Online Reimbursements

T

he Transportation Improvement Board processes grant payment requests through an online submittal process. To submit a payment request, enter your agency's username and password at the right to access to the online reimbursement form.

To request your agency's username and password, please contact Vaughn Nelson at VaughnN@tib.wa.gov.

Payment Schedule

Grant reimbursements are processed on the 1st and 16th of each month based on the following criteria:

  • Small City payments are processed within 30 days of the submittal date.
  • Urban payments are processed within 45 days of the submittal date.

How to Record Your TIB Grant

The Washington State Auditor's Office prescribes the accounting and reporting of local governments under RCW 43.09.200. This is performed using the Budgetary, Accounting, and Reporting System (BARS). All TIB grants are from state funds and should be recorded to BARS code 334.03.80

Reimbursement Guidelines

Below is information that will help you complete your request for reimbursement:

Classifications of Work Eligible for TIB Funds

Design Engineering

The work of locating and designing, making surveys and maps, sinking test holes, making foundation investigations, preparing plans, specifications and estimates, centerline, and other related preliminary work and incidental construction staking, to the extent such staking is necessary to review construction plans, and related general engineering preparatory to the letting of a contract for construction.

The work may also include traffic counts, holding of public hearings, preparation of right-of-way cost estimates, legal, and other costs incidental to the location and design of a highway project necessitating the acquisition of right-of-way thereon up to but not including the appraisal of individual parcels for acquisition purposes.

These design engineering costs are generally incurred prior to the date of construction approval. The date of contract award is usually the cutoff for charging to design engineering.

During the construction phase of a project when a major change takes place that requires additional design effort, the design phase can be reopened on a case-by-case basis after approval from TIB. Also, any construction staking done in advance of the award should be charged to design engineering.

Right-of-Way

The preparation of right-of-way plans; appraisal for parcel acquisition; review of appraisals; negotiation of purchase; preparation for and trial of condemnation cases; management of properties acquired; furnishing of relocation advisory assistance; and other related labor expenses.

  • Excess land (appraised value) including uneconomic remnants.
  • Improvements (appraised salvage value).
  • Landowner costs:
    • Attorneys' fees;
    • Witness fees;
    • Expert witness fees; or
    • Similar costs to a landowner based on value of the services rendered to him which are paid by the local agency in connection with acquisition of rights-of-way, regardless of whether such costs are included in court judgments or court costs in litigated condemnation cases, e.g., statutory evaluation allowance.
Construction Engineering

The work of supervising construction activities; the inspection of construction and related mechanical aspects (e.g., staking necessary to review construction plans together with those staking activities necessary for the local agency to control construction operations); testing of materials incorporated into construction, checking shop drawings and measurements for and preparations of progress and final estimates, and as-built drawings.

Construction engineering costs are generally incurred only after bid award and prior to:

  • Completion date of the final contract pay estimate and its submission to the contractor;
  • The final date of charges for required material testing; or
  • Completion date of the separation of contract cost by code type, location, etc., whichever is applicable to that portion of the construction engineering phase involved.
  • Administrative Settlement Costs-Contract Claims. Services related to the review and defense of claims against projects.
  • Miscellaneous Functions. Costs incurred for other TIB activities that are properly attributable to, and for the benefit of, TIB projects but are not assignable to any of the previously defined functions.

Construction Other
  • Royalty expenses for material furnished by the local agency that are used by the contractor.
  • Temporary signs, traffic control labor, traffic control devices, and temporary illumination furnished by the local agency. The initial basic cost of traffic control devices purchased for use on the project is an authorized participating cost. When used items are furnished by the local agency, TIB participation will not be requested.
  • Striping and pavement marking work performed by local forces.
  • Second stage fertilizing by local forces. Application of second-stage seeding and fertilizer, after other work on the project has been completed and the contractor has been released from the contract, is not eligible for TIB participation.
  • Other Items. Items not identified herein as eligible for TIB participation such as material furnished by the local agency. Work performed by local forces eligible for participation as well as work performed by utility companies, railroad, or other contracted work not part of the contract with the primary contractor.
Construction Contract

All payments to the primary contractor.

Work Eligible for TIB Reimbursement

Partial or Progress Payments for Project Costs.

Participation and payment of board funds to agencies shall be governed by the following:

Board participation.
TIB funds shall not participate in any costs that are not incurred in conformity with all applicable federal and state laws. Requests for reimbursement shall conform to all rules, regulations, guidelines, and procedures as may be prescribed by the Board promulgated in conformity with the statutes.

Grant acceptance.
Projects for which TIB funds are requested by the eligible agencies and for which the board has allocated funds will be the subject of a project approval process. The agencies' participation in this process demonstrates acceptance of the conditions to payment of funds, as prescribed by laws and regulations, and the amount of funds to be obligated.

Payments.
Eligible agencies are to submit requests for payment of funds claimed to be due on approved projects. Such requests are to be on forms prescribed by the Board. Throughout the life of a project supporting data may be requested. A complete accounting of all project charges will be required at contract completion. Requests for payment may be submitted from time to time as the work progresses. Final requests shall be signed and submitted within six months of contract completion. Payment of TIB funds shall at no time exceed the approved amount of the project costs incurred to the date of the payment request.

Compliance with laws and regulations.
If an eligible agency has failed to comply with laws and regulations with respect to a project, payment of funds may be withheld on such projects, or approval of additional projects may be withheld until compliance or remedial action has been accomplished by the eligible agency to the satisfaction of the board.

Costs incurred prior to phase approval shall be considered ineligible.

Eligible for Reimbursement as a Direct Charge

The costs must be wholly for the benefit of the project being charged (eg. Labor performed directly for that project, supplies used in the course of a project, etc). The following are examples of items in which TIB will participate:

Labor – to design, survey, prepare plans, appraise right-of-way, inspect construction activities, etc.

