Title 15 . Revenue

Chapter 154 . (Repealed)

Section 775. Costs

15 AAC 154.775. Costs

(a) A grantee shall not earn a profit on a Corporation grant. A grantee may use money received from a grant only to pay a cost described in this section. A grantee may make a payment under this section only:

(1) in accordance with the limitations established in this section;

(2) if the Corporation determines that payment of the cost is necessary for the accomplishment of the objectives of the grant project; and

(3) if the cost is reflected in the budget of the grant project.

(b) A grantee may pay the following costs under (a) of this section:

(1) telephone, postage, telegram and other communication costs;

(2) the cost of insurance premiums, including but not limited to insurance premiums for employee health, hazard, malpractice, and other liability insurance coverage for personnel, vehicles, and activities of the grant project;

(3) registration fees for symposiums and seminars;

(4) membership dues in professional organizations;

(5) tuition and related costs for training an employee if the grantee obtains approval from the Corporation for the grantee's written training plan;

(6) the cost of providing training services for persons other than employees;

(7) bonding costs;

(8) equipment purchase costs subject to 15 AAC 154.715 and 15 AAC 154.725;

(9) equipment maintenance and repair costs;

(10) the cost of transporting equipment from one grantee to another;

(11) the cost of supplies; and

(12) the cost of an audit if the scope of the audit is defined in accordance with appropriate federal or state law or regulations.

(c) A grantee may pay for fees, transportation expenses, and lodging or subsistence expenses of consultants under (a) of this section. However, a grantee may not pay these costs under (a) of this section to any employee of the grantee if it will result in double compensation to the employee or to the grantee for services or hours provided by the employee. Before paying a cost under this subsection, the grantee must establish written policies which provide, at a minimum, that:

(1) the consultant's services must be essential to the grant project and cannot be provided by a person whose salary is paid, in whole or in part, with money from the grantee's grant;

(2) the grantee will establish and use a selection process to secure the most qualified consultant available;

(3) the selection of the consultant will be approved by a senior officer employed by the grantee; and

(4) the consultant's fee must be appropriate considering the qualifications of the consultant, the consultant's normal fees, and the nature of the services rendered by the consultant.

(d) A grantee may pay for travel expenses under (a) of this section. If the grantee has a written travel policy that is more restrictive than this subsection, the grantee may pay no more for the travel expenses under (a) of this section than the amount that is allowed under that policy. For air travel, the expenses paid under (a) of this section may not include first-class seating or travel on a carrier other than a United States carrier unless no other form of air travel is available. For travel outside of the state of Alaska, the grantee must obtain the prior approval of the Corporation. A grantee may pay for travel expenses under (a) of this section only to the extent that the travel expenses do not exceed the greater of:

(1) the basic reimbursement for travel expenses and the basic lodging and meal allowances allowed under the Corporation travel policies that are in effect at the time that the Corporation awards the grant;

(2) the actual costs, not including gratuities, of moderately-priced accommodations and meals; or

(3) for a project that includes funding under a federal grant to the grantee or federal contract with the grantee, the costs allowable under the federal grant.

(e) A grantee may pay tax expenses under (a) of this section. However, these expenses may not include taxes from which the grantee is exempt.

(f) A grantee may pay the following costs under (a) of this section only after receiving approval from the Corporation for the cost:

(1) the cost of advertising and public-awareness activities if the grantee assumes sole responsibility for their content;

(2) the cost of legal services;

(3) salaries, wages, overtime, and fringe benefits paid to employees of the grant project, subject to (g) - (h) of this section;

(4) the cost of rental or lease of facilities and equipment;

(5) the cost of altering or renovating a building for the grantee's use if:

(A) the building has a usable life consistent with the objectives of the grant project, is architecturally suitable for conversation, and conforms with federal law and regulations governing access by the physically handicapped;

(B) the space involved will actually be occupied by the grant project or part of the grant project; and

(C) the grantee secures a lease for the grant period if the grantee does not own the building;

(6) the cost of acquiring or constructing a building.

(g) A payment under (f)(3) of this section may include payment for leave accumulated by an employee during the period of the grant in accordance with the written employee-leave policy established by the grantee under 15 AAC 154.710.

(h) A grantee may, under (a) of this section, pay for costs other than those described in (a) - (h) of this section only after receiving approval in writing from the Corporation prior to incurring the cost.

History: Eff. 6/11/96, Register 139; am 9/23/97, Register 145

Authority: AS 18.55.100

AS 18.56.088

Editor's note: The travel expense, lodging, and meal allowance information, referred to in 15 AAC 154.775, may be obtained by writing to the procurement department, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, P.O. Box 101020, Anchorage, Alaska 99510-1020.