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The information on this webpage is associated with all Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Economic Research Service (ERS), and National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) extramural agreements.
This website contains information on Agreement Authorities, Restrictions and Limitations; Extramural Agreement Terms & Conditions; Implementation of Public Access requirements; Geospatial Data requirements; Scientific Integrity requirements, BABA Act information, Requirements to do business with the Federal government; Extramural reporting requirements; Extramural Agreement Methods of Payment; Information for Agency Partners (Sponsors of Funding); etc. for ARS, ERS and NASS extramural agreements. As well as links to Federal resources.
NOTE: To view archived documents (the documents applicable to awards executed prior to the document date(s) available on this page), please click on "Archived Documents" under "Agreements" in the Navigation option to the left of this information.
Quick Links to information on this page:
- Requirement To Do Business with the Federal Government
- Extramural Agreement Authorities, Restrictions and Limitations
- Extramural Agreement Terms & Conditions - Federally Funded and Non-Funded
- Scientific Integrity and Research Misconduct
- Build America, Buy America (Baba) Act for Federal Financial Assistance
- Extramural Agreement Reporting Requirements
- Extramural Agreement Payment
- Information For Agency Partners (Sponsors of Funding)
- Links To Federal Resources
REQUIREMENT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
SAM.gov - Cooperators are required to have Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and be registered in SAM.GOV. Cooperators should register or renew their registrations in SAM.GOV as early as possible. Additional guidance on submitting new, or updating existing entity registration information in SAM can be found at SAM.gov | Home
NOTE: Subrecipients are only required to obtain a UEI, which is necessary for FFATA reporting. Additional details can be found at 2 CFR 25.300.
- Avoid these 7 Common Mistakes when Submitting Documentation for Entity Validation – This is a U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) document addressing some of the most common reasons entity validation documents are not approved for SAM.GOV registrations.
- UEI and SAM Requirements
USDA Common Forms - Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv) is an electronic system that helps researchers assemble the professional information needed for participation in federally funded research. Accessed at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sciencv/
- Gathers and compiles information on expertise, employment, education and professional accomplishments (e.g., Common Form for Current and Pending (Other) Support and the Common Form for Biographical Sketch (OMB Control Number: 3145-0279)).
- Used by researchers to create and maintain bio-sketches that are submitted with annual reports.
- Allows researchers to describe and highlight their scientific contributions in their own words.
- If an ORCID is required, visit: https://orcid.org/
EXTRAMURAL AGREEMENT AUTHORITIES, RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS
- Agreement Authorities and Regulations: This table provides a list of the Agency's extramural agreement authorities, and applicable Federal regulations.
- Indirect Cost Funding Restrictions & Tuition Reimbursement Limitation: Note that all indirect cost rates applied to awards are subject to review and approval of the Agency Authorized Departmental Officer.
EXTRAMURAL AGREEMENT TERMS & CONDITIONS - FEDERALLY FUNDED AND NON-FUNDED
- USDA General Terms & Conditions - adopted by ARS, ERS and NASS, effective 3/13/2026
- Civil Rights Policy Statements | USDA
- Conflict of Interest Policy for ARS, ERS and NASS refer to USDA General Terms & Conditions
- Civil Rights Poster: And Justice for All, effective 3/2025
- Award Supplemental Statutory and National Policy Requirements
- USDA ARS-ERS-NASS Award Supplemental Statutory and National Policy Requirements, effective 3/13/2026. NOTE: These are the assurances for REE-26 Organization Information, Representations, Assurances & Certifications, C. Assurances. The REE-26 is associated with these instrument types, which is identified at the top of the Award Face Sheet: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement, Cooperative Agreement, Grant Agreement, Research Support Agreement, and the Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement.
- Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement (NACA)
- 7 CFR Part 550 - General Administrative Policy for Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreements (NACAs), effective 10/11/2016. This part adopts the OMB guidance in subparts A-F of 2 CFR part 200, as supplemented by this part, as REE policies and procedures for NACAs executed under the authority of Section 1472(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as amended (7 USC 3318(b)).
