U.S. ATLAS HL-LHC Upgrade Level 2 and Deputies-NSF only Management Mailing List

[Michael Tuts <tuts AT pmtuts.net>]

Hi All, We received this “clarification” from NSF regarding continuing work during the shutdown. My interpretation (and I have sent this to our Columbia research and sponsored projects folks for their confirmation, and to NSF thanking

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Hi All,

 

We received this “clarification” from NSF regarding continuing work during the shutdown. My interpretation (and I have sent this to our Columbia research and sponsored projects folks for their confirmation, and to NSF thanking them to allow us to continue work on the MREFC) is that the first “bullet” applies to us because there is no impact on life and federal property, and our monthly reports, while we are required to file them, do not need formal NSF approval (at least I have never received any such approval for our monthly reports). That means we can continue on a month by month basis as they continue to waive Federal employee review. It is also clear that we CANNOT get NSF approval for over-threshold BCPs, new contracts etc. during the shutdown, which is not ideal but will let us continue to pay salaries, place orders, and even process BCPs that fall below threshold for NSF approval. That is a relief if my interpretation is correct.

 

I will let you know if Columbia sponsored projects has a different interpretation, but I feel much better now than I did yesterday, given that there is no apparent end in sight for an end to this shutdown.

 

Cheers, Mike

 

From: Kashmer, Timothy P. <tkashmer AT nsf.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:34 AM
To: tuts AT nevis.columbia.edu; Anders.Ryd AT cornell.edu
Cc: Opper, Allena K. <AOPPER AT nsf.gov>; Ali, Aamir M. <aamali AT nsf.gov>; Avallone, Linnea <lavallon AT nsf.gov>
Subject: Construction Project Reporting During the 2025 Lapse in Appropriations

 

Dear Dr. Philip Tuts and Dr. Anders Ryd:

 

I am providing some additional information regarding the attached Notice that was sent on October 1, 2025.

 

The standard guidance during a lapse in appropriations is that major facility and mid- scale construction award recipients may continue if they are funded by valid obligations entered into prior to the lapse, and only to the extent that work can proceed without the involvement of Federal staff. Federal staff may be recalled solely to perform work necessary to protect life or Federal property from imminent harm.

 

The NSF Director has the authority to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether a construction project has progressed to the point where its monthly report contains information implicating the government’s interests in protecting life or Federal property. Based on this authority, the NSF Director has determined the following:

 

• If a warranted excepted or exempted NSF grants officer, in coordination with the Chief Officer for Research Facilities (CORF), determines that a monthly report is unlikely to implicate the protection of life or Federal property and does not require formal acceptance by a Federal official, the requirement for Federal employee review is waived. In such cases, the construction project may proceed to the next milestone or monthly report.
• If, however, a warranted excepted or exempted NSF grants officer, in coordination with the CORF, determines that a monthly report may contain information implicating the protection of life or Federal property from imminent harm—including risks posed to individuals actively working on the project—then review of the report qualifies as an excepted activity under a shutdown. In these cases, furloughed staff may be recalled to review the report.

 

The NSF Director has determined that this applies to your major facility projects in support of the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) awards.

 

For monthly reports that come due during the lapse, please send a copy to me at tkashmer AT nsf.gov and to Linnea Avallone, NSF Chief Officer for Research Facilities, at lavallon AT nsf.gov, in addition to the cognizant NSF Program Officer on your awards aamali AT nsf.gov .

 

Thank you,

Tim

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________________________________________________

Tim P. Kashmer, Branch Chief

Infrastructure Support Branch

Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Support

U.S. National Science Foundation
tkashmer AT nsf.gov

 

 

From: Kashmer, Timothy P. <tkashmer AT nsf.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 9:10 AM
Subject:  Lapse in Appropriations for NSF's Major Facilities and Mid-scale Research Infrastructure

 

Dear Managing Organization Cognizant Points of Contact and Colleagues,

 

This email provides notification that the appropriations under which the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has been operating expired on September 30, 2025.   Consequently, NSF will shut down its operations with limited exemptions for specifically excepted activities. 

 

Please review the attached memorandum for additional information.

 

Thank you,

Tim

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________________________________________________

Tim P. Kashmer, Branch Chief

Grants and Agreements Officer for Rubin Observatory Construction and JR/IODP

Infrastructure Support Branch

Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Support

National Science Foundation
tkashmer AT nsf.gov

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<Notice #2 - Managing Organization Cognizant Point of Contact.pdf>