Federal Guidance | COVID-19

Please find below updates from our federal agencies along with some guidance in response to COVID-19.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your UTSA Research Service Center.

**Updated 7-2-20**

OMB Guidance and Memorandums

On June 18th, OMB released OMB Memorandum M-20-26, Extension of Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations

M-20-26 provides Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies authority to extend the salary charging flexibilities that were included in OMB Memorandum M-20-17. NIH and NSF have issued memoranda implementing M-20-26, but these documents repeat the language used in M-20-26, without providing further clarification as to the meaning of its language. Our understanding is that other agencies will follow a similar response––as such, the COGR analysis below is based on the language in M-20-26 and the assumption agencies will not provide additional clarification.

>> Read COGR Comments on OMB Memorandum M-20-26

**Updated 4-22-20**

Department of Education

  • The Department of Education is making the second half of the CARES Act funds (approx. $6.2B) available to colleges and universities.
  • In order to access the funds, the college or university must sign and submit a certification agreement through grants.gov. The institution must have submitted a certification agreement for the first half of the funds—student emergency funds—in order to receive the second half.
  • The Department posted several FAQs about permissible uses of funds for both the institutional portion and the student emergency grant portion.  The FAQs also contain a list of non-permissible use of funds as well.


**Updated 4-13-20**

Office of Human Research Protections
>> OHRP Guidance on COVID-19


**Updated 3-31-20**

>> Huron Consulting has provided this Quick Guide Matrix, summarizing guidance provided by federal agencies on the administrative flexibilities being extended to ease the burden for institutions responding to COVID-19.

NIH Unveils Research Flexibilities Due to COVID-19

Several federal agencies are taking steps to help nonfederal entities adjust to disruptions in applying for and managing federal grant programs caused by Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently issued guidance applying administrative flexibilities for NIH applicants and recipients to meet requirements under the uniform grant guidance and HHS regulations under 45 C.F.R. Part 75. >> READ MORE


OMB Tells Agencies To Offer Flexibilities to Contractors in Response to COVID-19

Similar to its guidance documents enabling federal agencies to extend flexibilities to grant recipients to accommodate the disruptions to business as usual caused by the response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued guidance to federal agencies on extending certain exceptions under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to federal contractors (see ¶750 in Guide to Managing Federal Grants for Colleges and Universities). >> READ MORE


**Updated 3-25-20**

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA-DHHS)
https://www.samhsa.gov/coronavirus/discretionary-grant-recipients

  • Allowing flexibility for grant recipients affected by the loss of operational capacity and increased costs due to the COVID-19 crisis.
  • These flexibilities are available during this emergency time period. Flexibility may be reassessed upon issuance of new guidance by the Office of Management and Budget post the emergency time period.

       FAQs

       COVID-19 Re-Budgeting Request More Than 25% or $250,000

  • Grant recipients have the flexibility to re-budget (e.g. 25% or less of the current budget or $250,000, whichever is less) as long as the activities are allowable under the FOA, within the scope of your grant application, and in line with the statutory requirement of the award. Grant recipients must keep documentation of all costs and SAMHSA may request this documentation during the grant period.
  • If the re-budgeting of funds is more than 25% of the current budget or $250,000 whichever is less you MUST submit a COVID-19 post award amendment through eRA Commons.
  • COVID-19 Sample Revised Budget (DOC | 25 KB)
  • SAMHSA eRA Commons COVID-19 Post Award Amendment Reference Sheet (PDF | 818 KB)

**Updated 3-23-20**

OMB Guidance and Memorandums

Council on Governmental Relations

Department of Defense (DOD)

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Department of Justice (DOJ)

General Services Administration (GSA)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Small Business Administration (SBA)

National Institutes of Health

**Updated 3-23-20**

NIH has issued the following Notices with guidance for applicants, awardees, and institutions. If you have additional questions, please contact your Sponsored Programs Officer.

**Updated 3-20-20**

National Science Foundation

NSF has established a webpage with guidance specific to their agency with information for awardee organizations, researchers, and reviewers. If you have questions, please feel free to contact your Sponsored Programs Officer.

USAID

Department of Energy

CDMRP

USAMRAA | United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity

CPRIT

**Updated 3-23-20**

As COVID-19 precautionary measures and illness hinder business activities, CPRIT is committed to supporting our grant applicants and grantees.  They are reviewing several near-term issues related to COVID-19 that may arise over the next few months and impact grant applications, grantee reporting, and grant project timelines and costs.  CPRIT has released a “frequently asked questions” guide that is available on their website.

Grantees should contact program managers (Patty Moore, Academic Research; Rosemary French, Product Development; and Ramona Magid, Prevention) with questions about COVID-19’s effect on individual grant projects.  CPRIT has also created a dedicated email (covid19@cprit.texas.gov) for grantee questions.

Office of the Vice President for Research, Economic Development and Knowledge Enterprise
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