- REE 452-REE Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement Supplement Terms and Conditions, effective 3/13/2026
- Research Support Agreements (RSA)
- REE-452R— REE General Provisions, Research Support Agreement, effective 3/13/2026
- Grant & Cooperative Agreements (GA, CA)
- REE-453- REE Grant and Cooperative Agreement Supplemental Terms and Conditions, effective 3/13/2026
- Standard Cooperative Agreements (StCA)
- ARS-ERS-NASS General Terms and Conditions for StCA v8.0 - effective 3/03/2026
Public Access Requirements: Information on Public Access is found in the USDA GT&Cs for Federal Awards and Mutual Interest Agreements and REE Supplemental Terms & Conditions above.
- Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research: https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/08-2022-OSTP-Public-Access-Memo.pdf
- Public Access and Open Science at USDA: https://www.nal.usda.gov/services/public-access.
- USDA PubAg Manuscript Submissions – Final peer-reviewed, accepted manuscripts must be made freely accessible to the public through the USDA public access repository – PubAg https://www.nal.usda.gov/submit/ – within 12 months of the date on which the publisher makes the article available online.
- Ag Data Commons – Published datasets must also be made freely accessible to the public through the USDA public access data catalog – Ag Data Commons – within 12 months of the publication date of the associated scholarly publication.
Questions and Answers:
Where does the public access information get reported in the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR)?
A: The RPPR mandatory reporting category, Accomplishments, “how have the results been disseminated to communities of interest” must include information addressing the sharing of publications, including published data.
Who is responsible for submitting the full text of the manuscript to USDA PubAg?
A: Any author can submit manuscripts to the submit site (PubAg), but the Agency PI must ensure that this is done (for ARS, submissions are expected to be completed by ARS PIs in an internal system (ARIS)).
If the Agency PI makes the ADC catalog record, then do I the Cooperator have to do anything?
A: If the Agency PI makes the ADC catalog record, then the Cooperator doesn’t have to do anything.
Who will review the Cooperator’s Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) for compliance?
A: The Agency PI is responsible for RPPR compliance.
Geospatial Data: Geospatial Data Management Standards are found in the USDA GT&Cs for Federal Awards and Mutual Interest Agreements
- 43 U.S.C. §§ 2801-2811. Geospatial Data Act of 2018.
- 2 CFR Part 423 - Geospatial Data Management and Standards for Federal Financial Assistance Awards
SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND RESEARCH MISCONDUCT
Scientific Integrity and Research Misconduct forms can be found under the USDA GT&Cs for Federal Awards and Mutual Interest Agreements
- Office of Science and Technology Policy – Refer to the Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies on the subject of Scientific Integrity (2009 and 2010).
- Scientific Integrity and Research Misconduct | USDA
Reporting an Allegation: Refer to the Office of Chief Scientist Scientific Integrity and Research Misconduct website to access reporting allegation information.
Anyone who suspects that researchers or research institutions performing federally funded research may have engaged in research misconduct is encouraged to make a formal allegation of research misconduct to the Office of Inspector General (OIG). Suspected research misconduct may be reported to OIG using any of the following methods:
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OIG Hotline: Telephone: |
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U.S. Mail: |
Required Information when Making an Allegation via the OIG Hotline:
- To the extent known, the following details should be included in any formal allegations made to the OIG:
- The names of involved individuals and research projects
- Sources of funding
- Important dates
- Any documentation that bears upon the allegation
- Any other potentially relevant information
Suspected research misconduct, as well as concerns involving human subject research protections (7 CFR Part 1c), and animal welfare requirements (9 CFR Parts 1 - 4) can be reported directly to your respective awarding agency by emailing the Agency Scientific Integrity Officer:
| ARS Dionne Toombs Phone: (202) 306-0129 Email: dionne.toombs@usda.gov |
ERS Jeffrey Hopkins Phone: (202) 694-5121 Email: jeffrey.w.hopkins@usda.gov |
NASS Denise A. Abreu Phone: 202-631-0056 Email: denise.abreu@usda.gov |
BUILD AMERICA, BUY AMERICA (BABA) ACT for FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
- 2 CFR Part 184 - Buy America Preferences for Infrastructure Projects eCFR :: 2 CFR Part 184 -- Buy America Preferences for Infrastructure Projects
- USDA Buy America Waivers for Federal Financial Assistance https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-chief-financial-officer/federal-financial-assistance-policy/build-america-buy-america-baba-act
The website assists United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies, staff offices, award recipients, and subrecipients by providing important information about BABA requirements, guidance documents on the waiver and comment process, and the full list of USDA waiver requests. - Buy America Preference Award Term: OMB Memorandum 24-02, "Implementation Guidance on Application of Buy America Preference in Federal Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure," Appendix I (pages 15-19): M-24-02 Buy America (whitehouse.gov).
