The information presented on this website is designed to be read in the same order as the navigational headings listed below.  Please use these headings to cover all of the material on the website.  This material will give you an understanding of Michigan SLRP sufficient to determine your best application strategy.

***Michigan SLRP Program Update***
Posted 1/6/2009

1. FY 2009 First-Come, First-Served Application Period Remains Open 

2. FY 2010 January 15 - May 31, 2009 Annual Application Period:

• Annual Application Period Expanded to 4 1/2 Months
• "20% Employer Contribution Contracts" Replace Competitive Contracts
• Potential Funding Sources for Employer Installment Contributions
• "Length of Contract Requested" Included as New Selection Criterion 

3. Mental Health Care Provider Policy is Expanded for the January 15 - May 31, 2009 Application Period

4. New Application Forms 

1.  FY 2009 First-Come, First-Served Application Period Remains Open:
This application period will remain open until all federal program funds are committed and will run concurrently with the FY 2010 January 15 - May 31, 2009 Application Period, discussed below.  Sign-on Bonus and Provider Retention Loan Repayment Contracts awarded during this application period allow employers to combine their contributions equally with available federal funds to double resources intended for the recruitment and retention of primary care providers.  Participants receive these loan repayment benefits tax-free.  During this application period, contracts are awarded to eligible providers on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of priority status.  Employers electing to make a 50% contribution toward their providers' loan repayment contract can take advantage of the special benefits offered by the Sign-On Bonus and Provider Retention Loan Repayment Contracts available during the FY 2009 First-Come, First-Served Application Period.

Sign-On Bonus Loan Repayment Contracts:
This powerful recruitment tool is designed to help employers located in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) gain a recruitment advantage and save on recruitment fees.  While funds remain available, employers recruiting their next primary care medical, dental or mental health care provider, can ask their recruits if they'd prefer to receive just their taxable sign-on bonus, or receive double that amount (up to $25,000 per year) in tax-free educational loan repayment.

What are the benefits of recruiting with Sign-On Bonus Loan Repayment Contracts?

• Helps HPSA employers recruit high-demand providers and save on recruitment fees
• Doubles sign-on bonuses and turns them into tax-free loan repayment for recruits
• Contracts are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, until all funds are committed
• Expedited application review, eligibility determination and contract execution
• The MSLRP Specialist works with employers and providers during the application process and helps employers customize contract terms to meet their organizations' recruitment needs.
  • Contracts may start as soon as the first of the month following eligibility determination and employment.
  • Flexible contract amounts and lengths, up to $25,000 per year for two to four years
  • A choice of provider payment options.  Providers may either receive installment payments every sixth months- to help employers conserve cash flow, or receive the full contract amount up front- to help employers compete for recruits in very competitive situations.

Provider Retention Loan Repayment Contracts:
This contract is designed to help employers retain valuable primary care medical, dental and mental health care providers.  It allows employers to double the amount of funds they are willing to commit to retaining a needed provider (up to $25,000 per year), and it turns it into tax-free educational loan repayment.  Like Sign-On Bonus Contracts discussed above, Provider Retention Loan Repayment Contracts are part of the First-Come, First-Served Application Period and will continue to be awarded until all funds are committed.

The benefits of using Provider Retention Loan Repayment Contracts are similar to those listed above for Sign-On Bonus Loan Repayment Contracts, including: expedited application review, eligibility determination and contract execution; MSLRP Specialist assistance in the application process, and; customized contracts in terms of flexible loan repayment amounts, contract lengths and provider payment options.

*Please note:  Federal requirements do not allow MSLRP contracts to be used as a salary offset.  Salaries for health professionals participating in the MSLRP must be based on prevailing rates in their practice areas.  

2.  FY 2010 January 15 - May 31, 2009 Annual Application Period:
The expanded FY 2010 Annual Application Period will begin January 15, and continue through May 31, 2009, allowing providers 4 1/2 months to submit their application packages.  Last year's annual application period began in April and continued through June 2008, so please inform providers of the earlier start date

During this application period providers and their employers may apply for the new 20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts, or for Local Match Contracts, which require a 50% employer contribution.  Both types of contracts awarded during this application period will begin October 1, 2009.  Providers and employers must use the new forms discussed toward the end of this "Update".  The new forms will be available on the MSLRP Website mid-January 2009.  Application packages must be postmarked no earlier than January 15, 2009 and no later than May 31, 2009.

