Low Income Home Energy Assistance
Action Transmittal

U.S.Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
Office of Community Services
Division of Energy Assistance
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap

LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP) GRANTEES

_X__ STATES
____ TRIBES/TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS
____ TERRITORIES

Estimates of Quarterly Obligations for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

RELATED
REFERENCES:

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act, Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, (Public Law 97-35), as amended; P.L. 90-577 (Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968); Form ACF-535 (OMB Clearance Number 0970-0037, approved for LIHEAP use through 9/30/2014.

PURPOSE:

To collect from LIHEAP State grantees estimates of their quarterly obligations under the FY 2013 LIHEAP Program. 

                                    DUE DATE – September 4, 2012

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection of certain data to be used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the LIHEAP Program.  The data to be collected are grantees’ estimates of obligations they will make each quarter under the FY 2013 program.  Grantees’ participation in the data collection is voluntary. 

Grantees must respond by September 4, 2012 (this is an extended deadline due to the holiday weekend).  If grantees wish to receive more than 25 percent of their grant in each quarter, they must submit this information.  If the information is not received, grant awards will be made in the amount of 25 percent of the grantee’s allocation in four quarterly grant awards for FY 2013. 

                                                
We recommend that States request as much funding as it anticipates it will need during the first quarter of FY 2013 in the event of an extended Continuing Resolution.  Once the quarterly allocations are set, our ability to change them is constrained by our OMB apportionment.  The data must be received by September 4 in order to be used in our apportionment request to OMB.

The information collected is used to substantiate budget requests for low-income energy assistance payments and to make awards based on each State’s needs.  However, the availability of funding is dependent on Congressional action to provide funding via an appropriation or continuing resolution and the apportionment of funds by OMB.

We are providing a form (see attached) that grantees may use to provide us with the estimates of their quarterly obligations.  This form will enable the Administration for Children and Families to target grantees’ needs for FY 2013 funding authority.

If funds will be carried over from the FY 2012 program to begin the FY 2013 program in October, please make sure that the quarterly estimates take this into account. 

This form is due September 4, 2012.  Please note that the submission should be sent to Lydia Peele in the ACF grants office at the address listed below.

ATTACHMENTS: 

(1) Form ACF-535, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Quarterly Obligation Estimates

SUBMISSIONS
AND INQUIRIES TO:

Administration for Children and Families
Office of Administration
Office of Grants Management
Division of Mandatory Grants
370 L’Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447

Attention:  Lydia Peele,
Mail Stop:  OA/OGM/OMG
Fax: (202) 401-5519
E-mail: lydia.peele@acf.hhs.gov

____________/s/_____________
Nick St. Angelo
Director
Division of Energy Assistance
Office of Community Services