National Science Foundation Revises Certain Award Terms and Conditions

In early July, the National Science Foundation (NSF) revised a number of award terms and conditions to include a post-award disclosure requirement for undisclosed current support and in-kind contribution information. Along with this new requirement, each set of terms and conditions is accompanied by a summary of changes made to that document. The NSF Award Terms and Conditions impacted by these changes include:

• NSF Agency Specific Requirements to the Research Terms and Conditions (ASR);
• Cooperative Agreement Financial & Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC);
• Cooperative Agreement Modifications and Supplemental Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions for Major Multi-User Research Facility Projects and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers;
• Grant General Conditions (GC-1);
• Special Terms and Conditions (FL-26) for Administration of NSF Conference or Travel Grants;
• Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I Grant General Conditions (SBIR/STTR-I); and
• SBIR/STTR Phase II Cooperative Agreement Financial & Administrative Terms and Conditions (SBIR/STTR-IIAC-FATC).

The revised terms and conditions for most documents will go into effect October 5, 2020 and will apply to all new NSF awards and funding amendments to existing NSF awards. The revised terms and conditions for SBIR/STTR-I and SBIR/STTR-II CA-FATC documents, however, became effective July 6, 2020.

Questions regarding NSF terms and conditions may be sent to the Division of Institution & Award Support (DIAS) Policy Office at [email protected].

Related resources:

NSF Issues Guidance on Award Salary and Benefit Payments and Suspension of Operations