"20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts" Replace Competitive Contracts:
Starting with the January 15 - May 2009 Application Period, "20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts" will replace Competitive Contracts that were funded by 50% state and 50% federal dollars.  The new 20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts will have a funding mix of 20% employer contributions, 40% federal dollars and 40% state funds.  Applications for the new competitive contracts will go through the same selection process that applied to the former competitive contracts, with the addition of the "length of contract requested" criterion described below.

20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts will allow MSLRP to respond to increasing primary care provider shortages in Michigan HPSAs by spreading program funding to assist additional HPSA employers in their recruitment and retention efforts.  Moving to 20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts also lessens the discrepancy in required employer contributions that existed between Competitive Contracts- which required no contribution, and Local Match Contracts- which require a 50% contribution.  The magnitude of this discrepancy added to the challenge of marketing Local Match Contracts.  Finally, we believe that reducing the state and federal contract funding mix from 50% to 40% will help sustain these funding sources, essential to the program's continued survival, by offering them a higher return (150% return vs. a 100% return) on each dollar they invest in the program.

When considering 20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts, employers should keep in mind that they will make their contributions in six-month installments over the life of their loan repayment contracts, not in up-front lump sums.  This payment system is designed to help health care organizations manage cash flow by spreading the impact of their contributions over multiple budget periods.  Employers make contributions by including a check equal to 20% of their providers' next MSLRP payments with the Work Verification Forms they receive from their providers, sign, and mail to the Department each six months to certify employment during that period.  Each Work Verification Form (WVF) includes complete instructions on how to submit WVFs and employer contributions.  The following chart shows employer installment contributions for typical mid-level provider (PA, NP, CNM, MSW) contracts for two to four years.  Employers submit their contributions during the months shown in the "WVF" (Work Verification Form) column.

 Typical $15,000 Per Year Contract for
Mid-Level Providers (PA, NP, CNM, MSW)
Starting 10/1/2009

The next chart shows employer installment contributions for typical primary provider (Dentist, Physician, Psychiatrist, Ph.D. Pyschologist) contracts for two to four years.  Again, employers submit their contributions during the months shown in the "WVF" (Work Verification Form) column.

Typical $25,000 Per Year Contract for
Primary Providers (DDS, MD/DO, Psychiatrist, Ph.D. Psych.)
Starting 10/1/2009

Potential Funding Sources for Employer Installment Contributions:
Most often, employers make installment contributions from their organizations' operating funds.  Several employers have adapted their employee tuition reimbursement programs to fund employer installment contributions on loan repayment contracts, as part of their recruitment and retention strategies.  Employers may, however, also turn to outside sources when internal funds are not available and use any verifiable, non-federal funds which have been transferred to them for making employer installment contributions to loan repayment contracts.  Sources of non-federal funds may include, but are not limited to:

• Tuition reimbursement programs
• A practice site's sponsoring agency or parent company
• Community leaders
• Community development programs
• Community Chest organizations
• Funds raised by their communities specifically to recruit or retain primary care providers
• Business, service, or nonprofit organizations
• Local, state or national foundations or charities
• State General Funds
• Health care provider associations representing the type of medical, dental, or mental heatlh care provider needed in the community
• Health care employer membership associations
• Other organizations and grants identified with the assistance of the Library of Michigan in Lansing

"Length of Contract Requested" Included in Selection Criteria:
Starting with applications submitted during the FY 2010 January 15-May 31, 2009 Application Period, we will include "length of contract requested" as a contract selection criterion.  We will continue ranking applicants first into "double", "single" and "non-priority" categories, based on each applicant's provider and practice site priority status.

Next, we will rank applicants in each of those priority categories by "length of contract requested".  We will give applicants requesting longer-term contracts preference, because these providers and employers are demonstrating a longer-term commitment to serving residents of Michigan HPSAs.  We will rank applicants requesting four-year contracts above those requesting three-year contracts, and those requesting three-year contracts above those requesting two-year contracts.

