University Research: Policies for Reimbursement of Indirect Costs Need to Be Updated, GAO-10-937, September 8, 2010
“GAO identified wide variation in indirect cost rates at schools receiving DOD funding in fiscal year 2007, which may be related to a number of factors. For example, the average difference between a school’s proposed and its negotiated rate was much larger for schools with HHS as the cognizant rate-setting agency than for those with DOD, in part due to the agencies’ differing approaches to negotiation. GAO also found that schools receiving a 1.3 percent add-on to their rate to assist with the cost of utilities both proposed and negotiated higher rates than those without the adjustment. Contrary to guidance to periodically review school eligibility, the fixed list of schools eligible to receive this add-on has not been revisited since established in 1998. The cap on the administrative portion of the indirect cost rate limited fiscal year 2007 reimbursement for about 83 percent of schools. The cap was established nearly 20 years ago with the intent of limiting federal reimbursement for schools’ administrative costs, and OMB has not reexamined this cap since its implementation.”
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