No-Cost Extensions

1. Overview
2. Procedures

1. Overview

   The Principal Investigator (PI) is expected to adhere to the project's approved time line, and complete the project by the award's end date. When circumstances prevent this, the lead principal investigator must submit a request to the agency via the Sponsored Project Office (SPO) for an extension without additional funds. This request is referred to as a no-cost extension.

2. Procedures

   1. Requesting a no-cost extension

      1. For those awards that require prior approval by the agency, a request for a no cost extension must be submitted to SPO in writing (not e-mail), signed by the PI. SPO will endorse the request and forward to the sponsor. The department must submit this request to SPO at least two (2) months prior to the end of the project's original expiration date.
      2. The lead principal investigator must describe in their letter how and why progress was delayed, and how any remaining (unobligated) grant funds will be used. The fact that funds may be remaining in a grant is not a justifiable reason for requesting a no-cost extension. Grants may not be extended merely to allow recipients to spend unobligated funds. If the project involves the use of humans or animals as research subjects, please check with appropriate committee (e.g. CPHS, ACUC) offices to follow their procedures.
      3. The department must send the written request signed by the PI to SPO
      4. SPO will then review the request
      5. SPO will then advise the department the result of their review
      6. If SPO concurs with the extension request they will advise EFA no later than 5 working days of their concurrence to forward the request to the agency, via Tracker (Tracker is the SPO - to - EFA document routing system)
      7. For those grant awards that fall under the FDP, the institution is delegated the authority to approve a one time no-cost extension for up to 12 months without prior approval. A written or e-mailed request to the Sponsored Projects Office is still required from the PI. The request is forwarded to the agency for their information and record changes. These extensions, although approved by SPO, must be requested by the PI at least two (2) months before the award end date. EFA will be immediately notified of these extension notifications via Tracker.

         FDP participating federal agencies (for grants ONLY):

         • Department of Agriculture
         • Air Force Office of Scientific Research Department of the Air Force
         • Department of the Army
         • Department of Energy
         • Environmental Protection Agency
         • National Aeronautic Space Agency (NASA)
         • National Institutes of Health
         • National Science Foundation
      8. In the unlikely event a request for a no cost extension was overlooked by a department and deadlines were missed, on an exception basis a department may submit the request through SPO for a no cost extension. A request for this special type of extension places the award in a pending status for a 60 day period. SPO may revoke the privilege if a department repeatedly misses the original deadlines. If SPO concurs with this late request they will advise EFA as above via Tracker.

   2. Monitoring outstanding requests for no-cost extensions

      1. Once a no-cost extension has been forwarded by SPO to the agency, they will monitor and follow up with the Sponsors for requests that are 60 days old.
      2. If the Sponsor is requesting more information or time for the approval, SPO will send EFA an extension to the pending status of the award via Tracker.
      3. EFA will send each month to SPO ( Director - Information Systems: Neil Maxwell)a list of pending no-cost extensions
      4. If 90 days (3 months) after the end of the award (90 days even if the award has an early closeout date), or 60 days from the date of the request to SPO in the case of 2a-viii above and SPO has not advised EFA of an approved extension or extended the original request. EFA will closeout the award.

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