Earlier Due Date Set for ARRA Waiver Requests

This is an important change notice for PIs whose NSF grants were awarded with ARRA funds. As was reported on this website January 5, 2012, OMB and NSF have decided that all ARRA funded NSF awards should end on or before Sept. 30, 2013.

This change does not apply to NSF grants (with or without no-cost extensions) that will end on or before Sept 30, 2013.

If the award ends before Sept. 30, 2013 and it is anticipated that a no-cost extension will be requested that would end after Sept 30, 2013, please be advised that the due date for requesting such an extension waiver of the end date from NSF has been moved from June 1, 2012 to March 2, 2012. Further, the NSF will amend these awards to notify the PI of this restriction.

If the award ends after Sept. 30, 2013 and it is anticipated that it will be vital for the completion of the project to continue beyond that date , the PI must contact the NSF Program Officer in writing (and send a copy to the Contract Administrator at OSP) by March 2, 2012, which is earlier than the original June 1, 2012 date specified in the original notice. Further, the NSF will amend the award to remove the option of a Grantee approved no-cost extension. NSF staff will also contact the PI to discuss the possibility of accelerating the research to end on or before Sept. 30, 2013.

Any request that a waiver be sought by NSF to allow for the award to be extended must follow the guidelines in the NSF notice and include a compelling, defendable rationale based on one or more of the OMB waiver criteria. NSF will then evaluate all submitted requests to determine whether they will be included in our agency waiver request package to OMB.

The change to an earlier due date for extension requests is necessary for NSF to prepare and submit the Foundation's waiver package to OMB by June 2012. The OMB has instructed agencies to request waivers sparingly and indicated that they will be granted only due to compelling legal, policy, or operational challenges. No information has been provided on when responses to waiver requests will be issued.

If there are any questions regarding the ability to complete the project on or before September 30, 2013, please contact the NSF Program Officer as soon as possible.

The original OMB announcement about ARRA accelerated spending was posted on this website on January 5, 2012 and contains more details about guidelines pertaining to this directive.

Contact your OSP Contract Administrator if you have questions about this directive and the change in due dates for the waiver request.