Sponsored Research

USFRI guidance for potential government shutdown

On Friday, January 19, 2024, the President signed into law H.R. 2872, which provides fiscal year appropriations to Federal agencies through March 1, 2024, for continuing projects of the Federal government. Please visit this page for updates on a potential federal shutdown, set to take effect absent a spending bill funding the government beyond March 1, 2024.

A federal government shutdown can significantly impact university research operations, though its implications on USF research depends largely on the length of a potential shutdown and the corresponding guidance provided by federal agencies.

Faculty working on federally sponsored projects that are already ongoing are not expected to experience major issues during a shutdown.

Federal agencies cannot issue new grants or contracts, or renew existing projects during a shutdown. Most federal agencies will not be able to provide assistance during a shutdown. As a result, most government employees will not be able to answer phone calls, respond to emails or update informational resources.

Information for USF Research Enterprise

Proposal Preparation, Submission and Processing

• New funding opportunities (announcements, notices of funding opportunity or solicitations) will not be issued by Federal agencies during the shutdown.
  
  
• Faculty are advised that stated sponsor deadline dates (and accompanying USF  Sponsored Research deadlines) that occur during the lapse in appropriations remain valid unless agencies post notices of modification on their websites.
  
  
• Faculty should continue to submit their proposals on time to Sponsored Research.
  
  
• Although proposals will continue to be administered and submitted (where possible) by USF, proposals will not be processed by agencies until normal agency operations resume; delays in agency customer communications should be expected.
  
  
• Federal agency peer review panels and study sections will not be held, but meetings are expected to be rescheduled once agency operations resume.
  
  
• Agency responses to any inquiries received regarding upcoming deadlines, including proposal preparation, are expected to be deferred until normal operations resume.
  
  
• Faculty may not be able to contact their Federal agency project officers or other Federal agency representatives.
  
  
• Agency account and credential assignment and management functions may be delayed (e.g., eRA Commons, NSF IDs).

New and Continuing Award Issuance or Extensions

• New Federal grants, contracts or cooperative agreement awards or releases should be expected to be delayed until normal operations resume.
  
  
• During a lapse in appropriations, agencies cannot authorize costs exceeding available award amounts, obligate additional funds to cover such costs or authorize no-cost extensions on any Federal awards.
  
  
• No-cost extensions cannot be granted for Federal awards during a shutdown.
  
  
• Federal grant and award continuations will not be awarded until normal operations resume.
  
  
• Researchers should continue to perform project activities and incur necessary costs to maintain project progress. However, if the shutdown becomes extended, costs should be closely monitored in the event award funding is reduced or significantly delayed once operations resume.

Post-Award Administration

• Researchers should continue performance under their federal awards and subawards during a lapse in appropriations, provided funds are authorized during the period of performance of the grant or cooperative agreement has not expired. Researchers should contact their sponsored research administrator with questions about fund availability for active awards.
  
  
• Absent an official notice to stop performing work (stop-work order), researchers should continue to perform under contracts or cooperative agreements for work where sufficient funds were obligated and drawn prior to a lapse in appropriations, and where performance does not require government support, such as quality assurance oversight or other actions required of agency staff.
  
  
• If a research project team receives a stop-work notification, the notice should be immediately forwarded to your Sponsored Research Administrator.
  
  
• Activities on Federal grants, contracts and cooperative agreements should continue as normal, but the university may be delayed in receiving funds to reimburse for incurred costs on existing awards.
  
  
• Principal investigators are expected to be able to submit annual/interim reports, final project reports and project outcomes reports in agency systems (e.g., Research.gov, eRA Commons, PAMS) and should do so in accordance with project due dates.

Frequently Asked Questions