During President Obama's first term, there was an Executive Order that required the federal government to reduce administrative burdens on recipients of federal funds while increasing transparency and oversight in grant making and management process/practice. This has become known as the Federal Grant Reform Initiative.
Starting in February of 2013 and through a series of publications allowing for public comments on proposed guidance, we have finally been provided the new 'Uniform Guidance' regulatory document. This document combined eight (8) previous circulars into one. The new guidance will be formally implemented on December 26, 2014.
OSP is now involved in and leading the review and assessment of this guidance to determine impact or change to current operations and management positions. This is a wide sweeping document that will address not only research costing and administration but also procurement, fringe rates, indirect cost rates and more.