Finally, as in the past, we will rank applicants within the four, three and two-year contract groupings based on their randomly-generated lottery numbers, ranking applicants with lower numbers above those with higher numbers.  20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts will be awarded to eligible applicants in the order they appear on the FY 2010 Rank-Ordered MSLRP Applicant List, which will be developed through the selection process described above.  We will start awarding contracts to double-priority applicants requesting four-year contracts with the lowest lottery numbers, working down to two-year contracts with the highest lottery number, and then repeat the process with single and non-priority applicants until all funds for 20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts are committed.  Applicants should also become familiar with new selection criteria and rules that apply to re-contracting with MSLRP before applying for their initial contracts.  This information, described below, will help providers and their employers develop more effective overall application strategies.

New Selection Criteria, Rules and Strategy for Applying to Re-Contract:
These rules apply to providers with initial contracts starting after 11/1/2008.  These changes are designed to provide incentives for providers to apply for the longest-term initial contracts upon which they and their employers can agree.  Applications submitted by providers applying to re-contract with the program will be ranked by priority status, contract length and lottery number as described in the previous section.  Length of contract requested, however, will be treated as described in the chart below.

The four following application strategies differ in their effectiveness in being awarded initial and subsequent loan repayment contracts.  As you will see, the best strategy is to apply for the longest-term initial contract upon which provider and employer can agree.

Dr. Planahead applies for and receives an initial four-year contract, because she is ranked above all other Single-Priority applicants requesting two and three-year contracts.  During her third and fourth years, she automatically continues receiving payments, without having to reapply.

Dr. Planalittle applies for and receives an initial three-year contract, he was ranked below those requesting four-year contracts, but above those requesting two-year contracts.  Later, he applies for a fourth year, which he is likely to receive, because his application to re-contract is ranked as a four-year contract within his priority status category (3+1=4).  He must, however, re-submit all application forms, including his Loan Repayment Documentation, showing he has paid down his eligible loans by an amount at least equal to the MSLRP payments he as received.

Dr. Shorterm applies for and is fortunate to be awarded an initial two-year contract, even though she is ranked below all applicants requesting three and four-year contracts in her priority status category.  She applies for and receives a third and fourth year, because her application is ranked as a four-year contract (2+2= 4) within her priority status category.  She must also, however, re-submit all application forms, including her Loan Repayment Documentation.

Dr. Hitawall, not sure of his commitment to working in a HPSA, applies for and is awarded an initial two-year contract.  However, because he either has eligible debt sufficient for only a third year, or is unwilling to commit for a total of four years, his application to re-contract for a third year cannot be funded.

3.  Mental Health Care Provider Policy is Expanded for the January 15 - May, 31, 2009 Application Period:
As part of our on-going initiative to increase the number of mental health care participants, we have further expanded policy.  We will award 20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts to an unlimited number of psychiatrists and up to five other mental health care providers.  Employers of the highest-ranked mental health care applicants beyond that limit will be offered 50% Local Match Contracts for their providers.

Community-Based Mental Health Care Providers:
Effective for the FY 2010 January 15 - May 31, 2009 Application Period, employers and their eligible mental health care providers working at community-based Community Mental Health (CMH) Agencies, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and at FQHC Look-Alikes, may apply for 20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts.

Eligible primary mental health care providers include:

• Psychiatrists
• Clinical or Counseling Psychologists, with a PH. D., Psy.D, or equivalent
• Licensed Professional Counselors, with a Doctorate Degree
• Marriage and Family Therapists, with a Doctorate Degree

The maximum loan repayment contract for the above providers is $25,000 per year for two to four years.

Eligible mid-level mental health care providers, with a Masters Degree, include:

• Clinical Social Workers
• Licensed Professional Counselors
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Mental Health Counselors, (Clinical)
• Psychiatric Nurse Specialists

The maximum loan repayment contract for eligible master-level providers is $15,000 per year for two to four years.

Priority status, selection process and limits:
Psychiatrists working at the community-based practice sites listed above are priority providers and will receive preference in the contract selection process as double priority applicants.  For the FY 2010 January 15 - May 31, 2009 Application Period, there is no policy limit on the number of psychiatrists who may be awarded 20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts.

