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• How can I meet with my counselor?​

  • All counseling has been moved online, for the time being​, so you can e-mail your counselor to set up an appointment. Find your counselor's email address here. 
     

• How can I participate in upcoming training events?

  • We are offering free webinars to help you continue your education. Register for a class on our training calendar. 
     

  • Watch an on-demand webinar HERE. 
    
     

• What’s the main workplace safety guidance we should follow?

  • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently published Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, outlining steps employers can take to help protect their workforce. 
    
     

• What happens if the government worksite or personnel is unavailable, making it difficult or impossible to fulfill my Federal government contract?
   

  • Contractors should communicate in advance with agencies and determine the effects if it is possible that government employees will not be at their worksites and not be able to supervise a contract properly. It is best to complete tasks that may be done without government guidance and continue to attempt to reach the point of contact on the contract. Contractors should not make significant changes to schedule, scope, deliverable, or cost without formal approval to do so.

              
 

• Q: Will I have to meet the current deadlines for reports and other deliverables related to my research award?

  • A: Consistent with OMB Memorandum M-20-17, the DOD will allow grantees to delay submission of financial, performance, and other reports on currently active award accounts up to three months beyond the normal due date.  For any other deliverables related to research awards, please contact the DOD grants manager and/or program manager for award specific guidance.
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• Q: Can I get reimbursed for costs incurred due to travel canceled because of COVID-19?

  • A: The DOD will allow non-refundable travel expenses incurred for travel canceled due to COVID-19 to be charged to active awards in agreement with OMB Memorandum M-20-17.  Grantees must follow applicable institution policy on allowable expenses for travel.
    
     

• Q: Can I continue to charge salaries and benefits to currently active awards for personnel who would normally be paid out of the award (e.g., graduate students, principal investigators, and postdoctoral researchers)?

  • A: Based on OMB Memorandum M-20-17 and the uniform guidance (2 CFR 200.403, 2 CFR 200.404, 2 CFR 200.405), the DOD will allow recipients to continue to charge salaries and benefits to currently active awards consistent with the recipients’ policy of paying salaries (under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances) from all funding sources, federal and non-federal.  DOD components may allow other costs to be charged to federal awards necessary to continue work on a project even if in a period where primary research activities are limited or curtailed.  To the maximum extent practicable, recipients will be expected to invoke or institute any and all reasonable mitigation actions and practices to lessen the cost to the government during the crisis period.  Such actions may be part of an existing program created by the recipient or may be created to respond to this crisis.  Appropriate records and cost documentation must continue to be updated and maintained as required by 2 CFR 200.302 - Financial management and 2 CFR 200.333 - Retention requirement of records.
    
     

• Q: COVID-19 closures have delayed my work. Can I receive a no-cost extension on my active award?

  • A: It is a DOD policy that no-cost extensions must be supported in all possible cases.  However, please be aware that funding expiration statutes may prohibit extensions.  Please contact the DOD grants manager for award-specific guidance. 
    
     

• Q: There are upcoming application deadlines for a program I want to submit a proposal for. Can these be extended?

  • A: The DOD recommends that program offices provide flexibility with upcoming proposal deadlines to the extent allowable by funding authorities and by the need to have enough time for merit review of submitted proposals.  Please contact the program officer and grants manager for the funding opportunity in question to seek an application deadline extension. Proposers are encouraged to monitor grants.gov to see if an extension has been posted.

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​NOTE: Answers gathered from various government sources including DOD and SBA