Breaking Updates: Latest Agency Guidance Regarding U.S. Government Shutdown
Below is a running list of shutdown-related guidance that has been received by Boulder. When possible, we are sharing a link to source information. In some cases, the guidance was received via official correspondence; in those cases, we will share the content and describe its source.
February 29, 2024
Breaking updates related to the pending March 1, 2024 government shutdown will be shared here as soon as they are available.
September 27, 2023
Breaking updates related to the pending October 1, 2023 government shutdown will be shared here as soon as they are available.
January 28, 2019
Guidance from NSF on Resumption of Operations
A page has been developed that includes Important Notice No. 145, Resumption of Operations at the National Science Foundation, dated January 28, 2019, as well as supplemental guidance that addresses grant and cooperative agreement-related policy and systems issues. This page will be of interest to your membership and we would appreciate your sharing this link as soon as possible. This page will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.
Policy-related questions regarding resumption of operations at NSF may be addressed to policy@nsf.gov.
Email received from NSF Division of Institution & Award Support
January 26, 2019
The President signed legislation passed by the House and Senate to end the partial federal government shutdown late on Friday, January 25. The legislation restores funding to the affected government agencies through February 15.
January 24, 2019
Source: Office of Contracts and Grants
As you may be aware, NASA is one of the federal agencies that is part of the partial federal shutdown. OCG’s proposal team has been closely monitoring NASA programs with upcoming proposal due dates. We are providing information below concerning the most recent updates. The NSPIRES website has also posted a notice that their website will be unavailable effective January 31, 2019 until the government reopens. We highly encourage researchers to complete and submit any remaining proposals that have not been officially postponed or delayed . Please contact your Proposal Analyst if you have any questions.
Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES)
Many of the remaining 2018 ROSES program elements have been postponed. You can find the current table of due dates for the ROSES elements here . Thomas Zurbuchen Associate Administrator of NASA Science Mission Directorate released an update on twitter: “A blanket amendment to Research Opportunities in Space and Earth (ROSES) 2018 will be issued, noting that: 1) All due dates should be assumed to be “TBD” as long as the government continues to be shut down. 2) New dates will be announced as soon as possible once the government reopens. 3) The ROSES 2019 initially planned on Feb. 14 will be delayed significantly. 4) There will be no ROSES-18 or ROSES-19 proposal due dates earlier than 60 days following the end of the partial government shutdown.”
NASA FINESST Fellowship
The fellowship program originally had a due date of 2/1/2019. An update to the solicitation page now indicates the due date has been postponed. The due date for this program is changed to TBD. A new date will be set when the government returns. We highly encourage students to continue to finalize their application packages, so they can be promptly submitted once the new due date is issued.
Email sent to all Boulder NASA submitting departments
January 18, 2019
National Endowment for the Humanities: National Humanities Alliance Blog "NEH Shutdown: What We Know"
Guidance from Office of Justice Programs (OJP) remain operational through March 1
The purpose of this email is to update you on the operational status of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). If the partial government shutdown does continue, OJP has sufficient resources to remain operational through 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, March 1, 2019. This means that OJP staff will be available to assist grantees, stakeholders, and the public during this period. Likewise, OJP systems and services will be available. As an OJP award recipient, your organization should continue with your scheduled, federally-funded activities.
While OJP remains operational, grantee payment requests received through the Grants Payment Request System (GPRS) will be processed and submitted to Treasury for payment on a daily basis.
If OJP’s operational status changes, we will contact you regarding the impact on our services and systems.
Email received from Office of Justice Programs
January 3, 2019
Guidance from Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
As you know, the Continuing Resolution, which funded Federal government operations through December 21, 2018, expired without the enactment of another Continuing Resolution or a FY 2019 full-year appropriation. This funding lapse has continued, resulting in cessation of many federal agency services.
However, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has sufficient resources to remain operational and will continue to operate through 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, January 18, 2019. This means that OJP staff will be available to assist grantees, stakeholders, and the public during this period. Likewise, OJP systems and services will be available.
As an OJP award recipient, your organization should continue with your scheduled, federally-funded activities. Please note that during this time, the Grants Payment Request System (GPRS) will remain in service to accept grant payment requests. However, Department staff will not be available to process the requests. We will notify you when Department staff resumes processing of payment requests received in GPRS.
If it appears that a lapse in FY 2019 appropriations will continue beyond January 18th, we will contact you regarding OJP’s operational status and any potential impact on our services and systems.