All other eligible mental health care providers working at these community-based practice sites will be considered single-priority applicants.  Doctorate-level psychologists will, however, receive preference over all other single-priority applicants.  Single-priority mental health care provider applicants will be placed on the FY 2010 Rank-Ordered MSLRP Applicant List, along with all single-priority medical provider applicants.  Contracts will be awarded to those highest on the list, until all program funds are committed.

Ranking of applicants within the single-priority category on the Rank-Ordered List will be determined first by length of contract requested and then by lottery number.  This means that applicants requesting four-year contracts will be ranked above those requesting three-year contracts and those requesting three-year contracts will be ranked above applications for two-year contracts.  Applicants requesting longer-term contracts will be given preference over those requesting shorter-term contracts, because those providers and employers are demonstrating a longer-term commitment to serving residents of Michigan HPSAs.  Once all single-priority applicants are ranked by contract length, they will be further ranked by their randomly-generated lottery numbers. 

For the FY 2010 January 15 - May 31, 2009 Application Period, up to five single-priority mental health care provider applicants will be awarded 20% Employer Contribution Competitive Contracts.  Employers of the highest-ranked mental health care applicants beyond that limit will be offered 50% Local Match Contracts for their providers.

Institutional-Based Mental Health Care Providers:
Employers and eligible mental health care providers working at State Psychiatric Hospitals, Forensic Medicine Centers and State Correctional Facilities may continue to apply for Local Match Contracts, which require a 50% employer contribution.

Eligible provider types and maximum contract amounts are the same as those listed above.  During the Annual January 15 - May 31, 2009 Application Period, mental health care providers have preference over medical and dental provider applicants for Local Match Contracts.   Applicants will be ranked first by contract length requested and then by randomly-generated lottery number, as discussed above.  Currently there is no limit, aside from the availability of corresponding federal funds, to the number of institutional-based mental health care providers who may be awarded Local Match Contracts.

4.  New Application Forms
Whether applying during the FY 2009 First-Come, First-Served Application Period, or the FY 2010 January 15 - May 31, 2009 Annual Application Period, applicants must use the new application forms with a 1/09 revision date.  To access the new forms, wait until mid-January and click on the "MSLRP Application Forms" navigation title found on the first page of the MSLRP Website.  The new forms include:

• Provider Application, Part A (completed by provider)
• Provider Application, Part B (completed by provider and holder of loans)
• Practice Site Application and Declaration of Intent (completed by employer)

Providers and employers must type and print these forms.  Holders of loans may hand-print their section of Part B, sent to them by the provider.  All completed forms must be mailed to the MSLRP Office as part of the applicant's MSLRP Single-submission Application Package.

*Please note:  applicants are no longer required to submit either the W-9 Tax Form, or the Payee Registration Form.  Instead, applicants awarded loan repayment contracts will be asked to register on DMB's MAIN System for electronic funds transfer (EFT).  The registration process will automatically generate a W-9 Form.

If you have questions about the Michigan State Loan Repayment Program, please call Ken Miller, MSLRP Specialist at 517-241-9946, or e-mail him at MillerK3@michigan.gov .

SLRP Program Requirements for Health Care Providers and Employers:
Direct Primary Care:
SLRP providers must provide direct primary care services at an Approved SLRP Practice Site in order to receive SLRP payments.  SLRP providers are required to work at least 40 hours per week and provide direct primary patient care for no fewer than 32 hours per week.  Also, please note that Federal Program Guidelines do not consider services provided in an Emergency Room or Trauma Center to be primary care.

Direct Primary Care Must Be Provided in an Approved SLRP Practice Site:

To be an Approved SLRP Practice Site your practice site must, on the start date of your SLRP contract:

1. Be located in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA); and
2. Meet all other SLRP Program requirements as described in the SLRP Practice Site Application and Declaration of Intent.

Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs):
HPSA designations change over time.  The key point is that a SLRP provider's practice site must be in a HPSA on the start date of their SLRP contract.  Employers may use the SLRP as part of their recruitment and retention strategy at multiple practice sites across multiple HPSAs. 

