Peer reviewers are currently evaluating applications submitted for the second review cycle of fiscal year 2020, with award recommendations set for approval at the August 19 Oversight Committee meeting. 

CPRIT’s review panels will meet virtually (rather than in-person) because of COVID-19. Governor Abbott authorized options for state agency governing boards to also meet virtually pursuant to the Texas Open Meetings Act while COVID-19 concerns limit in person gatherings and travel.

With these measures in place, CPRIT expects the peer review and award recommendation timeline to remain on course for the Oversight Committee to approve awards in August.

CPRIT will execute grant award contracts for applications already approved by the Oversight Committee. Please contact your program manager if you have any questions or need more assistance related to a specific grant project.

The next FSR deadline (covering expenses incurred December 1, 2019 – February 29, 2020) is May 29, 2020. CPRIT rules permit an additional 30-day grace period (through June 28, 2020) to submit the FSR and supporting documentation.

CPRIT recognizes that grantees may have reporting delays due to the impact of COVID-19. If a grantee is unable to file the FSR by the May 29 deadline, CPRIT’s rules include a process to defer submission of the FSR until August 29, the due date of the FSR for next fiscal quarter (covering expenses March 1 – May 31). The FSR filed by August 29 will include six months of project costs and supporting documentation, rather than three months.

The grantee should submit a request to defer submitting the next FSR (due May 29) until August 29 through CGMS/CARS using the “Change Not Otherwise Specified” option under the “Change Request” tab. The grantee should submit the request by May 29. CPRIT will approve deferral requests related to delays caused by COVID-19. 

More information about FSR deadlines and deferral requests is available in CPRIT’s administrative rule §703.24 and CPRIT’s Grant Policies and Procedures Guide at Section 6.2. 

Grantees expending $750,000 or more in CPRIT grant funds or a combination of CPRIT and other state grant funds in the grantee’s fiscal year must complete a single audit, program specific audit, or agreed upon procedures audit no later than nine months after the end of the grantee’s fiscal year.

CPRIT’s rules allow for a grantee to request additional time to submit a required audit to CPRIT. If the grantee is unable to complete and submit a required audit by the due date because of the effects of COVID-19, please submit the notice that the audit will be late through “Change – Not Otherwise Specified” (CNOS) change request under the “Change Requests” tab in CPRIT’s Grant Management System.  CPRIT requires only one CNOS request per grantee institution or entity.

At this time, CPRIT will approve an extension of up to 90 days from the original audit due date for COVID-19 related delays. CPRIT may approve more time to file the audit if COVID-19 issues continue to affect the grantee’s ability to conduct the audit for an extended period.

More information about audit deadlines is available in CPRIT’s administrative rule § 703.13 and CPRIT’s Grant Policies and Procedures Guide at Section 6.5.

Yes. CPRIT has provided guidance available on the CPRIT COVID-19 landing page regarding alternate procedures applicable through May 31 for grantees who cannot complete the procedures described in CPRIT Policies and Procedures Guide, Sec. 12.4.4.7. “Equipment” due to workplace and travel restrictions related to COVID-19.

Beginning June 1, grantees should resume performing all standard procedures regarding AUP audits, including those procedures related to equipment. If a grantee cannot complete the AUP audit by the deadline, the grantee should request additional time to submit the AUP audit.

More information about AUP requirements are available in CPRIT’s administrative rule § 703.13 and CPRIT’s Grant Policies and Procedures Guide at Section 12.4.4.

CPRIT’s rules require all grantees to submit required reports within 60 days of the anniversary of the grant contract’s effective date. These reports include annual progress reports, Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) forms, annual inventory reports, and revenue sharing forms. In addition, matching certification forms are due 30 days following the due date of the last quarterly FSR of the grant year. Some grantees must also submit quarterly progress reports. 

CPRIT recognizes that grantees may have reporting delays due to the impact of COVID-19. The grantee should contact the program manager if the grantee is unable to submit a required report by the reporting deadline. CPRIT will work with grantees to extend the deadline, if appropriate.

CPRIT understands that the potential effects of COVID-19 may impact the progress of CPRIT-supported research and prevention projects.  Grantees should explain the COVID-19 effects that disrupted the project’s activities in the required progress report.  CPRIT is committed to working with its grantees and will consider the grantee’s explanation when evaluating overall progress.

