January 2025
Happy New Year! I hope that all of you enjoyed ringing in 2025. The new year offers time to reflect on past and future goals. It was nearly one year ago that I stepped into this role. Early on I recognized the collaborative spirit of each agency on these projects and the mutual goals of ensuring success for each other. I quickly adopted the motto, “If you succeed, then we succeed.” As 2025 begins, GMO’s New Year’s resolution is to stay consistent with that motto. The GMO resolves to continue its commitment to ensure each agency succeeds with its pandemic recovery efforts.
As we continue on our shared path to state and local fiscal recovery, the GMO stands ready to assist you with your projects throughout 2025 and 2026.
To kick off this year, we have a few updates to share concerning ARPA-SLFRF, as well as updates that may be relevant to other grants you may be managing:
First, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) provided an overview of a new system during its December webinar. As you may already know, SAM.gov will be used for subaward reporting functions beginning in March of 2025. It is important both from a compliance and operations standpoint that your SAM registration is current. More information can be found in the guidance section of this newsletter.
Second, it’s time to submit the quarterly report to the U.S. Department of the Treasury by the end of January. GMO has submitted its quarterly request to the agencies; however, if you missed a communication due to being out for the holidays, please reach out to your GMO project lead.
Lastly, the GMO is excited to announce that our team is growing! Please join us in welcoming three new members of our team: Robin Frank, Bob Hollowell and Kryndee Gann. Learn more in the GMO guidance section of this newsletter.
As always, if you ever have any questions, please contact me or my team for assistance.
Sincerely,
Parker Wise
Director of OMES Grants Management Office
Grants Management metrics
Note: These metrics reflect data as of Jan. 3. Please visit the ARPA-SLFRF Program Tracker for the most up-to-date information.
- $834.2 million, or 44.6%, of total funds disbursed.
- $27,531,652.68 disbursed in December.
- 18 initiatives fully disbursed to date.
- $87,092,426.70 disbursed in Q4.
GMO guidance updates
Latest federal guidance
The FFATA Subaward Reporting System is the reporting tool federal prime awardees (i.e., prime contractors and prime grants recipients) use to capture and report subaward and executive compensation data regarding their first-tier subawards to meet FFATA reporting requirements.
The U.S. General Services Administration’s Integrated Award Environment announced it is retiring FSRS.gov and bringing subaward reporting functions online in SAM.gov in March 2025.
The GSA will host a series of live, online training sessions to introduce subaward reporting in SAM.gov after FSRS.gov is retired. A comprehensive list of all scheduled training is available. The trainings are divided into the main categories users will need to be familiar with:
- Assigning the correct role in SAM.gov.
- Learning how to do data entry and search.
The training session registration links are below:
In preparation for this transition, GSA will also provide information in writing and pre-recorded videos that users can review at their own pace. Stay tuned for more information related to this transition.
Latest state guidance
SAM solicitation scam reminder
OMES was alerted that at least one state employee received an official-looking request in the mail on Dec. 20 requiring $599 for renewal of SAM registration. Agencies should be aware this request is a scam. Do not pay any money, either via mail or phone, in response to this inquiry.
SAM renewal is always free and should never be paid for. Additionally, your agency’s registration and renewal should always be completed online at SAM.gov, not via a solicited form.
If you received the solicitation and have already responded, email felicia.clark@omes.ok.gov as soon as possible with details.
Reporting templates and subrecipient resources
GMO has recently refreshed templates live on the web. Please ensure that you are using the most up-to-date versions of the reporting templates, located at the bottom of our Subrecipient guidance webpage.
Additionally, if you would like GMO to consider drafting guidance for your agency on any ARPA-SLFRF-related questions or to submit a question to the U.S. Department of the Treasury on your behalf, please complete this ARPA Guidance Request form.
New team members at GMO
Kryndee Gann is joining the team as a grant analyst with over 20 years of audit and management experience. She brings a background in financial and internal audits for the banking, non-profit, public and private sectors.
Kryndee also brings a plethora of experience performing single audits for counties, non-profits and municipalities. In her free time, she enjoys history, music, art and spending time with loved ones, including her two daughters and five grandchildren.
With over 23 years of dedicated state service, Robin Frank is an experienced grant analyst with a background in federal grants, state payroll and benefits management. She brings extensive experience in streamlining operations and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.
Additionally, she has substantial experience in victims' services, demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting individuals and organizations in need. Outside of work, Robin is deeply family-oriented as the proud mother of three children and grandmother to six grandchildren. She also enjoys family gatherings, exploring new documentaries, listening to audiobooks and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
Bob Hollowell joins GMO with over 40 years of experience working in a variety of industries including micro-businesses, large international companies, non-profits and governmental entities, notably capturing grants across many business lines to include aerospace, logistics, food service, facilities management and fleet services. He brings an abundance of experience capturing contracts and grants, managing federal contracts, administering grants and developing and managing compliance programs. He also served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.
Throughout his career, Bob has had many notable accomplishments including his work on the Puerto Rico hurricane power restoration project as the finance and administration chief. During his tenure, he built a system for over 30 public and private utility companies from across the nation to document restoration work to ensure reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
We are excited about the fresh perspectives and experience they will bring to our office. Please join us in welcoming Kryndee, Robin and Bob to the GMO team!
Know of any state or local grant programs? Let us know so we can feature them on the ARPA-SLFRF website and in this newsletter!
In this issue ...
Press releases and articles
SLFRF success stories
Want to be highlighted in the newsletter or on the ARPA-SLFRF website? Share progress from your SLFRF projects by submitting them to our Outreach team.
Upcoming training
Conference: National Grants Management Association
March 12-14 | Washington, D.C.
Webinar: U.S. GSA's Subaward Reporting Transition Training Schedule
If you know of any other training opportunities, please share them with us!
Archived training
Fully disbursed programs
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
- Ardmore Air Park.
- Fair Oaks Ranch.
- Lugert-Altus Irrigation District.
- OKC 577.
- Port of Inola.
- Tinker water needs.
University Hospitals Authority and Trust
- OU Health Technology Modernization.
Department of Health
- Redlands Community College.
- Bethany Children's Health Center.
Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission
- Tulsa Air and Space.
Center for Advancement of Science and Technology
- Fab Lab Tulsa.
Oklahoma Human Services
- Family Safety Centers.
- Tulsa First Step Male Diversion.
- Food Insecurity Grant.
- The Spring Shelter.
Department of Commerce
Visit the ARPA-SLFRF Program Tracker to view summaries for all projects.
Subrecipient recognition
This month, we are highlighting our partners at the Center for Advancement of Science and Technology for their progress in expanding workforce training through the Oklahoma City Innovation District project.
The state Legislature appropriated $8,400,000 of ARPA-SLFRF funds to establish programs, fund equipment and design training areas to expand access to bioscience industry training for Oklahomans.
Opening in January 2025, OKCID will be accessible to the entire community, offering a space where ideas and bioscience can flourish.
OKCID is a non-profit organization that aims to revitalize Oklahoma City’s entrepreneurial landscape, fostering job growth and a more inclusive economy. Located in Northeast OKC, the district is intended to be a central hub of industry that creates innovative solutions through research, technology, energy, healthcare, biomanufacturing and aerospace.
We commend our partners at OCAST for their work on this project and we congratulate them on the grand opening of OKCID this month. This campus will serve to increase connectivity and collaboration across Oklahoma City for years to come, effectively mitigating harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the bioscience industry.
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