1. What is Real Property Status Reporting?

TRACS serves as the official repository for all Real Property Records (also known as Lands) acquired with Federal funding and managed by the Office of Conservation Investment, including new real property acquisitions (since TRACS went live for grants with a start date on or after January 1^st, 2021), as well as “legacy” land records going back into the historical record. 

The Lands Team has been working with States and Territories to reconcile and import all historic “legacy” real property records into TRACS - excluding real properties that had a full disposal (i.e., the properties were sold or transferred in full and no longer have a Federal nexus).

All Real Property Records with a Federal nexus are subject to post-award reporting and monitoring requirements laid out in FWS Service Manual Part 520 7.37 E and 2 CFR 200.303(c) that state that “Real Property records are monitored to ensure that they are managed for the purposes of the award, in perpetuity until the end of the term for a lease or term easement, or until disposition of the property occurs consistent with 2 CFR 200, any program regulations, and any agreements with or between subrecipients”.

The SF-429 Real Property Status Reporting Form set listed on Grants.gov are used across Federal programs to report real property status as part of the post-award monitoring and reporting requirements. In April 2023, the Office of Conservation Investment released the TRACS Real Property Status Reporting workflow, which provides an alternative to the SF-429 forms. The TRACS Real Property Status Report is the approved alternative to the SF-429 for grant recipients.

The Real Property Status Report is a tool used to document properties that have a compliance status change (to in or out of compliance), which is part of the post-award monitoring and reporting requirements to ensure that properties are still being used for the purpose(s) for which they were acquired and that properties are still in compliance with the award terms & conditions and current regulations.

The TRACS Real Property Status Report is generated for each TRACS group with properties assigned and includes all eligible Real Property records at the time the report is generated. Eligible Real Property records include all properties that have the status of “Final Approved” (excluding properties that had a full disposal or are not fully approved). The Real Property Status Report is completed on a periodic basis as specified by the Service (such as every 5 years).

2. When is the real property status reporting period and how is it accomplished?

The Office of Conservation Investment (formerly known as the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration or WSFR program) announced the commencement of a real property status reporting period beginning May 1, 2023 and concluding April 30, 2026. Headquarters coordinated with Regional Offices (Regions), the National Lands Teams, the Federal Aid Coordinators Working Group, and the TRACS Working Group to develop the timing, framework, and process for this initial real property status reporting effort. This effort not only satisfies the regulatory reporting requirements found at 2 CFR 200.330 and 2 CFR 1402.329(d), but also serves as a corrective action to findings identified in a Service OIG Management Advisory relating to real property (Report No. 2019-CR-015). 

Real property status reporting will be accomplished using the Tracking and Reporting Actions for the Conservation of Species (TRACS) Real Property Status Report Module as a DOI-approved alternative to the SF-429 Real Property Status Report. Working with their respective Regional Offices, States must certify that real property purchased in whole or in part with Federal financial assistance, or used as match towards a Federal award, is: 1) still being used for the purpose(s) for which it was acquired; and 2) still in compliance with the award terms and conditions and current regulations.

For more information, see the Memo 078665 Real Property Status Reporting Announcement PDF.