Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF)
Bulk-Purchase Local Match Reimbursement Program (LMRP) Application Open and Recorded Training Available
The application for the CRF Bulk-Purchase LMRP is now open. To begin the application process, eligible LEAs should email customerservice@teabulkorder.com. LEAs should email their request for an application this week as reimbursement payments will be processed on "first in, first out" basis until LMRP program funds are expended.
The LMRP training conducted on Wednesday, September 2, 2020, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. was recorded and is available on the Department of Grant Compliance and Administration Playlist on TEA's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2maBU3TAOgU. Training presentation slides are also available at CRF Bulk-Purchase Local Match Reimbursement Program (LMRP) Training Presentation (9.2.20).pdf.
New Guidance
On September 2, 2020, the U.S. Department of Treasury released an updated FAQ document for the Coronavirus Relief Fund under the CARES Act, which included the following question and answer:
53. May Fund [CRF] recipients incur expenses associated with the safe reopening of schools?
Yes, payments from the Fund may be used to cover costs associated with providing distance learning (e.g., the cost of laptops to provide to students) or for in-person learning (e.g., the cost of acquiring personal protective equipment for students attending schools in-person or other costs associated with meeting Centers for Disease Control guidelines).
To this end, as an administrative convenience, Treasury will presume that expenses of up to $500 per elementary and secondary school student to be eligible expenditures, such that schools do not need to document the specific use of funds up to that amount.
The new response from Treasury reduces the administrative burden on LEAs in documenting (for audit purposes) the allowability of CRF funding used for the safe reopening of schools. This also reduces the burden on the applicable county or city who sub-allocates CRF funding to an LEA.
Although on first reading the response appears to broaden the allowable uses of CRF funding for education purposes, it does not change the rules or guidelines for any of the following CRF reimbursement programs currently in implementation or planned:
• Op Conn Bulk Purchase Local Match Reimbursement Program (To be completed in September/October 2020)
• Op Conn Prior Purchase Reimbursement Program (Details TBD as of September 2020)
The current rules and guidelines for these two state-determined reimbursement programs remain the same; however, the LEA is not required to document the use of funds (up to $500 per elementary and secondary student) for a safe reopening of schools to a more detailed specified allowable use for audit purposes. If the amount of CRF received by an LEA for safe reopening of schools exceeds $500 per student, the amount received exceeding that threshold must be documented to specific allowable CRF activities.
TEA will continue to require more detailed information from LEAs for these programs as currently contained in the application. TEA will review the current negotiation and approval processes and streamline them where appropriate when the requested reimbursement for LEAs for safe reopening of schools is less than the $500 per student threshold.
Note that this new FAQ response does not impact the TDEM CRF LEA Reimbursement Program, as that program is designed to reimburse LEAs for supplemental allowable expenditures from March 1 through May 20, 2020. There were no expenses during that time for safely reopening schools since schools were required to be closed and offering remote learning options until the end of the school year.
Current guidance and FAQs for this program can be found at https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/covid/COVID-19-CARES-Act-Funding-and-Expense-Reimbursement-FAQ.pdf.
Please direct questions and concerns related to the CRF Bulk-Purchase LMRP to customerservice@teabulkorder.com.
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