The NDAA for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 (NDAA 2017) increased the micro-purchase threshold from $3,500 to $10,000 for institutions of higher education, or related or affiliated nonprofit entities, nonprofit research organizations or independent research institutes (41 U.S.C. 1908). The NDAA 2017 also establishes an interim uniform process by which these recipients can request, and Federal awarding agencies can approve requests to apply, a higher micro-purchase threshold. Specifically, the NDAA 2017 allows a threshold above $10,000, if approved by the head of the relevant executive agency and consistent with clean audit findings under chapter 75 of title 31, internal institutional risk assessment, or State law. The NDAA 2018 increases the micro-purchase threshold to $10,000 for all recipients and also increases the simplified acquisition threshold from $100,000 to $250,000 for all recipients. A proposal to increase the micro-purchase and simplified acquisition thresholds in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) was published in the Federal Register on -004. In addition, the American In (AICA), section 207(b) requires that 2 CFR 200 be revised to conform with the requirements concerning the micro-purchase threshold.
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In response to these statutory changes, OMB issued OMB Memorandum M-18-18, Implementing Statutory Changes to the Micro-Purchase and the Simplified Acquisition Thresholds for Financial Assistance (). Consistent with the requirements of NDAA 2017, this memo outlined the process for institutions of higher education, related or affiliated nonprofit entities, nonprofit research organizations, and independent research institutes to request a higher micro-purchase threshold from their cognizant Federal awarding agency for indirect cost rates. The proposed changes to 2 CFR and incorporates the guidance available in M-18-18 and proposes to extend the flexibility to request a higher micro-purchase threshold to all non-Federal entities. Proposed changes also reflect the higher micro-purchase threshold set forth in the 2017 and the American In. The micro-purchase threshold identified in the aforementioned legislation is $10,000.
OMB proposes revisions to 2 CFR Federal awarding agency review of merit proposals and 2 CFR Notices of funding opportunities to strengthen merit review and the notices of funding opportunities. These proposed revisions require agencies to extend their merit review process for all grants and cooperative agreements to all awards in which the Federal awarding agency has the discretion to choose the recipient. Proposed changes to 2 CFR Federal awarding agency review of merit proposals also clarify the objective of the merit review process-to select recipients most likely https://americashpaydayloan.com/title-loans-hi/ to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives outlined in section 2 CFR Program planning and design-and thus the merit review process should be designed accordingly.
Further, Federal awarding agencies are required to systematically review Federal award selection criteria for effectiveness. These proposed changes support the Administration’s priority to ensure a fair and transparent process for the selection of award recipients and supports efforts under the PMA to ensure that grants and cooperative agreements are designed to achieve program goals and objectives. OMB seeks comments on the impacts this revision will have on the financial assistance community.
C. Support for Domestic Preferences for Procurement
As expressed in Executive Order 13788 of erican) and Executive Order 13858 of erican Preferences for Infrastructure Projects), it is the policy of this Administration to maximize, consistent with law, the use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States, in Federal procurements and through the terms and conditions of Federal financial assistance awards. In support of this policy, OMB proposes to add 2 CFR (Domestic preferences for procurement), encouraging Federal award recipients, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States when procuring goods and services under Federal awards. This Part will apply to procurements under a grant or cooperative agreement.