You may want to check the various listings of HPSAs under Resources for Locating HPSAs toward the end of this website.  For more information on HPSA designations please visit the MDCH Health Professional Shortage Area Web site. 

SLRP Practice Site Requirements:
In order to certify that a practice site meets program requirements, employers must complete a SLRP Practice Site Application & Declaration of Intent for the practice site at which their health care provider intends to meet their SLRP service obligation over the term of their contract.  Employers may complete and mail the SLRP Practice Site Application & Declaration of Intent to the SLRP Office at any time.  However, health care providers must include an updated SLRP Practice Site Application & Declaration of Intent as part of their Compete, Single-submission SLRP Provider Application Package, which they must mail to the SLRP Office.

Generally, to become an Approved SLRP Practice Site, the practice site must:

1. Be located in a Federally designated HPSA.
2. Be a public or private not-for-profit agency with an IRS code designation of 501(c)(3).
3. Accept Medicaid and Medicare patients.
4. Agree to employ any participating SLRP provider for an average of 40 or more hours per week throughout the SLRP contractual period.
5. Participate in, or accept all members of a Qualified Health Plan (QHP), if one exists in the county in which it is located.  A QHP is a managed health care plan, such as an HMO or PPO which is enrolled as a provider with the Michigan Medicaid Program.
6. Make a sliding fee scale available to all patients, which is based on federal poverty guidelines.

Please see the SLRP Site Practice Application & Declaration of Intent for a complete list of SLRP Requirements.  The SLRP Office, within the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) will review your SLRP Practice Site Application & Declaration of Intent to determine whether your practice site is located in a HPSA and meets all program requirements.

The best approach in securing practice site approval is for an employer to submit a SLRP Site Practice Application & Declaration of Intent early in the process.  This allows the health care provider to focus on completing the rest of their SLRP application package.  It also allows time for an employer and the SLRP Office to work together in resolving any problems with meeting program requirements.  However, as with HPSA designation status, factors my change before the start of a health care provider's SLRP contract to cause the practice site to no longer meet SLRP requirements.  This is why an updated SLRP Practice Site Application and Declaration of Intent must be included as part of each health care provider's Complete, Single-submission SLRP Application Package.

National Health Service Corps Information:
In addition to the Michigan State Loan Repayment Program, providers and employers should consider the National Health Service Corp's (NHSC) Federal Loan Repayment Program (LRP) and Scholarship Program.  The National Health Service Corps' Federal LRP offers financial incentives similar to those offered by Michigan SLRP, but also allows health care providers at private, for-profit practice sites to participate.  The federal office contact for these programs is the National Health Service Corps at 800 221-9393.  You will find their website at: http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/index.asp.

You may apply for both the National Health Service Corp's Loan Repayment Program and the Michigan State Loan Repayment Program at the same time, but cannot participate in both at the same time.

If you have questions about the National Health Service Corps after reading their website, you can contact Robert Esdale, NHSC Analyst, here at the Department of Community Health.  His email is: EsdaleR@michigan.gov , and his phone number is: 517 373-2790.

Eligible Health Care Providers and Maximum Contract Amounts:
Following is the list of health care providers who may apply for the Michigan State Loan Repayment Program, along with their maximum annual SLRP contract amounts.  Providers cannot receive SLRP Payments in excess of the amount of their verified professional education debt, and must use all SLRP Payments to repay their professional education loans.  SLRP contracts and their corresponding service obligations run for two years.  For example, the typical physician contract would provide SLRP payments of $50,000 over a two year period.

Eligible SLRP Provider Types:

Primary Medical:

• Dentists
  • D.D.S or D.M.D: $25,000
• Physicians
  • Primary Care Physicians, Family Practice, Internal Medicine, OB/GYN, Pediatrics: $25,000

Mid-Level Medical Providers

• Certified Nurse Midwives: $15,000
• Nurse Practitioners: $15,000
• Physician assistants: $15,000

Primary Mental Health Care Providers

• Clinical or Counseling Psychologists:
  • Ph.D, Psy,D., or equivalent: $25,000
• Licensed Professional Counselors:
  • Doctoral:  $25,000
• Marriage and Family Therapists:
  • Doctoral: $25,000
• Psychiatrists: $25,000

Mid-Level Mental health Care Providers

• Clinical Social Worker: $15,000
• Licensed Professional Counselors
  • M.A.: $15,000
• Marriage and Family Therapists: $15,000
• Mental Health Counselors
  • M.A. Clinical; $15,000
• Psychiatric Nurse Specialists: $15,000

MSLRP Mental Health Care Provider Policy Expansion:

As part of an initiative to expand participation of mental health care workers in the Michigan State Loan Repayment Program, we are expanding eligibility requirements in terms of eligible practice sites and sources of funds used for local match contracts.  These policy changes are effective January 1, 2008.

