant management system. Project teams need access to submit proposals, amendments, and reports.

How To Request EGrAMS Access

To access EGrAMS, you should have an active User ID and be an authorized user. The first step is to create a User profile. Once created, let the ORSP MDHHS Team know what projects you need access to and your User ID. See: How to create a user profile in EGrAMS.

EGrAMS Resources

Master Agreement and EGrAMS training resources

EGrAMS Help Desk

MDHHS-EGrAMS-Help@michigan.gov, 517-335-3359
Assistance is available M-F, excluding State holidays, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Requests for assistance will be addressed in the order they are received; most requests will be resolved within 2 business days. Include your full name, agency (or institution) name, grant program and project, complete telephone number (with area code), and a brief description of the issue when you contact the MDHHS EGrAMS Help Desk. 

Procurement Contracts are issued as stand-alone projects and often use the SIGMA system. These contracts are handled by ORSP and not the U-M Procurement Office.
 

• U-M State of Michigan SIGMA Vendor ID Number: CV0048260

Research projects related to sexually transmitted infections (STI) and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can submit reports and order supplies in the STI/HIV Operations and Resource System (SHOARS).

A PAF needs to be routed for new projects or additional funding on existing projects within the MDHHS Fiscal Year (10/1-9/30). See Master Agreements Dates & Deadlines Table above for guidance about timing.

Tips for MDHHS PAFs:

• MDHHS deadline is Sponsor Deadline
   
• Project Title: If this is a project that has been funded in previous years, Project Title should match prior year’s title with FY## included to differentiate.
   
• Project Period: Must fall within the MDHHS Fiscal Year (10/1-9/30) and only for one year or less.
   
• Submission Instructions: Include your MDHHS contact email. 
   
• Utilize the below MDHHS templates for proposal docs. MDHHS proposals require:
  • Budget Summary and Detail Budget pages (See MDHHS Budget instructions)
  • Workplan Template and Budget Justification
  • Correct IDC Rate based on your project

EGrAMS Submission Tips

Overall
 

• Run “Validation” and if there are any errors, select the red stop sign and a pop-up will show where the error is then click on the + in the pop-up to see more information and how to resolve the error

Face Sheet
 

• Demo Info Name: Regents of the University of Michigan
• Agency’s fiscal year: July 1
• Agency type: University
• Method of Accounting: Accrual
• Ref #: PAF ID (This helps ORSP to match the project when awarded)
• Project Start Dates: Should align with the Fiscal year and match PAF
• Amount of funds: Should match PAF 
• Certifications / Contacts Info (click the arrow on the top right):
• AO - Pete Gerard
• Financial - Bryan Van Sickle
• PD - Kellie Buss 
• PI on PAF/Project 

 

Certifications
 

• All certifications must be checked

Narrative
 

• Counties - At least 1 county needs to be selected
  • Do not use "Out-Wayne"
• A narrative description must be included

Workplan

• MDHHS requires an Expected Outcomes or Measurement for each Objective listed. These are used for the quarterly reports. 

Budget

Salary & Wages:
 

• Qty - Percentage of effort as a decimal. Must also match the justification
• UOM (Unit of Measure) column must be completed - “FTE” for Full Time Employees or “HRS” for hourly employees
• IDC rate - must match PAF and Class Code. See MDHHS Letter on allowable rates 
• The fringe calculation must be based on the total salaries requested.

Budget Totals
 

 

• Budget Total amounts should match the Face Page. 
• Sections labeled “Total Expenditures” and “Total Source of Funds” should be consistent. 
• The budget amount on the EGrAMS Face Page is controlled by MDHHS, so if it is not what was expected, the PI/Project Team will need to contact their Program Officer to determine the reason for the discrepancy and how it will be resolved. This error may be resolved with an amendment, or it may be that MDHHS has reduced/expanded the work/budget, and this is the new correct amount. Please let ORSP know of any discrepancies so this can be noted on the PAF or AWD and processed accordingly.
• Rounding matters for the EGrAMS forms
• The Cost Share amount is included in the Source of Funds Section under ‘Local’, and when added to Total State funds, it will equal the Total Budget Amount on the project and PAF.

