Revisions to Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (NASA Case 2015-N030), 74657-74659 [2016-26014]

Agencies

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 208 (Thursday, October 27, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 74657-74659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26014]



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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 208 / Thursday, October 27, 2016 / 
Rules and Regulations

[[Page 74657]]



NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

2 CFR Part 1800

RIN 2700-AE29


Revisions to Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles 
and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (NASA Case 2015-N030)

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NASA is issuing a final rule to amend its regulations, titled 
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit 
Requirements for Federal Awards to revise the requirements related to 
information contained in a Federal award for commercial firms with no 
cost sharing requirement and to add new or modify existing terms and 
conditions related to indirect cost charges and access to research 
results.

DATES: Effective: November 28, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Richards, telephone 202-358-
0047.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    NASA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register at 81 FR 
24735 on April 27, 2016, to amend title 2 CFR part 1800, titled Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for 
Federal Awards to modify the requirements related to information 
contained in a Federal award for commercial firms with no cost sharing 
requirement and to add new or modify existing terms and conditions 
related to indirect cost charges and access to research results. Eight 
respondents submitted public comments in response to the proposed rule.

II. Discussion and Analysis

    A. This final rule makes the following significant changes from the 
proposed rule:
     2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.929 was changed to state 
an exclusion for institutions of higher education as prescribed under 2 
CFR part 200.
     2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.930(a)(2) was changed to 
reflect that all graphics and supplemental materials submitted must be 
those prepared by the Awardee.
     2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.930(b)(2) was changed to 
reflect a modification to the submission deadline for the Final Peer-
Reviewed Manuscript to within one year of completion of the peer review 
process.
     2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.930(b)(2) was changed to 
add a statement indicating that NASA would provide instructions for 
completing the submission process under separate cover.
     2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.930(b)(2) was changed to 
include a more direct link to the PubMed Central system.
     2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.930(b)(4) was changed to 
include a representation and warranty in respect of the right to submit 
the Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscript to the NASA repository.
     For added visibility, an administrative change was made to 
2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.930 to move a requirement from 
paragraph (b)(4) into a new paragraph (b)(5).

B. Analysis of Public Comments

    NASA reviewed the public comments in the development of the final 
rule. A discussion of the comments and the changes made to the rule as 
a result of those comments is provided, as follows:

1. Change in Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement During the Period 
of Performance of an Award

    Comment: One respondent recommended that the term and condition 
clarify that indirect cost rates may only be adjusted when a 
provisional rate is in place at the time of award. The respondent also 
recommended that the term and condition acknowledge that institutions 
of higher education must follow indirect cost guidance provided in 2 
CFR part 200, appendix III.C.7.
    Response: NASA concurs that institutions of higher education must 
follow indirect cost guidance in 2 CFR part 200, appendix III.C.7. 
However, we note that the guidance stating indirect cost rates may only 
be adjusted when a provisional rate is in place at the time of award 
applies only to IHEs and not to other types of non-Federal entities. As 
a result, we will adjust the term and condition to reflect the 
exclusion for institutions of higher education.

2. Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscript

    Comment: One respondent recommended that due to intellectual 
property concerns associated with the use of graphics, NASA modify its 
definition of the Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscript to include the text 
and author-created graphics, and note that supplemental materials (or 
links to the same) may be included where helpful to understanding the 
text.
    Response: To address this concern, NASA has modified the language 
in the term and condition.

3. PubMed Central System as the NASA-Designated Repository for Final 
Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts

    Comment: Three respondents expressed concern with using the PubMed 
Central system as the NASA-designated repository for Final Peer-
Reviewed Manuscripts, and recommended consideration of alternative 
repositories to potentially increase flexibility and reduce 
administrative burden.
    Response: The term and condition was written to ensure compliance 
with NASA's Plan. During the public consultation phase of the 
development of the Plan, alternative repositories were considered. 
However, the PubMed Central system emerged as the most mature and the 
lowest risk for NASA. Alternative solutions may be considered in Phase 
2.

4. One Year Submission Period

    Comment: One respondent recommended that the language describing 
the submission period of ``within one year of peer-review or 
publication by a journal, whichever is sooner'' be modified to reflect 
that the length of the embargo period is provisional, since the Office 
of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) memo allows for publishers to 
petition for a longer embargo period.

