MODs for Executive Branch Actions

Background

This webpage covers GCA's process when a sponsor or a federal agency issues an executive branch action (i.e. stop work order, resume work order, or an executive order) that impacts sponsored program awards.

The process begins when GCA receives a OSP/GCA SAGE Modification Request marked with one of the following subcategories:

  • Stop Work Order - A stop work order will generally stop any project activity as of a certain date and project costs after that are unallowable.
  • Resume Work Order - Direct grants and cooperative agreement awards made to UW that were paused and have been authorized to resume.
  • Executive Branch Directive Change - Review guidance when sponsor requests Scope Revisions or when they are requesting Terms or Award Changes.

Process

Here are the general steps that GCA takes when each of these types of Modification Requests are received:

  • Stop Work Order - Change the Award and Award Line statuses to “Restricted from Use” to prevent spending, add a stop work order special condition, pause sponsor invoicing and the submission of financial reports if the sponsor portal is unavailable.
  • Resume Work Order - Change the Award and Award Line statuses to “Open” to allow charges to post, remove the stop work order special condition, and resume sponsor invoicing and financial reporting if a sponsor portal was previously unavailable.
  • Executive Branch Directive Change - The details of a directive change may vary so GCA reviews each one to determine the appropriate course of action. There may be instances where the directive will not require an update in Workday in which case GCA will add a comment to the MOD stating it was an administrative change only.

GCA provides a summary of actions taken in the Modification Request’s Comments & History before processing. Please review the Comments & History when you receive a SAGE email notification that the Modification Request has been processed.

Award Line Special Conditions for Stop Work Orders

Two Workday award line special conditions were created to help track this activity in Workday:

  1. Stop Work Order | All Activities - Represents that the stop work order applies to all activities.
  2. Stop Work Order | Subject to Sponsor Specifications - Represents a partial stop to activities.

GCA will remove the award line special condition upon receipt of a Resume Work Order MOD.

You can use the Workday report Find Awards - Custom R1230 to see awards that have a stop work order special condition in Workday. From the Special Condition Types field, select Award Line Special Condition(s) Exist. Once the report is generated, scroll to the Award Line Special Condition column to filter for "stop work order". 

Other Impacts

Here are other possible impacts of these actions:

  • Unbilled costs may increase as sponsor invoicing or Letter of Credit (LOC) portals are unavailable.
  • Payments through the sponsor invoicing or LOC process may be delayed.
  • The number of unpaid invoices can increase.
  • Sponsor portals may be unavailable preventing GCA from submitting financial reports.
  • Sponsor responses to inquiries may be delayed.

Communication with GCA

If you have an award-specific question about any of these actions, please send an Award Portal ticket using the topic “Other”.

Resources