NSF PAUSES 15 PERCENT REIMBURSEMENT RATE IMPLEMENTATION
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is pausing the implementation of a new 15 percent reimbursement rate announced at the beginning of May, citing a hearing scheduled to occur in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. A group of higher education associations and select universities filed a lawsuit against the policy earlier this month. The NSF noted that new grants issued during this time will not have the new reimbursement rate applied, but it will retroactively apply to all grants awarded during this pause should the courts allow it to be implemented.
The update from the NSF reads as follows:
NSF is temporarily pausing implementation of the NSF Policy Notice: Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate, NSF 25-034, through June 13, when a hearing is scheduled to occur in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. New NSF awards issued during this pause will not implement NSF 25-034, but will include a term applying NSF 25-034 for the entirety of the award upon a court decision permitting application of the policy.