Email received from Office of Justice Programs
January 2, 2019
Guidance from Government and Key Federal Agencies
- NSF: ; ;
- NASA:
- USDA:
- USGS:
Relevant Articles on the Impact of the Shutdown on Scientific Research
- Inside Higher Ed:
- Washington Post:
- Space Policy Online:
Source: Council on Government Relations
Dear COGR Members,
As you know, a partial government shutdown has continued into the new year. While NIH and the Department of Education are funded, others such as NSF, NASA, NOAA, USDA, NIST, and NEH are not. Agency Contingency Plans and FAQs can be found on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) website:
Email received from COGR Administrator
December 27, 2018
Source: Office of Contracts and Grants
Boulder subrecipients received the attached letter containing information regarding the December 2018 Government shutdown as it relates to subcontracts and/or subwards from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Source: Southwest Research Institute
In consideration of the Government Shutdown, please see the following:
As of December 21, 2018, there is no longer appropriated funding for Federal Agencies, including NASA, which holds the overall Prime Contract for this program. To the extent work under this subcontract can be performed at an off-site location and the work does not require any civil servant oversight or other government support, such work shall continue as long as funds remain available for such performance. The “limitation of funds” clause in your subcontract will determine how long that work can continue. You are reminded that the date shown in the subcontract for funding coverage for this work is only an estimated date. Funds could actually be exhausted prior to that date or may cover performance beyond that date. You are encouraged to closely manage the available funding as additional funding will not be provided during this Government Shutdown.
Email received from SwRI
December 26, 2018
Source: USDA Forest Service
This notice is to inform you of a lapse in appropriation for the federal government. As a recipient of Forest Service (FS) funds already obligated, you are able to continue the work for which funds were awarded, unless further direction is provided to you. We advise you to be prudent in your expenditures and do not incur any expenses not absolutely necessary for performance of current needs.
Please note the following:
- FS cannot issue new awards during this lapse
- No activities for which the FS is responsible/required (i.e. oversight, support, input) can be performed
- No payment requests can be submitted to the FS
- FS cannot approve payment requests
Please see the attached FAQs for further guidance. We appreciate your partnership and thank you for your patience during this time.
Email received from Rocky Mountain Research Station
Source: NASA Ames Research Center
With the lapse in appropriations at midnight on December 21, 2018, appropriated funding is no longer available for some Federal Agencies, including NASA. As a result NASA is conducting an orderly shutdown today, December 26, 2018, with limited exceptions for specific activities. Please see the attached furlough letter for your instructions. You may also visit the following NASA website for further information.
Email received from NASA Ames Research Center Contracting Officer
Source: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
To the extent work can be performed at another off-site location under the contract and the work does not require any civil servant oversight or other government support, such work shall continue as long as funds remain available for such performance. You are encouraged to closely manage the available funding as additional funding will not be provided while the Agency is without appropriations. Also, you are cautioned to carefully plan the work to be performed as Government oversight and administrative personnel (e.g. quality inspectors) will not be available to support your ongoing activities. You are to preserve resources and take all actions necessary to minimize costs incurred under the contract during this Government shutdown.
As of December 21, 2018 there is no longer appropriated funding for Federal Agencies, including NASA. As a result, the Goddard Space Flight Center installation will be conducting an orderly shut down on December 26, 2018 with limited exceptions for specific activities, unless additional appropriated funds are received by the Agency. Please see the attached furlough letter for further instructions.
Email received from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Contracting Officer
Source: Bureau of Land Management
Subject: Continuation of Performance During the Funding Gap (Government Shutdown
Re: Cooperative Agreements
Dear Recipient:
The purpose of this memorandum is to notify you that performance under your current cooperative agreement (s) should continue during the funding gap (government shutdown). All terms and conditions of the referenced financial agreement remain unchanged.
However, if one or more of your cooperative agreements will require the project to cease during the shutdown; you will receive a separate letter stating so.
For the projects that will continue, there may be some delays in processing payments during the lapse in appropriations. Please note that costs incurred in excess of the federal obligation associated with the cooperative agreement(s) will be incurred at the Recipient’s own risk.
Email received from BLM, Idaho State Office Grant Management Officer
Source: US Geological Survey
Please find attached the Continuation of Work Notification letter in Absence of Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriation for Contract 140G0118C0005 for the Landsat Science Team Research and Support Services. This is a cost-type contract and the University of Colorado is only authorized to perform work up and to the point in which funding has been obligated on the contract. The university shall not perform any work beyond funding that has been obligated to the contract.
