W-9 forms - new thing for 2006 FIRST Registration

[Andy Baker]

Looking through the FIRST Robotics Registration for 2006, I see that all US teams need to fill out W-9 forms and send them into FIRST. From what I can tell, this is for all teams and not just teams who are receiving grants.

Here is the page on FIRST's site. Follow that link for more information. Teams - now is the time to do this, not later. We just started our process and our school will go through the hoops to get this form filled out.

We have not done this in any previous year. I wanted to start this thread to make this less of a suprise for all US teams.

Enjoy,
Andy B.

[Mike Betts]

Andy,

Thanks for the heads up.

Mike

[Beth Sweet]

I was under the impression that this was just for the teams receiving grants...

[dez250]

Every US based team must submit a W-9 to FIRST Finance prior to receiving the Kit of Parts. Please go to the link provided (W-9) - print out the W-9 and have it filled out by the organization that you have chosen to accept any possible funds. Please make sure that the W-9 is signed by an official of the organization and dated. You will also need to make sure that you include your Team # with the W-9.

No W-9 = No Kit of Parts = No Robot being built.

[Ricky Q.]

Originally Posted by dez250

No W-9 = No Kit of Parts = No Robot being built.

I read this as a thing only for teams that are recieving money from a company who is first giving it to FIRST, and then FIRST to the teams. Such as NASA does with their grants, or GM and the other large companies that sponsor a number of teams. It is my understanding that a large chunk of money goes to FIRST, and then gets distributed to the teams. This is from the 2006 FIRST Grant Info Document http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2006...Teams_2006.pdf :

(Sorry about the formatting, CD doesn't like copying from PDFs into posts.)

Originally Posted by FIRST

Should FIRST receive a grant designated to your FRC Team, FIRST will “regrant" the funds to your FRC Teams as a “pass through” grant with no deductions for overhead or processing costs. 100% of the designated funds will be re-granted
provided that the Team (Grantee) follows the steps and procedures noted below:


1. FIRST receives the Grantor’s donation and designation in writing. FIRST
applies the amount needed to satisfy the open payment of your Team’s
Registration fees, which covers the Regional entry fee and Kit of Parts.



The Grantee (FRC Team) initiates the process of receiving these pass
through funds and maintains audit compliance by doing the following:


US Grantees only supply an IRS Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer ID, to
FIRST Finance via fax or mail. The form is available from FIRST or via the
IRS website at www.irs.gov. This form is required of all US team grantees
and insures that no funds are withheld for tax purposes.

The entity filling out the W-9 should be your School or School
Administrative Unit or the FRC Team if it has a separate tax id. Please note
that FIRST cannot disburse granted funds to any individual person or
persons. This is not the Grantor’s intent and could cause taxable income to
the person receiving the funds.

I guess this issue needs some clarifying from FIRST.

[Beth Sweet]

I'm just gonna get this thing filled out so whatever the ruling I don't have to worry about it

[dubious elise]

Thanks a lot Andy. Ricky, I poked around the site some more and towards the bottom of the main page it says that ...

"Every US based team must submit a W-9 to FIRST Finance prior to recieving the KOP."

Thats a pretty strong command if you ask me. We aren't going to take any risks with this one.

[RoboMom]

According to FIRST, the majority of schools have filled these W-9 forms out in the past. The difference this year is that FIRST wants them filled out before they are needed. This is to ensure that the teams are able to get any grant awarded funding when it is awarded instead of weeks or months later and it is an IRS requirement. A W-9 needs to be submitted annually, even if a team has previously submitted a W-9 to FIRST.

The proper person to fill the W-9 out is a representative of the organization that FIRST would write a check to for any pass through funds. If the team wants the funds to go to the school, a representative of the school needs to fill out the form, sign it and make sure that the Federal Tax ID # is accurate. This could be a principal, Asst. Principal, Superintendent. If they want the funds to go to the District then the District fills it out and a representative of the District would sign it.

It is the teams responsibility to designate an entity that will work with them to receive any pass through funds and to obtain a Federal Tax ID# and FIRST cannot send any funds to a team if they have not received an accurate W-9.
Hope this helps a little...

[Andy Baker]

Update:

This is definitely for ALL United States-based teams. Even if you are not getting a grant, this is still a must, according to the pre-registration process info on TIMS.

Here is their brief direction from the TIMS site:

"U.S. teams must submit W-9 form in order to receive Kit of Parts."

Andy B.

[RoboMom]

FIRST will work with every US team to make sure these forms are submitted in a timely manner.

[Ken Loyd]

Most school districts have this form completed and ready to fax. Check with your school principal. Simply fax the form to FIRST so they can keep it on file.

Ken

[Kims Robot]

Can anyone explain exactly why FIRST is requiring this this year? I understand for grants, but there is absolutely no way our team will get or need a grant... so why do I have to disclose this type of info? Why exactly would FIRST need our TaxID info, if they never have before?

Im not really trying to argue that they dont need it, I am just trying to understand why they do need it... (Im sure there is a legimate reason, but I just dont know it myself).

[Ken Loyd]

Kim et all,

There are some teams not affiliated with a school or non-profit organization . We have a team in our area that is a community team open to students from several schools. It is much more difficult for these teams to receive grants and gifts. I guess the IRS might be afraid that someone might make a buck illegally. I was told the W-9 forms will be kept on file at FIRST and not the IRS.

Ken

[Mark Pettit]

I'm on the side of "Why does FIRST need this from our team?", however, I also don't want to be the team at the kickoff that finds out I can't receive my kit because FIRST never received my W-9. Thus, I filled it out and faxed it in as soon as I read that "Every US based team must submit a W-9".
'Jumped through that hoop!

[Beth Sweet]

Originally Posted by Mark Pettit

I'm on the side of "Why does FIRST need this from our team?", however, I also don't want to be the team at the kickoff that finds out I can't receive my kit because FIRST never received my W-9. Thus, I filled it out and faxed it in as soon as I read that "Every US based team must submit a W-9".
'Jumped through that hoop!

I'm going to go out on a limb here and think that I understand why we have to make this submission. I know that last year we just had everyone we talked to send their money directly to FIRST and by the end of the season, there was a little bit too much money turned into FIRST and they had to send some of it back to us. At that point they needed a W-9 from us so that they could send the money, I suppose to prove that the money was being sent to another non profit so there would be no tax issues. Once again, this is just me pretending to know what's going on but that would be my best guess.