May 03, 2011

Federal Standard Research Terms and Conditions Updated

The National Science Foundation issued a notice that new versions of the Research Terms and Conditions have been posted on the NSF web site:
The federal Research Terms and Conditions are a standard core set of administrative terms and conditions on research and research-related awards that are subject to OMB Circular A-­110, ‘‘Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations’’ (2 CFR part 215).

The NSF announcement stated that ‘‘While there were NO changes made to the actual side-by-side version of the Research Terms, since the appendices are formally a part of the Research Terms, the document was simply re-dated and reposted to the NSF website. Using the date of June 2011 will provide sufficient time for all agencies to make any necessary changes to their systems to adjust to this new date.’’

NSF included a summary of the significant changes made to the Appendices:

Changes made to Appendix B: Subaward Requirements
  • Updated USDA/CSREES to reflect name change to USDA/NIFA, and other associated changes
Changes made to Appendix C: National Policy Requirements Matrix

New Categories of Requirements:
  • Created New Category, Health and Safety Standards
  • Created New Category, National Security Guidelines
  • Created New Category, General/Miscellaneous Requirements, and alphabetized listing of items that fall under this category
Federal-wide Requirements:
  • Added DUNS requirement
  • Added CCR requirement
  • Added FFATA
  • Added Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act
  • Added Text Messaging While Driving
  • Added Prohibition on ACORN funding
  • Updated assurance language for NEPA to read: “Before a funding decision is made by the federal agency, identify to the awarding agency all potential impacts this award may have on”
  • Consolidated False Claims Act provisions and updated reference for EPA
  • Modified Human Stem Cell Research – updated and corrected
  • Updated Government-wide Debarment and Suspension references
  • Updated Paperwork Reduction Act by adding reference to M-11-07 “Facilitating Scientific Research by Streamlining the Paperwork Reduction Act Process”
  • Updated Research Misconduct reference for USDA/NIFA
  • Updated Environmental Standards reference for EPA
  • Updated Clean Air Act reference for EPA
  • Updated Metric System reference for EPA
  • Updated National Historic Preservation reference for EPA
  • Updated Utilization of Small Business Concerns reference for EPA
Agency Specific:
  • Added Federal Information System Security Management Act (HHS awards only)
  • Added Cert of Filing and Payment of Taxes (NIH awards only)
  • Added “and Exceptions on Restrictions on Abortions”
  • Added Training of Grad Students for Doctoral Degrees
  • Deleted “Restriction on Employment of Unauthorized Alien Workers (deleted from FY10 appropriations)
  • Updated Public Access Policy citation
June 17, 2008 Research Advocate: Federal Agencies Implementing New Standard Research Terms and Conditions
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