In 2013, OMB partnered with the Council on Financial Assistance Reform (COFAR) to revise and streamline guidance to develop the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) located in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR 200) (79 FR 78589; ). The intent of this effort was to simultaneously reduce administrative burden and the risk 
of waste, fraud, and abuse while delivering better performance on behalf of the American people. Implementation of the Uniform Guidance became effective on ) and must be reviewed every five years in accordance with 2 CFR . Based on feedback and ongoing engagement with the grants management community, the current Administration established the Results-Oriented Accountability for Grants Cross Agency Priority Goal (Grants CAP Goal) in the President’s Management Agenda on (available at: The Grants CAP Goal recognizes that grants managers report spending a disproportionate amount of time using antiquated processes to monitor compliance. Efficiencies could be gained from modernization and grants managers could instead shift their time to analyze data to improve results. To address this challenge, the Grants CAP Goal Executive Steering Committee (ESC), which reports to the Chief Financial Officer’s Council (CFOC), identified four strategies to work toward maximizing the value of grant funding by developing a risk-based, data-driven framework that balances compliance requirements with demonstrating successful results for the American taxpayer.
To support these four strategies, various revisions are proposed for 2 CFR. These proposed changes would help ensure that there are no conflicts within 2 CFR and the Grants Management Federal Integrated Business Framework (available at: This effort recognizes that recipient reporting burden is reduced when the grants management business process and data elements are standardized. OMB is also proposing revisions to strengthen the governmentwide approach to performance and risk, to support efforts under Strategies 3 and 4 by encouraging agencies to measure the recipient’s performance in a way that will help Federal awarding agencies and non-Federal entities to improve program goals and objectives, share lessons learned, and spread the adoption of promising performance practices.
OMB is also proposing revisions to 2 CFR to implement relevant statutory requirements. These revisions include requirements from several National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs) and the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), as amended by the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act).
Finally, OMB is proposing revisions to 2 CFR to clarify areas of misinterpretation. The proposed revisions are intended to reduce recipient burden by improving consistent interpretation.
OMB proposes these revisions after consultation and in collaboration with agency representatives identified by the Grants CAP Goal ESC. In addition, OMB solicited feedback from the broader Federal financial assistance community and made changes to the proposed revisions as appropriate.
In support of Strategies 1 and 2, OMB is proposing changes to terminology throughout 2 CFR
In summary and as discussed further in the sections below, OMB proposes revisions to 2 CFR parts 25, 170, and 200 within the below scope. Additionally, OMB proposes adding part 183 to 2 CFR to implement Never Contract with the Enemy.
A. Changes to the Procurement Standards To Better Target Areas of Greater Risk and Conform to Statutory Requirements
To better target 2 CFR requirements on areas of greater risk, and consistent Start Printed Page 3767 with the intent of the Grants CAP Goal, OMB proposes allowing all Federal recipients the flexibility provided in the NDAA for 2017 for institutions of higher education, related or affiliated nonprofit entities, nonprofit research organizations, and independent research institutes to request an increased micro-purchase threshold.
