Federal Pell Grant Initial Authorization for 2001-2002

Posted on May 16, 2001

TO: All Destination Points

FROM: Pell Grant Processing

RE: Federal Pell Grant Initial Authorization for 2001-2002

The Recipient Financial Management System (RFMS) will begin processing the Federal Pell Grant Initial Authorization for 2001-2002 the weekend of May 12, 2001 for all schools not on either the reimbursement method of payment or participating in the Just-in -Time pilot.

Funds will be available for schools from GAPS beginning July 1, although a school may begin sending disbursement records for 2001-2002 to RFMS as early as June 21, 2001.

After RFMS has processed the Initial Authorization for 2001-2002, an Electronic Statement of Account (ESOA) will be sent to your TIVWAN mailbox in the message class PGAS02OP.

At the same time you can view your initial authorization amount on the RFMS website (

You may view the amount on the GAPS website (

Please keep in mind that the initial authorization is not intended to fund a school for the entire award year. This initial authorization provides the basis for immediate funding for the new award year. As each advance funded school submits disbursement batches the total accepted amount for each batch is applied to the initial authorization. When the batches total and exceed the amount of the initial authorization, the authorization will be increased to cover each additional batch as it is accepted. Also, please remember that the origination records do not increase your authorization level, only disbursement records increase authorizations.

As in previous years the Department of Education determines the amount of each school's initial authorization through an analysis of the data submitted by the schools. Your authorization was determined based on a percentage of disbursement data that was submitted and accepted during the 2000-2001 award year.

Please call the Pell Grant Hotline 1-800-4PGRANT (1-800-474-7268) or e-mail us at