Successful grant applicants receive from CMS an electronic Notice of Award (NoA) through email notification that indicates the grant (program) start and end dates. The NoA is an authorizing document from the CMS authorizing official, Grants Management Officer. Acceptance of the award is signified by the drawdown of funds from the Payment Management System (PMS).
GrantSolutions
GrantSolutions is an online grants management system that CMS discretionary recipients use and view their Notice of Award (NoA), official grant files, submit program and financial reports, and request grant amendments. See the recipient resources page.
Payment Management System (PMS)
The Payment Management System (PMS) is an automated system for the delivery and tracking of funds which the Division of Payment Management (DPM) operates and maintains. PMS provide federal awarding Agencies and grant recipients the tools to manage grant payment requests and file their Federal Financial Reports.
Once an NoA is received, grant program work can begin. As an CMS recipient, there are requirements you need to know as you work to fulfill the expectations of your award. Your Grants Management Specialist (GMS) and CMS Project Officer (PO) identified on your NoA are always available to answer questions and discuss issues that arise during implementation of the grant program.
The CMS PO is responsible for the programmatic and technical aspects of the grant. The PO works in partnership with grants management staff on post-award administration, including review of progress reports, participation in site visits, and other activities.
The GMS oversees day-to-day business and other non-programmatic aspects of the grant. These activities include, but are not limited to, evaluating applications for administrative content and compliance with statutes, regulations, and guidelines; negotiating grants; providing consultation and technical assistance to grantees; and administering grants after award.
The Grants Management Officer (GMO) is responsible for the business management aspects of grants and cooperative agreements, including review, negotiation, award, and administration. The GMO is also responsible for the interpretation of grants administration policies and provisions and is delegated the authority to obligate CMS to the expenditure of funds and permit changes to approved projects on behalf of CMS.
Terms and Conditions
You must comply with all terms and conditions outlined in your NoA, including:
(a) terms and conditions included in the HHS Grants Policy Statement in effect at the time of a new, non-competing continuation, or renewal award, including the requirements of HHS grants administration regulations;
(b) requirements of the authorizing statutes and implementing regulations for the program under which the award is funded;
(c) applicable requirements or limitations in appropriations acts;
(d) any Recipient Special Terms and Conditions;
(e) Program Terms and Conditions; and
(f) Standard Terms and Conditions.
The following Standard Terms & Conditions include all grant administrative requirements for CMS discretionary awards. Recipients should contact their GMS if they have any questions. Please note that specific grant compliance requirements will be included in the Notice of Award and must be followed.
Standard Terms and Conditions as of December 14, 2025 (PDF)
Standard Terms and Conditions as of October 1, 2025 (PDF)
CMS Conflict of Interest Policy
You must comply with the CMS Conflict of Interest Policy (PDF).
HHS Grants Policy Statement
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Grants Policy Statement is intended to make available in a single document the general terms and conditions of HHS discretionary grant and cooperative agreement awards. These general terms and conditions are common across all HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and apply as indicated in the HHS GPS unless there are statutory, regulatory, or award-specific requirements to the contrary (as specified in individual NoAs). The HHS awarding offices are components of the OPDIVs and Staff Divisions (hereafter “OPDIVs”) that have grant-awarding authority.
HHS Administrative and National Policy Requirements
You must comply with federal laws regarding HHS Administrative and National Policy Requirements.
Health Information Technology
Where award funding involves implementing, acquiring, or upgrading health IT for activities funded by any entity, Recipients and subrecipients are required to:
Use health IT that meets standards and implementation specifications adopted in 45 CFR 170, Subpart B, if such standards and implementation specifications can support the activity.
To learn more, visit 45 CFR 170, Subpart B.
Where award funding involves implementing, acquiring, or upgrading health IT for activities by eligible clinicians in ambulatory settings, or hospitals, eligible under Sections 4101, 4102, and 4201 of the HITECH Act, Recipients and subrecipients are required to:
Use health IT certified under the ONC Health IT Certification Program if certified technology can support the activity.
To learn more, visit here.
If standards and implementation specifications adopted in 45 CFR part 170, Subpart B cannot support the activity, Recipients and subrecipients are encouraged to use health IT that meets non-proprietary standards and implementation specifications developed by consensus-based standards development organizations. This may include standards identified in the ONC Interoperability Standards Advisory, available here.
Please Note: Beginning on January 20, 2025, President Trump issued several Executive Orders (EOs) which have an impact on HHS grants and cooperative agreements.
Consistent with President Trump’s priorities and agenda, to the extent permitted by law, ASTP/ONC has exercised enforcement discretion as to certain requirements in the ONC Health IT Certification Program.
Therefore, HHS is providing the following exceptions to the requirements for funded entities which may otherwise apply under this guidance:
Health IT acquired or obtained for activities by a funded entity:
(a) Is not required to have the capability to categorize data on individuals using the sexual orientation and gender identity data elements found in the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) version 3; and
(b) May have the capability to only categorize data on individuals for the sex data element in accordance with the 248152002 |Female (finding)|; and 248153007 |Male (finding)| SNOMED CT® codes.
Health IT acquired or upgraded by eligible clinicians in ambulatory settings, or hospitals, eligible under Sections 4101, 4102, and 4201 of the HITECH Act, certified under the ONC Health IT Certification Program to the “patient demographics and observations” certification criterion (45 CFR 170.315(a)(5)):
(a) Is not required to demonstrate conformance with any or all of the following data and observations in paragraph (a)(5)(i): sex parameter for clinical use, sexual orientation, gender identity, name to use, and pronouns;
(b) Is not required to demonstrate conformance with the following paragraphs of (a)(5)(i): (D) (“sexual orientation”), (E) (“gender identity”), (F) (“sex parameter for clinical use”), (G) (“name to use”), and (H) (“pronouns”); and
(c) May demonstrate, for conformance with paragraph (a)(5)(i)(C) (“sex”), that it can record sex solely in accordance with the standard specified in § 170.207(n)(1) for the period up to and including December 31, 2025, or the following SNOMED CT® codes found in the standard specified in §170.207(n)(2):
- 248152002 |Female (finding)|; and
- 248153007 |Male (finding)|.