cost considerations

7.1 General

Cost considerations are critical throughout the life cycle of a grant. An applicant's budget request is reviewed for compliance with the governing cost principles The government-wide principles, issued by OMB (or, in the case of commercial organizations, the Federal Acquisition Regulation [48 CFR 21], or, in the case of hospitals, 45 CFR 75, Appendix IX, "Principles For Determining Costs Applicable to Research and Development Under Grants and Contracts with Hospitals"), on allowability and unallowability of costs under federally sponsored agreements. See Cost Considerations-The Cost Principles for additional details. and other requirements and policies applicable to the type of recipient and the type of award. Any resulting award will include a budget that is consistent with these requirements.

NIH anticipates that, because of the nature of research, the recipient may need to modify its award budget during performance to accomplish the award's programmatic objectives. Therefore, NIH provides some flexibility for recipients to deviate from the award budget, depending on the deviation's significance to the project or activity. More significant post-award changes require NIH prior approval Written approval by an authorized HHS official, e.g., a designated IC GMO, evidencing prior consent before a recipient undertakes certain activities or incurs specific costs (see Administrative Requirements-Changes in Project and Budget-Prior Approval Requirements).. Prior approval Written approval by an authorized HHS official, e.g., a designated IC GMO, evidencing prior consent before a recipient undertakes certain activities or incurs specific costs (see Administrative Requirements-Changes in Project and Budget-Prior Approval Requirements). requirements and authorities are discussed in Administrative Requirements-Changes in Project and Budget.

During post-award administration, the GMO, or a GMO designee, monitors expenditures for conformance with cost policies. The GMO's monitoring includes, among other things, responding to prior approval Written approval by an authorized HHS official, e.g., a designated IC GMO, evidencing prior consent before a recipient undertakes certain activities or incurs specific costs (see Administrative Requirements-Changes in Project and Budget-Prior Approval Requirements). requests and reviewing progress reports, audit reports, and other periodic reports. The GMO also may use audit findings as the basis for final cost adjustments (see Administrative Requirements-Closeout).

This chapter addresses the general principles underlying the allowability of costs, differentiates direct costs Costs that can be identified specifically with a particular sponsored project, an instructional activity, or any other institutional activity, or that can be directly assigned to such activities relatively easily with a high degree of accuracy. from F&A costs Necessary costs incurred by a recipient for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective, and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefitted, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved. To facilitate equitable distribution of indirect expenses to the cost objectives served, it may be necessary to establish a number of pools of F&A (indirect) costs. F&A (indirect) cost pools must be distributed to benefitted cost objectives on bases that will produce an equitable result in consideration of relative benefits derived., and highlights a number of specific costs and categories of cost for NIH applicants and recipients. It is not intended to be all-inclusive and should be used as a supplement to the applicable cost principles The government-wide principles, issued by OMB (or, in the case of commercial organizations, the Federal Acquisition Regulation [48 CFR 21], or, in the case of hospitals, 45 CFR 75, Appendix IX, "Principles For Determining Costs Applicable to Research and Development Under Grants and Contracts with Hospitals"), on allowability and unallowability of costs under federally sponsored agreements. See Cost Considerations-The Cost Principles for additional details..