NSF: Disaster Relief Flexibilities

The National Science Foundation implementation of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum, M-21-20, “Promoting Public Trust in the Federal Government through Effective Implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act and Stewardship of the Taxpayer Resources, Appendix 3 - Disaster Relief Flexibilities to Reduce Burden for Financial Assistance” dated March 19, 2021 is now available on the NSF Coronavirus Information page.

The exceptions identified by NSF apply to NSF recipients with COVID-19 related federal financial assistance awards. Flexibilities related to NSF’s implementation of OMB Memorandum M-21-20 include:

• Delay of the completion and submission of the Single Audit reporting package
• Extensions of deadlines for certain funding opportunities
• Extension of the biennial physical inventory

For a complete listing see: NSF Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-21-20.

Important Information for NIH PIs

The National Institutes of Health has issued new instructions and requirements for the Biographical Sketch (Biosketch) and Other Support for applications and Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR) submitted for due dates on or after May 25, 2021. See Upcoming Changes to the Biographical Sketch and Other Support Format Page for Due Dates on or after May 25, 2021 (NOT-OD-21-073).

NIH Principal Investigators (PIs) should be aware that additional time and effort may be needed to comply with the following new requirements for reporting “Other Support:”

• If foreign activities and resources are reported under “Other Support,” copies of contracts, grants or any other agreement specific to senior/key personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution as supporting documentation must be provided to NIH.
• If these documents are not in English, translated copies must be provided.
• This supporting documentation must be provided as part of the Other Support PDF following the Other Support Format page.
• All principal investigators and other senior/key personnel must electronically sign the Other Support form, prior to its submission to NIH, certifying that the Other Support information is accurate and complete.
• Other Support submissions must be submitted as a “flattened” PDF, after all signatures are obtained. The original electronic signatures must be available upon NIH request.

Unfunded applications submitted prior to May 25, 2021 are not subject to these requirements. The new requirements only apply to RPPRs and to applications submitted on or after May 25, 2021 (including applications submitted early for those due dates).

PIs or other Senior/Key personnel on an active NIH grant who fail to disclose Other Support information outside of Just-in-Time or the RPPR, as applicable, should notify SPO. SPO must provide the updated “Other Support” to the Grants Management Specialist named in the Notice of Award as soon as it becomes known.

See the NIH FAQs on Other Support and Foreign Components for additional information

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March 12, 2021 Research Advocate: NIH: Changes to the Biographical Sketch and Other Support Format Page