Reminder: FISAP due October 1, 2019

Author
Federal Student Aid
Subject
Reminder: FISAP due October 1, 2019

This is a reminder of the upcoming deadline for submitting the Fiscal Operations Report for 2018–19 and the Application to Participate for 2020–21 (FISAP) for the Campus-Based Programs. As announced in the 2019–20 Award Year Deadline Dates for the Campus-Based Programs, published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2019 (84 FR 351), the date by which a school must submit the FISAP and the required signature page is Tuesday, October 1, 2019.

All schools requesting Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and Federal Work-Study (FWS) program funds for the 2020–21 Award Year and/or that had either FSEOG and FWS expenditures or Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan) activity for the 2018–19 Award Year are required to electronically submit a FISAP via the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Web Site. Schools that closed during the 2018–19 Award Year are required to complete and submit a final FISAP to report 2018–19 Campus-Based expenditures.

The COD Web Site allows a school to complete and submit its FISAP online, receive real-time validation edits, and access prior-year data to assist in completing the FISAP. Schools should review all validation edits and ensure accuracy of the information reported. For information about accessing the FISAP on the COD Web Site, refer to the August 2, 2019 Electronic Announcement announcing that the 2020–21 FISAP is available.

The deadline for electronic submission of the FISAP is 11:59 p.m. Eastern time (ET) on October 1, 2019. Transmissions must be completed prior to midnight. Additionally, the signature page must be printed, signed and mailed by the October 1, 2019 deadline. Signature requirements and instructions can be found in the 2020–21 FISAP Instructions, page 14.

Notes:

  • Click “Submit” – Remember that saving data into the FISAP online is not the same as submitting the FISAP. Data can be entered and saved as a school works through the form, but it is not actually submitted until the school user clicks on “Submit.”

  • Consequences for Not Filing the FISAP – 2018–19 Campus-Based funding levels will be reduced to zero ($0) for a school that received 2018–19 Campus-Based funds but fails to file the FISAP by the deadline. This includes schools that closed during the 2018–19 year and drew Campus-Based funds for that year from G5. Any 2018–19 program funds that have been drawn down in G5 will be required to be returned to the Department of Education (the Department). Campus-Based funds for the 2020–21 Award Year will not be awarded to schools that fail to file the FISAP.

    Schools must provide true and accurate data and must not roll forward data previously reported on last year’s FISAP just to meet the deadline.

    Note: Failing to accurately and timely file the FISAP may result in referral to FSA’s Program Compliance office for further review and action. These actions may include fines, and a limitation, suspension or termination of your institution’s eligibility to participate in the Campus-Based Programs. In addition, through the signature process, the President/CEO has certified that information in the FISAP is true and accurate and in compliance with legislation and regulations. Providing false and misleading information can result in fines, prison, or both.

  • Updated Financial Aid Administrator (FAA) Contact Information Required – All Campus-Based notifications are sent via email to the FAA. For timely receipt of these notifications, it is important that a school ensures the accuracy of its FAA contact information, including the FAA email address. A school can update its contact information when submitting the FISAP or by selecting “School Information” then “Demographics” on the Campus-Based section of the COD Web Site. All changes or corrections to contact information must also be updated in the Program Participation Agreement on the E-App website at https://eligcert.ed.gov.

  • Additional Information Required for Underuse Penalty Waiver Application – If a school is returning more than 10 percent of its 2018–19 FSEOG or FWS allocation on the FISAP, the school’s allocation for that program for 2020–21 will be reduced by the unexpended amount. A waiver for this underuse of funds penalty may be requested in Part II, Section C, Line 6 of the FISAP. An explanation of the circumstances which caused the underuse must be provided using the “Provide Additional Information” option for Edit 02090 during the validation process. You must also explain the steps the school is taking to prevent future underuse. The deadline to request a waiver of the underuse penalty is February 3, 2020.

  • Accuracy Helps Avoid Negative Balances – Make sure the information reported for expenditures of 2018–19 award amounts are accurate and consistent with the amounts drawn in G5. For example, if a school's FWS authorized amount was $50,000 and the school reported an expended amount of $40,000 on the FISAP (Part V, Section E, Field 18), the school's award will be closed out at the expended amount of $40,000 (i.e. the $10,000 difference will be deobligated from G5). If the amount the school has drawn from G5 is different from the expended amount reported on the FISAP, we will assume that the correct expenditures are the amounts reported on the FISAP and certified by the Chief Executive Officer in Part I, Section B. In some cases this results in a negative balance which is required to be returned by the school to the Department. Using the above example, if the school drew down it’s entire $50,000 FWS authorization from G5, it would need to return $10,000.

  • Edit Corrections through December 13, 2019 – Once a FISAP is submitted, the school is able to submit corrections until 11:59 p.m. ET on December 13, 2019. Data can be entered and saved as a school makes corrections. If corrections are made, remember to submit them. Transmissions must be completed prior to midnight. Note: After the December 13, 2019 deadline for submitting corrections, approval of FISAP change requests is limited and reserved for exceptional issues only.

  • Perkins Reporting –

    • Report the correct data for all cumulative and annual reporting for Perkins.

    • Schools were not required to return the federal share this year. However, if your school returned the federal share this year, report the cumulative federal share repaid to the federal government from the Perkins Loan Revolving Fund in Part III, Section A, line 28 “Repayments of fund capital to federal government.” For most schools, this figure should be the same cumulative amount that was reported on the previously completed FISAP submitted by October 1, 2018.

    • Schools were not required to return the institutional share this year. However, if your school returned the institutional share this year, report the cumulative institutional share that you returned to your school from the Perkins Loan Revolving Fund in Part III, Section A, line 30.2 “Distribution of excess/liquid fund capital.” For most schools, this figure should be the same cumulative amount that was reported on the previously completed FISAP submitted by October 1, 2018.

  • Online Help is Available 24/7 – If additional help is needed, the COD Web Site has several documents that can be accessed online as well as a series of frequently asked questions and answers (Q&As).

2020–21 FISAP Desk Reference

2020–21 FISAP Instructions

Q&As

Contact Information

If you have any questions about the FISAP submission deadline, contact the COD School Relations Center at 1-800-848-0978. You may also email CODSupport@ed.gov.