- Made in America Office (MIAO) https://www.madeinamerica.gov/
The MIAO website provides information on the Made in America initiative that is the result of a Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) signed January 25, 2021. The site includes answers to frequently asked questions about the BABA.
EXTRAMURAL AGREEMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
The following are the standard reporting requirements for ARS, ERS and NASS extramural agreements. When applicable, the Cooperator must also comply with any additional reporting requirements specified in the award/agreement, or as required per conditions of applicable statutory and national policies.
Performance Reporting
Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) - for awards executed 10/11/2016 and thereafter. The RPPR has been mandated by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and coordinated by the National Science Foundation (This is the document found on the National Science Foundation website). Recipients must meet mandatory reporting requirements and any other reporting requirements that may have been identified in the award document. Reports must also include the provisions set forth in eCFR :: 2 CFR 200.329 -- Monitoring and reporting program performance.
- How the results have been disseminated to communities of interest must include information addressing the sharing of publications, including published data.
- For more information on Federal performance reporting requirements, refer to 2 CFR 200.329(c) and 7 CFR 550.124(a).
- Refer to the Forms & Certifications webpage for a link to the RPPR.
Financial Reporting
The Cooperator must submit financial reports to the Agency ADO and Agency Principal Investigator at the interval required by the REE Agency, as identified on the Award Face Sheet; electronic submission is preferred (2 CFR 200.328). Refer to the Forms & Certifications webpage for a link to the form(s).
- Financial reports are to be prepared on the OMB-approved SF-425, Federal Financial Report (FFR).
- If the terms and conditions of the agreement identify additional financial reporting requirements (i.e. 7 CFR 550.123(a)(c)), they must be provided to the Agency with the FFR.
Intellectual/Invention Reporting
Recipients of federal funding agreements are required to report subject inventions to the federal funding agency and complete other reporting, as required by the Bayh-Dole Act and its implementing regulations. This is accomplished through iEdison, an interagency online reporting system for recipients of Federal funding agreements. Refer to 2 CFR 200.315, 2 CFR 200.448 and 7 CFR 550 (sections 550.111(b)(5) and 550.124(b)) for additional information.
- Register in iEdison: Registering with iEdison | NIST
- The Agency does not require a Final Invention Statement.
- Within 120 days of the End Date of the Period of Performance, Cooperators shall report by email to the Agency ADO and Agency PI that no inventions or patents resulted from their funding agreement. The email notification must include the Cooperator Name, Principal Investigator Name, and Federal award identification number (FAIN).
Publications and Information Dissemination Products
- The cooperator must submit to the Agency PI copies of all final information dissemination products (including publications and applicable audiovisuals) resulting from the research conducted under the GA or CA.
- It is USDA policy to provide public access to all scholarly publications and digital scientific research data assets that arise from USDA-supported scientific research. Refer to "Public Access requirements" section above for information on peer-reviewed, scholarly publications and digital scientific research data assets arising from unclassified scientific research, supported wholly or in part by the USDA, and requirements for the submission of final peer-reviewed, accepted manuscripts.
