[Ored-listserv] Impacts of Federal Government Shutdown on Sponsored Research

[Office of Research and Economic Development]

Dear Principal Investigators,

The Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) is sharing this high-level guidance on how the federal government shutdown is currently affecting sponsored projects at UC Merced. For complete details and ongoing updates, please review UCOP’s guidance<https://ucop.edu/research-policy-analysis-coordination/policies-guidance/federal-government/shutdown/index.html>.

Key points

  *   New awards and amendments paused: Federal agencies generally will not issue new awards, supplements, or amendments that require agency action during a shutdown.
  *   Limited agency operations: Most federal staff will be unavailable, so proposal reviews, inquiries, prior approvals, and other actions may be delayed.
  *   Payments and reimbursements interrupted: Drawdowns and reimbursements may not be processed until operations resume. Work on active awards may generally continue, but reimbursement may be delayed.
  *   SPO proposal submissions: SPO will continue submitting proposals to federal agencies when sponsor portals are available and open for submission.
  *   PPFM draws: PPFM will continue to submit draws and reimbursement requests if federal payment systems are open and operational.
  *   Continuing amendments: If a continuing amendment is not received before the budget period expires, spending on the affected award will be paused until the amendment is received.
  *   Project-specific dependencies: Projects requiring access to federal facilities, direct agency collaboration, or governed by cooperative agreements may face additional limitations.
  *   After reopening: Expect backlogs and processing delays when agencies resume operations.


Recommended actions

  *   Continue work on active awards unless directed otherwise by SPO or your program officer. Forward any instructions you receive directly from a program officer to SPO at ucmerced.edu<mailto:SPO at ucmerced.edu>.
  *   Exercise discretion in spending on federally funded projects. Consider reducing expenses to the extent practical, while avoiding significant impacts on research progress.
  *   Plan around tasks that require federal approvals or access to federal facilities.
  *   Stay alert for updates from SPO and CGA.


If you have questions about a specific project or need support, please contact SPO at spo at ucmerced.edu<mailto:spo at ucmerced.edu>.
SPO hosts daily virtual office hours<https://ucmerced.zoom.us/j/89808101582?pwd=T0I0eTJSSmRXbnlLZTVJU1gzMHZZUT09> for all researchers from 10–11 a.m. and 2–3 p.m.


Gillian

Gillian Wilson
Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development
Professor, Department of Physics
University of California Merced
5200 Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343
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