[[Page 74658]]

    Response: NASA does not believe such a change is necessary because 
the requirement for submission is not inconsistent with the ability of 
publishers to petition for more time since the manuscripts do not 
automatically become public when uploaded.

5. Embargo Period

    Comment: One respondent expressed concern over the use of an 
initial twelve month uniform embargo period for all fields of research, 
as well as the criteria used for potentially lengthening the embargo 
period. The respondent did not believe the criteria reflected the 
primary purpose of such a period, and suggested that NASA look to 
language in the National Science Foundation's plan regarding petitions.
    Response: The term and condition was written to ensure compliance 
with NASA's Plan. Because OSTP recommended 12 months as the default 
period, and 12 months is the maximum and most common period for PubMed 
Central, NASA chose an embargo period of 12 months. NASA used a public 
consultation process for developing the plan and believes the current 
language is in NASA's best interest.

6. Ambiguous Language

    Comment: Two respondents stated that the language in the direction 
to submit the Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscript within one year of peer-
review or publication by a journal, whichever is earlier, is ambiguous 
and should be clarified.
    Response: To address this concern, NASA has modified the language 
in the term and condition.

7. Publisher's Agreements

    Comment: One respondent stated that award recipients are not party 
to publisher's agreements, and therefore, recommended that the 
obligation of publisher's agreements be limited to investigators rather 
than recipients.
    Response: In the proposed revision at 1800.930, NASA defined 
Awardee to mean any recipient of a NASA grant or cooperative agreement 
as well as its investigators and subrecipients at any level. If the 
recipient is not the investigator/author, then NASA expects that the 
recipient will be in privity with (i.e., have their own agreement with) 
the investigator/author, and can therefore enforce the obligation 
regarding publishing agreements. NASA is only in privity with the 
recipient, so NASA would not otherwise have the ability to enforce such 
obligation upon the investigator/author.
    Comment: Two respondents recommended that language requiring rights 
to permit users to download XML and plain text formats be removed. One 
respondent suggested a technology-neutral approach be used to allow for 
potential future changes in technology, and another respondent 
suggested specifying the requirements in either broader terms or more 
specific terms--the middle ground approach that is currently being used 
is ambiguous.
    Response: The term and condition was written to ensure compliance 
with NASA's Plan. NASA used a public consultation process for 
developing the plan and believes the current language is in NASA's best 
interest.

8. Copyright Protection

    Comment: One respondent recommended that NASA add language that 
recognizes that the rights provided to NASA to permit users to download 
materials can be limited by commercial use and other appropriate 
restrictions chosen by the author and copyright holder. Another 
respondent commented that NASA should support and uphold copyright 
protections for scholarly publications.
    Response: The U.S. Government has unlimited rights in data 
deliverables produced under grant agreements, and has an obligation to 
assure that such deliverables are available for taxpayer use in 
accordance with law and regulation. This includes peer-reviewed 
articles funded with NASA grants. In recognition of the valuable 
contributions of publishers to the scholarly process, NASA is 
implementing embargo periods that permit publishers to benefit from a 
period of exclusive distribution.

9. Responsibility for Claims Against NASA

    Comment: Three respondents stated that either they or those they 
represent will not be able to meet this requirement due to state 
statutes that do not grant authority to represent non-state personnel 
or entities.
    Response: To address this concern, NASA has modified the language 
in the term and condition.

C. Other Changes

    During internal deliberations some minor changes were made as 
follows:
     2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.930(b)(2) was changed to 
add a statement indicating that NASA would provide instructions for 
completing the submission process under separate cover.
     2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.930(b)(2) was changed to 
include a more direct link to the PubMed Central system.
     For added visibility, an administrative change was made to 
2 CFR part 1800, appendix B, 1800.930 to move a requirement from 
paragraph (b)(4) into a new paragraph (b)(5).

III. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess 
all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). E.O. 
13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, 
of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. 
This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, was not 
subject to review under section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, Regulatory Planning 
and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is not a major rule 
under 5 U.S.C. 804.

IV. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    NASA certifies that this final rule will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities within the 
meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., 
because small entities are not a substantial number of NASA grant and 
cooperative agreement recipients. In addition, within the subset of 
awards issued to small entities, the majority are not for research so 
would not be affected by the new term and condition regarding access to 
research results. Furthermore, this rule actually benefits small 
businesses and all other for profit recipients by removing a 
requirement that could potentially expose sensitive financial 
information. NASA chose to remove the requirement for the inclusion of 
indirect cost rates on notices of Federal award in response to feedback 
from for profit recipients.

V. Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule contains information collection requirements that require 
the approval of the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35); however, these changes to 2 CFR 
part 1800 do not impose additional information collection requirements 
to the paperwork burden previously approved under OMB Control Number 
2700-0092, entitled Financial Assistant Awards/Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements.

[[Page 74659]]

List of Subjects in 2 CFR Part 1800

    Government financial assistance.

Manuel Quinones,
NASA Federal Register Liaison Officer.

    Accordingly, 2 CFR part 1800 is amended as follows:

0
1. The authority citation for 2 CFR part 1800 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 51 U.S.C. 20113(e), Pub. L. 97-258, 96 Stat. 1003 (31 
U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), and 2 CFR part 200.


0
2. Revise Sec.  1800.210 to read as follows:


Sec.  1800.210  Information contained in a Federal award.

    NASA waives the requirement for the inclusion of indirect cost 
rates on any notice of Federal award for commercial firms with no cost 
sharing requirement. The terms and conditions for NASA may be found at 
appendix B of this part and https://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/srba.

0
3. Amend appendix B to part 1800 by:
0
a. Under 1800.902 Technical Publications and Reports, adding paragraph 
(a)(4); and
0
b. Adding 1800.929 Indirect Costs and 1800.930 Access to Research 
Results.
    The additions read as follows:

Appendix B to Part 1800--Terms and Conditions

* * * * *

1800.902 Technical Publications and Reports

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (4) For research and research-related awards, see additional 
reporting requirements at 1800.930 Access to Research Results.
* * * * *

1800.929 Indirect Costs

    Prescription--The Grant Officer shall include this term and 
condition in all awards with indirect costs, excluding those awards 
to institutions of higher education and to entities using the 10% de 
minimis rate.

Indirect Costs

    Unless otherwise directed in 2 CFR part 200, if during the 
course of this award, the approved indirect cost rate is revised, 
changed or removed, that rate must be applied, as allowed, to the 
covered direct costs that are expended during the time frame of that 
rate agreement. Any corrections, either up or down, to the approved 
budget submitted with the awarded application must be reflected in 
the awardees' records of costs and should be audited as such.

(End of Term and Condition)

1800.930 Access to Research Results

    Prescription--The Grant Officer shall include this term and 
condition in all research and research-related awards.

Access to Research Results

    (a) This award is subject to the requirements of the, ``NASA 
Plan: Increasing Access to the Results of Scientific Research,'' 
which covers public access to digital scientific data and peer-
reviewed publications. For purposes of this term and condition, the 
following definitions apply:
    (1) Awardee: Any recipient of a NASA grant or cooperative 
agreement, its investigators, and subrecipient (subaward or contract 
as defined in 2 CFR 200.92 and 200.22, respectively) at any level.
    (2) Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscript: The final text version of a 
peer-reviewed article disclosing the results of scientific research 
which is authored or co-authored by the Awardee or funded, in whole 
or in part, with funds from a NASA award, that includes all 
modifications from the publishing peer review process, and all 
graphics and supplemental material prepared by Awardee.
    (b) The recipient shall:
    (1) Comply with their approved Data Management Plan submitted 
with its proposal, and as modified upon agreement by the recipient 
and NASA from time to time during the course of the period of 
performance.
    (2) Ensure that any Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscript is submitted 
to the NASA-designated repository, currently the PubMed Central 
system at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/. NASA will provide 
instructions for completing the submission process under separate 
cover. Ensure that the Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscript is submitted 
to PubMed Central within one year of completion of the peer review 
process.
    (3) Ensure that any publisher's agreements entered into by an 
Awardee will allow for the Awardee to comply with these requirements 
including submission of Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts to the NASA-
designated repository, as listed in paragraph (b)(2) of this term 
and condition, with sufficient rights to permit such repository to 
use such Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscript in its normal course, 
including rights to permit users to download XML and plain text 
formats.
    (4) Hereby represent and warrant that Awardee has secured for 
recipient the right to submit the Final Peer-Reviewed Manuscript to 
the NASA-designated repository for use as set forth herein.
    (5) Include in annual and final reports a list of Final Peer-
Reviewed Manuscripts covered by this term and condition.

(End of Term and Condition)

[FR Doc. 2016-26014 Filed 10-26-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-13-P