- Acknowledgement of REE Agency support must appear on any information dissemination products produced with any Federal financial assistance support, including those which report the results of, or describe a Federal financial assistance-supported activity (whether or not copyrighted), per 2 CFR § 415.2 - Acknowledgement of USDA support on information dissemination products.
- In accordance with 7 CFR 550, sec 550.111(b)(7), when appropriate, the Cooperator PI will work with the Agency PI to prepare findings for peer-reviewed publication in scientific journals, and make presentations/talks to shareholders, etc. as per sec. 550.119(d), the Cooperator must submit to the agency PI copies of all final publications and audiovisuals resulting from the research conducted under the Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement.
Tangible Personal Property Reporting
Tangible personal property means property of any kind, except real property, that has physical existence. It includes equipment and supplies. Unless otherwise specified in the terms and conditions of the agreement, upon termination or expiration of the agreement, the Cooperator must identify personal property/equipment purchased with any Federal funds under the agreement on the OMB-approved SF-428-B Report Form and Instructions, and provide the signed document to the Agency ADO, as part of the closeout requirements. Refer to the Forms & Certifications webpage for a link to the form and other related forms. For information on tangible personal property reporting, refer to 7 CFR 550.124(c) and 2 CFR 200 Subpart D Property Standards:
- eCFR :: 2 CFR 200.312 -- Federally-owned and exempt property,
- eCFR :: 2 CFR 200.313 -- Equipment, and
- eCFR :: 2 CFR 200.314 -- Supplies.
The Cooperator's method of payment is identified on the Award Face Sheet (REE-451). Method of payment will indicate: HHS-PMS or EFT/Treasury Check.
HHS-PMS: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Payment Management System (PMS), Program Support Center. https://pms.psc.gov/. HHS-PMS is the default method of payment for all ARS-funded agreements.
- About the Program Support Center: https://pms.psc.gov/about-us.html
- PMS User Guide | HHS PSC FMP Payment Management Services
- PMS Help Desk | HHS PSC FMP Payment Management Services
EFT/Treasury check (Invoicing): The recipient must submit invoices to the REE Agency ADO on the OMB-approved “Request for Advance or Reimbursement” SF 270 (OMB 4040-0012).
- Additional invoice backup or itemization requirements may be identified by REE Agency in the REE Award, generally in the Statement of Work, “Mutual Agreements” section (7 CFR Part 550 (for Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement), and the REE-452 (for a Research Support Agreement)).
- Payment is usually made via electronic funds transfer.
INFORMATION FOR AGENCY PARTNERS (SPONSORS OF FUNDING)
Agency Fringe Benefits:
ARS Indirect Costs:
- Indirect Program Support Costs Letter for Valued Partners
NOTICE regarding USDA, National Institute for Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Federal awards to Non-Federal Entities (NFE) with the USDA, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) as a subrecipient.
USDA-NIFA awards many grants to NFEs with USDA-ARS identified as a co-Principal Investigator (subrecipient). As a subrecipient, USDA-ARS shall receive a sub-award from the NFE. Subject to the eligibility requirements identified in a USDA-NIFA or another Federal funding opportunity announcement, USDA-ARS may apply as a subrecipient of the NFE. The Agency’s legal authority to enter into a competitive grant proposal for research as a NFE’s subrecipient for which grant funds will be provided to the Agency is 7 USC 3318a. Therefore, a NFE who is a prime recipient of a USDA-NIFA grant or other Federal grant has the authority to issue a sub-award to USDA-ARS.
Trust Fund and Reimbursable Cooperative Agreements:
Public Access Requirements:
- Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research: https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/08-2022-OSTP-Public-Access-Memo.pdf
- Public Access and Open Science at USDA: https://www.nal.usda.gov/services/public-access
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement:
- Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): The CFR is a codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the Executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
- United States Codes (U.S.C.): The United States Code is a consolidation and codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States.
- Codified Federal Regulations and OMB Circulars