(1) Salaries and wages

  • (a) TIB funds may participate in the cost of salaries, wages, and related payroll benefits incurred for periods of time public employees are actively engaged in project related activities.
  • (b) Salaries, wages, and related payroll expenses of a local agency for maintenance, general administration, supervision, and other overhead costs are not eligible for reimbursement.
(2) Payroll benefits Payroll benefits are limited to forty percent of direct labor costs and are to be reported separately.

  • (a) Employee Leave and Holidays
    • (i) A local agency may claim reimbursement for the cost of leave, e.g. annual, sick, military, jury, etc, that is earned, accounted for and used in accordance with established procedures. The cost of such leave must be a liability of the local agency, must be equitably distributed to all activities, and the pro rata costs distributed to a TIB project must be representative of the amount that is earned and accrued while working on the project.
    • (ii) Compensatory leave granted by a local agency in lieu of payment of overtime to eligible employees may be claimed for reimbursement if accrued and granted under established policies on a uniform basis.
  • (b) Social Security, Retirement, and other Payroll Benefits
    • (i) TIB funds may participate in allocable costs incurred for social security, retirement, group insurance premiums, and similar items applicable to salaries and wages of public employees engaged in work on TIB projects.
(3) Services
  • Costs incurred for services rendered by employees generally classified as administration may be considered eligible for reimbursement if such employees are assigned for specific identifiable periods of time to perform project-related activities in the same manner as other operating personnel.

Travel and per diem – of employees involved in any participating activity related to the project.

  • (1) TIB funds may participate in the cost of commercial transportation, privately owned automobiles, and per diem or subsistence essential to the prosecution of the project and is performed in accordance with prescribed procedures.
  • (2) Reimbursement may be made for use of privately owned automobiles and per diem or subsistence incurred in conformance with the established reimbursement policy of the local agency.

Material

Material incorporated into a TIB approved project.

Direct vehicle and equipment charges

The actual rental cost paid for the equipment or, in the case of city or county owned equipment, at the rental rates established by the city's or county's "equipment rental and revolving fund" following the methods prescribed by the division of audit: Provided, That such costs shall be charged on a uniform basis to equipment used for all projects regardless of the source of funding. Cities that may not use this type of fund shall be allowed the same rates as used by the department of transportation.

Supplies

Supplies purchased and consumed entirely on an approved project. Supplies might include: cloth tapes, drafting supplies, film (including developing and printing), hubs, paint (marking spray), stakes, long distance telephone calls identified by project, royalty on material, initial or new costs of temporary traffic control devices.

Services

Services for material testing, document reproduction, mapping, computer and equipment usage charges.

Miscellaneous items eligible for reimbursement:

  • (1) Working meals during final presentation of a VE study up to $100.
  • (2) Costs associated with a ground breaking or dedication ceremony up to $1,500 if the TIB is notified in advance and included in the event.

Allowable Indirect Costs

Indirect or overhead costs are common administrative cost objectives that cannot be easily charged to the project. Indirect costs incurred by an agency for administrative costs will be reimbursed up to a maximum of ten percent of the direct labor costs.

Not Eligible for Reimbursement
The following items are not eligible for TIB participation:

  • General administration, supervision, and other unallowable overhead costs of a local agency are those considered necessary for the management, supervision, and administrative control of a suitably equipped, staffed, and operational agency. Examples of such unallowable costs may include, but are not limited to, the following types of personnel, and payroll related benefit costs, and other administrative or support services.
    • i) Directors, department heads, legal, accounting, budget, personnel, and procurement units.
    • ii) Related clerical, secretarial, and other support services for officials and personnel listed immediately above.
    • iii) Management, supervision, and administrative overhead costs incurred by other units or departments of the state, local agencies, or governmental organizations.
  • Equipment purchase and repair – examples include engineering, safety, or office equipment and supplies.
  • Supplies – purchased and consumed on a number of projects or for the general management or operation of the organizational unit (example would be in maintenance or in administration – signs, small tools, and used temporary control devices). Books that are not needed in the development of the specific project.
  • Office rental – including utilities and telephone service.
  • Labor – for activities not directly related to the project. Labor activities pertaining to the general operation of an agency are not eligible for reimbursement.
  • Travel and per diem – of employees performing activities classified as not eligible for reimbursement or unrelated to a specific TIB project.
  • Miscellaneous items not eligible for reimbursement:
    • i) Meals and/or light refreshments
    • ii) Newsletters and publications for non-specific projects
    • iii) Conference fees
Other Allowable Costs

Although some categories of expenditures are not mentioned specifically, if an agency wishes to receive reimbursement for these expenditures it must receive approval prior to billing.

Other Unallowable Costs
  • Any costs not eligible for federal reimbursement.
  • Bad debts – any losses arising from uncollectible accounts and other claims and related costs are not allowable.
  • Contingencies – contributions to a contingency reserve or any similar provisions for unseen events are unallowable.
  • Contributions and donations are unallowable.
  • Entertainment – Costs of amusement, social activities, and incidental costs relating thereto, such as meals, beverages, lodging, rentals, transportation, and gratuities, are unallowable.
  • Fines and penalties – costs associated from violations or failure to comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations are unallowable.
  • Interest and other financial costs – Interest on borrowing (however represented), bond discounts, cost of financing and refinancing operations, and legal and professional fees paid in connection with these types of costs are unallowable.
  • Underrecovery of costs under grant agreements – any excess of cost over the TIB contribution under one grant agreement is unallowable under other grant agreements.

Questions?

If you have questions regarding TIB reimbursements, please contact Vaughn Nelson at (360) 586-1149.