Partial Government Shutdown

January 28, 2019 UPDATE: The government has been temporarily re-opened. A Resumption of Operations at NSF page has been developed that includes notices and supplemental guidance that addresses grant and cooperative agreement-related policy and systems issues.  This page will continue to be updated as new information becomes available. 

As of today, the University's ability to draw down funds are reinstated today.

January 26, 2019 UPDATE: Yesterday NSF published new information for proposers and awardees. Please be aware of the following:

• The implementation date for the revised NSF PAPPG (NSF 19-1), which was schedule to become effective on January 28, 2019, has been delayed. NSF will post a new implementation date on the NSF website. In the interim, the current version of the PAPPG (NSF 18-1) applies.
• The deadline date for the solicitations or Dear Colleague Letters, if identified in the notice, will be extended. New deadline dates have not yet been identified.

January 2, 2019: A partial government shutdown has continued ino the new year. While NIH and the Department of Education are funded, others such as NSF, NASA, NOAA, USDA, NIST and NEST are not. Agency Contingency Plans and FAQs can be found on the OMB website. 

In the event of a shutdown: 1) active grant and contract activity funded with current or prior year appropriations can continue. However, agency personnel most likely will not be available for approvals, supervisory support, and other administrative functions; 2) routine, ongoing operational and administrative activities relating to contract or grant administration (including payment processing) cannot continue; 3) no new awards will be issued, and: 4) most likely, new grant applications will not be accepted, though this may depend on each agencies internal approach.

As we did before and during the 2013 and 2015 shutdowns, OSP will provide updates, news, and guidance. We will also publish agency specific guidelines as they are released.

Keep in mind:

• Operational and administrative activities related to the federal oversight of research regulations and its administration of grants, cooperative agreements and contracts will temporarily cease. A shutdown and the associated furlough of federal employees does not waive or alter the University's obligation to comply with federal regulations, rules and policies.

• OSP will continue to review, approve and submit proposals to federal sponsors to the greatest extent possible. However, some federal government electronic systems may not accept proposals and some agencies may discourage application submission.  Additionally, there will be no help desk or technical support available for federal government electronic systems.

• No awards will be issued by federal sponsors during the funding lapse. Award actions under negotiation at the time of the shutdown and multi-year contracts that end after the current fiscal year eds may be put on hold by the sponsor. Federal employees will not be available to conduct routine business.

• Work on federal awards currently in hand may continue to the extent that funding is available and such performance does not require federal staff intervention, unless the federal sponsor issues a stop-work order. If a stop-work order is issued, OSP will receive a notice from the federal sponsor and will inform the PI and department. Projects funded by contracts or cooperative agreements are more likely to receive stop-work orders or performance suspension notices than projects funded by grants.

• Spending on awards and award modifications not yet received is the decision of the unit that will administer the award. OSP will continue to process all approved requests for preaward spending, preliminary projects, and preliminary extensions. Department chairs, unit directors, deans and vice presidents should carefully consider the additional risk caused by the shutdown and, if desired, discuss requests with OSP prior to endorsing such requests.

Please direct questions regarding the possible shutdown's impact on your current awards to your Sponsored Projects Officer.