Expansion of Eligible Practice Sites:

In the past, only mental health care providers working in State-funded institutions were eligible to apply for MSLRP loan repayment contracts.  These State-funded institutions included:

• State Psychiatric Hospitals
• Forensic Medicine Centers
• Community Mental Health (CMH) Agencies
• State Correctional Facilities

Beginning January 1, 2008, mental health care providers working at any MSLRP priority practice site, located within a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, will be eligible to apply for a loan repayment contract.  Current priority practice sites include:

• Local Health Departments
• State-funded Institutions, including:
  • State Psychiatric Hospitals
  • Forensic Medicine Centers
  • Community Mental Health (CMH) Agencies
  • State Correctional Facilities
  • State-funded Primary Care Clinics
• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and FQHC Look-Alikes
• Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-Administered Primary Care Clinics
• Certified Rural Health Clinics (RHC) Designated as Facility HPSAs

Expansion of Eligible Sources of Funds used for Local Match Contributions:

In the past, employers of eligible mental health care providers could only use Community Mental Health (CMH) funds appropriated by the Michigan Legislature to pay the employer/local matching contribution required for Local Match Contracts (then called CMH/DOC State Match contracts).  In addition, employers at Department of Corrections (DOC) Facilities that did not receive CMH funds, could use their DOC appropriations to pay the employer/local matching contribution required for Local Match Contracts.

Beginning January 1, 2008, employers at any of the MSLRP priority practice sites described above may use any verifiable, non-federal source of funds to pay the employer/local matching contribution required on Local Match Contracts for their eligible mental health care providers.  Please see "Potential Funding Sources for Employer/Local Matching Contributions", below.

Eligible Mental Health Care Providers:

The list of mental health care providers eligible to apply for MSLRP loan repayment contracts has not changed.  Eligible primary mental health care providers, which may receive up to $50,000 over an initial two-year loan repayment contract, include:

• Psychiatrists
• Clinical or Counseling Psychologists, with a PH. D, Psy.D or equivalent
• Licensed Professional Counselors, with a Doctorate Degree
• Marriage and Family Therapists, with a Doctorate Degree

Eligible mid-level mental health care providers must have a Master's Degree and may receive up to $30,000 over an initial two-year loan repayment contract.  These include:

• Clinical Social Workers
• Licensed Professional Counselors
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Mental Health Counselors, (Clinical)
• Psychiatric Nurse Specialists

Potential Funding Sources for Employer/Local Matching Contributions

As mentioned above, Local Match Contracts allow employers and their communities to double the impact of funds they intend to use for recruiting and retaining needed medical, dental and mental health care providers.  Every dollar contributed by an employer and/or local community is matched by a federal dollar to assist in their provider recruitment and retention efforts.

While employers often contribute matching dollars from their organizations' operating funds to meet this requirement, it makes sense for them to turn to other sources when funds are not readily available.  Employers may use any verifiable, non-federal funds which have been transferred to them for making Employer/Local Matching Contributions on a Local Match Contract.  Sources of such non-federal funds may include, but are not limited to:

• A practice site's sponsoring agency or parent company
• Community leaders
• Community development programs
• Business, service, or nonprofit organizations
• Local, state or national foundations or charities
• State General Funds
• Provider organizations representing the type of medical, dental, or mental health care provider needed in the community.

This list is meant to suggest possible sources of non-federal matching contributions and to serve as the starting point of a successful search for funds to serve as employer/local matching contributions.  Other similar funds may be eligible for use by employers as matching funds for Local Match Contracts if they come from a verfiable, non-federal source.