Email received from US Geological Survey Contract Specialist
Source: Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
Please see the attached letter regarding your Government contract.
Email recieved from Johnson Space Center Contracting Officer
Source: NASA Grant Administration
Subject: Federal Government Shutdown due to Absence of Appropriations, NASA Grants and
Cooperative Agreements
As of the end of December 21, 2018 there were no longer appropriated funding for certain Federal Agencies, including NASA. As a result, all NASA installations will be conducting an orderly shutdown on December 26, 2018 with limited exceptions for specific activities, unless additional appropriated funds are received by the Agency.
If your institution’s grant or cooperative agreement requires access to a NASA facility or participation from NASA personnel in order to perform the instrument’s stated research objectives, the guidance in paragraph (a) below is applicable to your institution. If your institution’s grant or cooperative agreement does not require access to a NASA facility or participation of NASA personnel in order to perform the instrument’s stated research objectives, the guidance in paragraph (b) below is applicable to your institution.
(a) To the extent the subject grant or cooperative agreement includes work performed on-site at a NASA facility, the NASA facility will not be available for the performance of such work beginning on December 26, 2018. Unless the Agency receives an additional appropriation on December 26, 2018, you are instructed to commence an orderly shut-down of your onsite operations and you are to preserve resources and take all actions necessary to minimize costs incurred under the subject grant or cooperative agreement during this Government shutdown. This includes notifying your employees immediately of this orderly shutdown.
(b) Since your grant or cooperative agreement does not require access to a NASA installation, access to NASA IT resources and data, or participation of NASA personnel in order to perform the instrument’s stated research objectives, you are to continue to perform research under your grant or cooperative agreement as long you have available funding. Special Condition § 1260.53 Incremental Funding (for awards subject to 14 CFR Part 1260) or Term and Condition 1800.921 Incremental Funding (for awards subject to 2 CFR Part 1800) of your grant or cooperative agreement specifies the total amount of funding that has been allotted to your grant or cooperative agreement. You are also reminded the Agency is not obligated to reimburse your institution for the expenditure of amounts in excess of the total funds allotted to this grant or cooperative agreement. Your institution is not authorized to continue performance beyond that period covered by the allotted funding and is cautioned to closely manage all available funding, as additional funding will not be provided while the Agency is without appropriations. Any research performed during this time period should be carefully planned, taking into account that NASA technical and administrative personnel will not be available to support these activities during the Government shutdown.
For availability of incurred cost payment through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management System, please check the HHS Division of Payment Management website at: https://pms.psc.gov/.
The direction in this letter is in effect until appropriations are restored. You shall be responsible for monitoring the local radio, television stations, NASA Web sites, and other communications channels for updates. Once Federal appropriations again become available, you are authorized to return to work and the NASA installation will reopen and funds can be added to your grant or cooperative as deemed necessary and Government oversight and administrative personnel will resume their ordinary duties.
Email received from NASA Grant Officer
December 21, 2018
Source: Office of Justice Programs
The current Continuing Resolution to fund Federal government operations expires at midnight (EST) on Friday, December 21, 2018. Without another Continuing Resolution or enactment of FY 2019 full-year appropriations, there will be a funding lapse that would result in cessation of many federal agency services.
However, should there be a lapse (“government shutdown”), the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has sufficient resources to remain operational through 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, January 4, 2019. This means that OJP staff will be available to assist grantees, stakeholders, and the public during this period. Likewise, OJP systems and services will be available.
Please note that during this time, the Grants Payment Request System (GPRS) will remain in service to accept grant payment requests. The Department's finance office plans to process a grant payment file early Wednesday morning, December 26th, which is expected to include any payment requests received in GPRS by 6:00 a.m. (EST) that morning. However, Department staff will not be available to process requests received after that time. When Department staff return, payment requests received in GPRS will be processed.
If it appears that a lapse in FY 2019 appropriations will continue beyond January 4th, we will contact you regarding OJP’s operational status and any potential impact on our services and systems.
Source: Boulder Federal Relations
These are the seven outstanding appropriation bills (and impacted agencies):
Agriculture; Commerce, Justice, Science (including NASA, NOAA, NIST, NSF); Financial Services & General Government; Homeland Security; Interior, Environment (including EPA, USGS, NEH); State, Foreign Operations; Transportation, HUD.
Source: Boulder Office of Contracts and Grants
Expect delays and lack of federal communications from affected agencies related to your proposals.