Changes to projects are made during the Amendment cycles. Under the Master Agreement, a minimum of four Amendment cycles are processed each year. See Master Agreement Dates & Deadlines Table above. The ORSP MDHHS Team will communicate about these amendments and any additional off-cycle amendments via the MDHHS email list. 

ORSP requires either an Award Change Request (ACR) or a new PAF in eRPM for all Amendment requests. Additional funds require a new PAF and any other project changes require an ACR.

 

Two-step process for Amendments:
 

1. Email/PDF Submission: 

• An appropriate ACR type or a new PAF should be routed for the change being requested (see below).
• Indicate what you would like MDHHS to open for changes in EGrAMS: the workplan, budget, or both (see below).
• Include a PDF with changes noted/highlighted for ORSP to submit. Budget changes on an ACR should be on MDHHS Forms. PAFs for new/additional funding requests should include a workplan, budget, and budget justification.

ORSP will email the PO requesting that the project be opened in EGrAMS for changes in the next Amendment. 
 

2. EGrAMS Submission: 

• When they are ready, MDHHS will open the award up for editing in EGrAMS. ORSP will communicate to project teams when EGrAMS is open and provide the deadline for submission via the MDHHS email list. 
• If an ACR was routed, the ACR will be returned to the project team. 
• Project teams should Request ORSP Action on a PAF or “Submit Changes” on the ACR when they have entered the amendment information in EGrAMS to let ORSP know submission is ready.

ORSP will verify and submit in EGrAMS. MDHHS will issue the amendment for all projects. ORSP will process a Modification for each Amendment. 

 

Please note: failure to meet proposal and amendment deadlines results in every project under the Master Agreement being delayed. MDHHS waits to issue Master Agreement and Amendments until all individual projects are updated.

 

Master Agreement Amendment Type	Workplan or Budget Change	eRPM ACR Type or PAF Needed
Naming/Adding personnel that are not yet named on the budget (MDHHS requires all personnel to be named on a project.)	Budget	Other Action or UM PI/Key Person Change
PI Change	Workplan and Budget	UM PI/Key Person Change
Requesting to spend funds in a budget category that was not previously approved	Budget	Rebudgeting Requiring Sponsor Approval
Modifying an established budget category by $10,000 or 15%, whichever is greater	Budget	Rebudgeting Requiring Sponsor Approval
Workplan changes	Workplan	Other Action
Establishing new Subcontracts	Budget or both	Rebudgeting Requiring Sponsor Approval
Projects with a start date after 10/1	Both	Route a new PAF
Projects with/requesting an additional funding allocation	Budget or both	Route a new PAF
Allocation amount is being reduced	Budget	Deobligation or Other Action ACR

Carryforward*

Project teams should reach out to their Program Officer (PO) at MDHHS to see if the remaining funds from the current FY can be used in the next FY. Funds are then issued under the next year’s Master Agreement.

If the Program Officer (PO) agrees, then the following is required:

1. Create a new PAF in eRPM for the carryforward funds. 
   Please make sure the title of the new PAF is consistent with the AWD.

2. Create a revised work plan

3. Create a new budget for the carryforward funds (based on the estimated amount of funds remaining or however much is the estimated total for that scope of work)

* Sometimes referred to (incorrectly) as a No Cost Extension. MDHHS does not allow for no-cost extensions under the Master Agreement. 

Project Teams are responsible for the preparation and submission of quarterly reports in EGrAMS. Quarterly Report Deadlines* January 15, April 15, July 15, November 15 (Final Report)

 

*Please note - Previous quarterly reports must be submitted and accepted before subsequent reports are opened for completion and submission in EGrAMS. 

 

Project teams should consider using the Deliverables Function on the AWD record in eRPM to generate email reminders of quarterly report deadlines. 

 

Financial Status Reports (FSRs) are submitted by Sponsored Programs in EGrAMS.