[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 14, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13660-13661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04955]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Final Notice of Research Terms and Conditions (RTC) To Address 
and Implement the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, 
and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards Issued by the U.S. Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB)

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Final notice of Research Terms and Conditions (RTC) to address 
and implement the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, 
and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200) issued by the 
U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

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SUMMARY: Effective with publication of this Notice in the Federal 
Register, research agencies will be able to utilize the updated 
Research Terms and Conditions (RTC) that will address and implement the 
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit 
Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200) issued by the U.S. Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: The updated Research Terms and Conditions will March 14, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:  To view the final Research Terms and 
Conditions and Appendices, see: https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp. For information on the Research Terms and Conditions, contact 
Jean Feldman, Head, Policy Office, Division of Institution & Award 
Support, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 
22230, email: [email protected]; telephone (703) 292-8243; FAX: (703) 
292-9171.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2000, the Federal Demonstration 
Partnership (FDP), a cooperative initiative among numerous Federal 
agencies and institutional recipients of research funds aimed at 
reducing the administrative burdens associated with research grants and 
contracts, developed Standard Terms and Conditions as a model 
implementation of OMB Circular A-110. These terms were an effective set 
of requirements for many agency research awards. In 2005, following 
public and agency comment on the original FDP terms, standard research 
terms and conditions were developed by Research Business Models (RBM), 
an Interagency Working Group of the Social, Behavioral & Economic 
Research Subcommittee of the Committee on Science (CoS), a committee of 
the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). In 2008, a side-by-
side comparison of OMB Circular A-110 and the Research Terms and 
Conditions was developed; the terms and conditions were updated in 
2011.
    This project is an initiative of the Research Business Models (RBM) 
Interagency Working Group. One of the RBM Subcommittee's priority areas 
is to create greater consistency in the administration of Federal 
research awards. Given the increasing complexity of interdisciplinary 
and interagency research, it has become increasingly important for 
Federal agencies to manage awards in a similar fashion.
    On June 30, 2014, a proposal was presented to the RBM on behalf of 
the participating agencies from the RBM Interagency Working Group to 
develop a revised set of RTCs for implementing the Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements 
for Federal Awards, 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance). The purpose was to 
develop a revised set of RTCs as they apply to research and research-
related grants made by the following awarding agencies to institutions 
of higher education and non-profit organizations.
    The agencies participating in this activity include the: U. S. 
Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
and National Institute of Standards and Technology; U.S. Department of 
Energy; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration; National Science Foundation; U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services/National Institutes of Health; U.S. 
Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture; 
U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration; and 
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
    On October 14, 2015 the National Science Foundation asked for 
public comment on the updated Research Terms and Conditions (RTC) to 
address and implement the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards issued by the 
U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Federal Register [80 
FR 61849, October 14, 2015]. All comments were considered in developing 
this final version of the Research Terms and Conditions. A table 
listing the comments and responses is posted on the NSF Web site at: 
https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp.
    While the Uniform Guidance outlines provisions that are specific to 
research, these terms and conditions:
     Incorporate the entire Uniform Guidance by reference, 
clarifying or supplementing select provisions where appropriate and 
consistent with government-wide research policy.
     Incorporate the latest version of the Frequently Asked 
Questions for the Office of Management and Budget's Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements 
for Federal Awards at 2 CFR 200 (located at https://cfo.gov/cofar-resources).
     Apply to an award when included as part of the award or 
when incorporated in the award by reference. Use of the RTCs is 
envisioned as a streamlined approach that supports the implementation 
of the Uniform Guidance by providing clarification, supplementary 
guidance, and, where appropriate, selected options, while meeting the 
spirit and intent of a uniform implementation.
    The side-by-side RTCs depict pertinent sections of the Uniform 
Guidance on the left side and clarifications for research and research-
related awards on the right side.
    In addition to the RTCs, three companion resources will be 
developed upon implementation: Appendix A, Prior Approval Matrix, 
Appendix B, Subaward Requirements Matrix, and

[[Page 13661]]

Appendix C, National Policy Requirements Matrix. The companion 
resources, when finalized, will be posted on the NSF Web site at: 
https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp. The RTCs include 
flexibility for additional individual agency clarification through the 
incorporation of Appendices A-C and Agency-Specific Requirements.
    These RTCs will apply to an award when they are included as part of 
that award, or when incorporated into that award by reference. Each 
participating agency will develop their own implementation plan, and 
agency specific requirements to the RTCs, which will be posted on the 
NSF Web site at: https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp. Since 
there will be multiple implementation dates, the RTC Web site should be 
consulted frequently.
    Other agencies not identified above that would like to implement 
the RTCs are strongly encouraged to do so. In order to provide the 
necessary documentation to the research community, the following 
information must be provided to NSF prior to adoption of the RTCs: 
Prior Approval Matrix, Subaward Requirements Matrix, Agency-Specific 
Requirements, and agency implementation plan.
    On behalf of the RBM, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has 
agreed to continue to serve as the sponsor of the updated version of 
these RTCs.

    Dated: March 9, 2017.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2017-04955 Filed 3-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P