Announcement:The National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued important guidance to the community regarding COVID-19:
- Important Notice No 146 to the Community Regarding COVID-19
- Guidance on NSF’s implementation of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum (M-20-17)
Please review the above guidance, in addition to the below summary of the flexibilities that NSF is implementing due to COVID-19:
Application Deadlines
NSF has extended the deadline dates for specific funding opportunities. A listing of these extensions is available on the Foundation’s COVID-19 webpage. Deadline dates for funding opportunities that do not appear on the list remain unchanged. Recipients who are unable to meet stated deadlines should contact the cognizant NSF Program Officer to discuss the issue. NSF will consider extensions on a case by case basis.
No-Cost Extensions on Expiring Awards
Recipients must follow standard policies and procedures specified in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and applicable award conditions regarding submission of grantee and NSF-approved no-cost extensions.
Prior Approval Requirement Waivers
Recipients are required to obtain the prior approvals specified in 2 CFR § 200.308 (c) (iviii) which must be submitted via Research.gov. All other prior approvals specified in the applicable Prior Approval Matrix are waived. Recipients are reminded that they are to ensure that all costs charged to Federal awards must be consistent with Federal cost policy guidelines and the terms of the award, except as specified in this guidance.
Allowability of Costs Not Normally Chargeable to Awards
Recipients who incur costs related to the cancellation of events, travel, or other activities necessary and reasonable for the performance of the award, or the pausing and restarting of grant funded activities due to the public health emergency, are authorized to charge these costs to their award without regard to 2 CFR § 200.403, Factors affecting allowability of costs, 2 CFR § 200.404, Reasonable costs, and 2 CFR § 200.405, Allocable costs. Recipients may charge the full cost to the award when the event, travel, or other activities is conducted under the auspices of the grant. Recipients must not assume that supplemental funding will be available should the charging of cancellation or other fees result in a shortage of funds to eventually carry out the event or travel. If a shortfall is anticipated, recipients must contact the cognizant NSF Program Officer to discuss the situation. Recipients are required to maintain appropriate records and cost documentation as required by 2 CFR § 200.302 – Financial management and 2 CFR § 200.333 – Retention requirement of records, to substantiate the charging of any cancellation or other fees related to interruption of operations or services.
Allowability of Salaries and Other Project Activities
Recipients are authorized to continue to charge salaries, stipends, and benefits to currently active NSF awards consistent with the recipients’ policy of paying salaries (under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances) from all funding sources, Federal and non-Federal. The recipient also is authorized to charge other costs to NSF awards that are necessary to resume activities supported by the award, consistent with applicable Federal cost principles and the benefit to the project. Recipients must not assume that supplemental funding will be available should the charging of such costs or other fees result in a shortage of funds to eventually carry out the project. If a shortfall is anticipated, recipients must contact the cognizant NSF Program Officer to discuss the situation. NSF will evaluate the grantee’s ability to resume the project activity in the future and the appropriateness of future funding, as done under normal circumstances—based on subsequent project reports and other communications with the recipient. Recipients are required to maintain appropriate records and cost documentation as required by 2 CFR § 200.302 – Financial management and 2 CFR § 200.333 – Retention requirement of records to substantiate the charging of any salaries and other project activities costs related to interruption of operations or services.
Extension of Closeout
NSF has automatically extended the due date for submission of all final project reports and Project Outcomes Reports due between March 1 and April 30, 2020, by 30 days. These final reports must continue to be submitted via Research.gov. Recipients are reminded that NSF cannot make any new award or supplement any existing award if the PI or any co-PI(s)s has an overdue final report; therefore, it is vital that final reports be submitted by the revised due date.
Additional Updates from the National Science Foundation
- NSF encourages you to take extra precautions to protect yourselves and your families against COVID-19. For the latest NSF information visit Coronavirus Information.|
- NSF has released a document that addresses Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Proposal Submission and Award Management in relation to COVID-19. Proposers and awardees are strongly encouraged to monitor this website for updates.
- NSF is working closely with the research community to bolster our national response to COVID-19. Learn more about NSF Supporting Research to Address Coronavirus Disease.
- NSF has issued a statement that they are taking the following steps to reduce risks for travel, merit review panels, and NSF-sponorsed meetings while preserving their core mission.
- Considering inquiries received from managing organizations and contractors, NSF has issued guidance to entities managing major facilities under cooperative agreements or contracts issued by the Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Support (DACS).
Questions? If you have any questions, please contact the Contracts and Grants Officer assigned to your unit.