NASA Adopts New Policy for No-Cost Extensions

NASA has significantly changed the process for submitting no-cost extension requests under grants and cooperative agreements. These new rules are in effect now and are being enforced:

• Requests must be submitted within a 20-day time window, no earlier than 30 days and no later than 10 days prior to the last day of the period of performance.
• An annual progress report must be attached. The NASA Shared Services Center’s on-line no-cost extension request web form will not allow the request to be submitted without the report. The submitter must also certify that the progress report is current and that the request is being sent within the last 30 days of the period of performance.

The web form still offers a standard rationale for use with a first no-cost extension request, and a window for entering a longer explanation for needing a second or third request.

These new requirements, and the fact that they are electronically enforced, mean that it will be essential for investigators and administrators to monitor the remaining balances of their NASA awards carefully.