Research Administration Services is monitoring the guidance from federal agencies regarding how the COVID-19 response may impact proposals and awards. Links to current agency and other sponsor guidance can be found below.
Federal contracting and program officers and some non-federal sponsors are also beginning to contact principal investigators to understand the impact on existing programs. Please forward communications received to research-continuity@mit.edu so that we can assist with providing a response.
Links to Sponsor Specific Guidance
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – updated 8/10/20
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies providing them with the flexibility to grant administrative relief to recipients of federal assistance awards “affected by the loss of operational capacity and increased costs due to the COVID-19 crisis” and a related memorandum addressing flexibility for federal contracts. OMB has also released a memorandum allowing repurposing of existing awards to support the COVID-19 crisis.
Federal agencies are in various stages of implementing the OMB guidance and the flexibilities vary by agency and in some cases program. We are monitoring carefully the situation, seeking clarity, and will provide additional guidance as it becomes available.
- 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) (published 6/18/20)
- Preserving the Resilience of the Federal Contracting Base in the Fight Against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (published 4/17/20)
- Implementation Guidance for Supplemental Funding Provided in Response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (M-20-21) (published 4/10/20)
- Repurposing Existing Federal Financial Assistance Programs and Awards to Support the Emergency Response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (M-20-20) – (published 4/9/20)
- Managing Federal Contract Performance Issues Associated with the Novel Coronoavirus (COVID-19) . (M-20-18) (published 3/20/20)
- Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations – (M-20-17) (published 3/19/20)
- Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) – (M-20-11) (published 3/9/20)
Department of Defense – updated 8/10/20
- DoD Researcher Proposers and Awardees Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) - formerly FAQ page, now provides updated advice and links based on implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-26 (published 6/18/20)
- Allow Exemptions for DoD Financial Assistance Recipients Affected by the Loss of Operational Capacity and Increased Costs due to the COVID-19 Crisis
- Air Force
- Army - updated 4/1/20
- U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) COVID-19 Resources - High-level summary of COVID-19 communications with links
- USAMRAA’s Supplemental Guidance on Administrative Flexibilities for Grants and Cooperative Agreements in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic (3/25/20 – replaces FAQs dated 3/16/20)
- Memorandum for Customers of the Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO) - (3/19/20)
- Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) Frequently Asked Questions
- Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)
- Defense Pricing and Contracting (DPC) – added 4/17/20
- COVID-19 Website - Compilation of COVID-19-related DPC memoranda, FAQs and other resources for contracting with DoD.
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) – updated 4/1/20
- Navy
- Office of Naval Research – Coronavirus Assistance and Acquisition-Related Information and Resources – main page for all ONR Guidance, also has links to other DoD resources - (check this page regularly for updates)
- Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Research Development and Acquisition – (Intent and Direction) Engaging the Research and Development Industrial Base during COVID-19 (3/24/20)
Department of Energy – updated 8/10/20
- ARPA-E Funding Agreements & Project Guidance – provides most recent guidance documents for ARPA-E funding
- PF 2020-20 COVID-19 Guidance for Financial Assistance Actions (3/30/20)
- Accommodating Interruptions from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (3/13/20)
- Coronavirus Hub – general information
Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) – updated 4/22/20
- Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) – OHRP Guidance on COVID-19 – regularly updated summary page with links to all HHS agency guidance related to human subjects research during COVID-19
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – updated 8/10/20
- NASA Grants and Cooperative Agreements – Alert to NASA Proposers and Grant Recipients about COVID-19 (6/23/20)
- NASA Science Library – contains links to most recent guidance and FAQs (3/31/20)
- NASA Shared Services Center – additional links to guidance
- NASA Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-17
- Memorandum for NASA Contractor Community (3/24/20)
- COVID-19 Impact to NASA SBIR/STTR Program (3/20/20)
- Assistant Administrator for Procurement Message on Coronavirus (3/10/20)
- Coronavirus Information – provides general information for NASA employees and contractors
National Institutes of Health (NIH) – updated 8/10/20
NOTE: NIH issues updates or guidance for specific programs almost daily. Please check the links below regularly for any new information.
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information for NIH Applicants and Recipients – High-level summary page of COVID-19 communications (updated regularly)
- Applicant/Recipient COVID-19 Update History (updated regularly)
- FAQs on COVID-19 Flexibilities for Applicants and Recipients (updated regularly)
- Open Mike: Responding to Frequent Questions on Flexibilities Related to NIH Funding in COVID-19 (includes video – 3/26/20)
National Science Foundation (NSF) – updated 8/10/20
- Coronavirus Information – High-level summary of all COVID-19 communications
- Impact on Existing Deadline Dates (updated 7/13/20)
- NSF Guidance on the Effects of COVID-19 on Human Subjects Research (4/13/20)
- NSF Guidance on the Effects of COVID-19 on Vertebrate Animal Research (4/10/20)
- NSF Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-20 "Repurposing Existing Federal Financial Assistance Programs and Awards to Support the Emergency Response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)” (4/10/20)
- FAQs regarding the NSF Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (NSF 20-052) (4/6/20)
- NSF Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-17 (updated 4/1/20)
- FAQ’s About the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for National Science Foundation (NSF) Proposers and Awardees (updated 4/2/20)
Other Federal Agencies – updated 4/17/20
- Aquisition.gov – Coronavirus Acquisition-Related Information and Resources (added 4/9/20)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information for CDC Applicants and Recipients of CDC Funding (added 3/25/20)
- Department of Justice (DOJ) – Funding Resource Center – all COVID-19 communications have been added to this page (updated 4/17/20)
- Department of Transportation (added 3/31/20)
- U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Deadline Extension for Federal Transit Administration Competitive Grant Programs (3/27/20)
- Federal Transit Administration - Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) – main FTA resource site
- Environmental Protection Agency – RAIN-2020-G02 - EPA Frequent Questions on Grant Issues in Response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (3/27/20)
- Food and Drug Administration
- Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) – Information for IMLS Grant Applicants and Awardees (added 4/10/20)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Health and Safety Information for Financial Assistance Recipients during COVID-19 (updated 7/30/20)
- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) – NEA FAQs and Information for Applicants and Grantees in response to COVID-19 (3/31/20)
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) – FAQs - Funding for NEH Applicants and Grantees Impacted by the Coronavirus (updated 4/6/20)
- National Security Agency (NSA) – Notice to Contractors Regarding COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) Update – Re-Release with Downgraded Classification.
- USAID –
- USDA – National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Foundations
- General guidance from the Office of Foundation Relations is to proactively communicate with your program officer or other contact regarding any significant impacts or expected impacts of COVID-19 on your funded project. Many foundations are pledging flexibility in dealing with the these. Please keep OFR in the loop on any communication with private foundations regarding COVID-19 impacts. OFR can be a resource to provide additional help navigating particularly complex or sensitive issues.
- Contact: foundation-relations@mit.edu, or the individual Foundation Relations staff member you’ve already been working with.
- Notify your RAS Contract Administrator regarding any agreed changes to scheduled grant activities for retention in the Institute’s grant file, and to implement any formal changes to grant terms, such as no-cost extension.
We will post updates and information from other agencies and sponsors as they become available.
Other Resources
- The Council on Government Relations (COGR) has published a page on Institutional and Agency Responses to COVID-19 and Additional Resources, which may provide other useful information.
- MITRE/AIDA COVID-19 Authorities, Contract Vehicles, and Initiatives is a regularly updated page with links to other federal guidance and communications, plus helpful webinars and training resources regarding COVID-19.