More information about progress report deadlines is available in CPRIT’s administrative rule §703.21 and CPRIT’s Grant Policies and Procedures Guide at Section 6.3.   

Yes. Please use the “2020 COVID-19 Disaster Grant Expense Claims Form” to record COVID-19 disaster expenses. The link to the form is available in the “Latest Updates” section on the CPRIT COVID-19 landing page. You must complete the form and submit it in the “Ad Hoc Documents” section in CGMS along with other grant-expense supporting documentation when you submit the March 1 – May 31 FSR. CPRIT cannot complete FSR review and approval in CGMS without this document.

Yes. All grantees must complete and submit the form’s “Salary-Stipend” worksheet and submit it as part of the March-May 2020 FSR submitted for each active CPRIT grant. The form provides specific instructions for an expedited completion process if you are not requesting reimbursement for salary or stipend expenses for employees or trainees unable to perform work on a grant due to the COVID-19 disaster. CPRIT cannot complete FSR review and approval in CGMS without this document, which you should submit in the Ad Hoc Documents section in CGMS along with the other grant supporting documentation.

CPRIT recognizes that the potential effects of COVID-19 may affect the grantee’s ability to complete project goals and objectives within previously agreed timelines. CPRIT will work with the grantee to address goals and objectives changes necessary because of COVID-19. The grantee requests and CPRIT approves any changes to goals and objectives through CGMS/CARS. 

If CPRIT approves goal and objective changes, the grantee should review and adjust its budget, if necessary, to reflect the amended goals and objectives. A grantee should follow the processes already in place to make and/or request changes to their project budget. The grantee may make transfers between or among lines within budget categories to accommodate changes resulting from COVID-19 without prior CPRIT approval if the transfer meets certain criteria listed in CPRIT’s rule addressing budget changes. CPRIT will work with the grantee to review and approve all other contract goal, objective, and budget changes due to COVID-19.

More information about goals, objectives, and budget changes is available in CPRIT’s administrative rules §§ 703.10 and 703.25 and CPRIT’s Grant Policies and Procedures Guide at Sections 5.14 and 5.15.

CPRIT provides grantees additional time to complete the work on CPRIT-funded projects through no-cost extensions (NCE). The grantee may request an NCE via the “Change Request tab” of CGMS/CARS within the last six months of the grant. Once approved, CPRIT will amend the contract to reflect the new termination date. When requesting an NCE, the grantee should indicate that COVID-19 affected the grantee’s ability to complete the work on time. 

More information about no cost extensions is available in CPRIT’s administrative rule §703.14 and CPRIT’s Grant Policies and Procedures Guide at Section 13.3.

Deciding whether to cancel a summer research training program is an institutional decision. If the grantee decides to cancel programs due to COVID-19, please contact Patty Moore to discuss amending the grant contract to reflect the change.

CPRIT recognizes that the potential effects of COVID-19 may impair the grantee’s ability to start work and/or complete project goals and objectives within previously agreed timelines. CPRIT is not planning to change grant contract effective dates at this time. However, CPRIT will provide grantees additional time to complete the work on CPRIT-funded projects through no-cost extensions (NCE). The NCE option will ensure that grantees affected by COVID-19 related project delays have adequate time to complete work on the grant project. The grantee may request an NCE via the “Change Request tab” of CGMS/CARS within the last six months of the grant contract termination date. 

More information about no cost extensions is available in CPRIT’s administrative rule § 703.14 and CPRIT’s Grant Policies and Procedures Guide at Section 13.3.

CPRIT administrative rules recognize that special circumstance may justify the grantee receiving more than one NCE to complete the work on a grant project. The grantee should contact the program manager for guidance on further extending the termination date for a grant project with an existing NCE. 

More information about no cost extensions is available in CPRIT’s administrative rule §703.14 and CPRIT’s Grant Policies and Procedures Guide at Section 13.3.

CPRIT recognizes that cancer research and prevention grantee staff may be unable to work on CPRIT-funded projects now due to or related to the COVID-19 disaster. Grantees should make every effort to perform work on the grant-funded project consistent with the grantee organization’s directives to employees regarding COVID-19, such as working remotely. However, in the event that personnel is unable to work or must reduce their work level, CPRIT will allow grantees to continue to charge salaries and benefits for the fiscal quarter March 1 through May 31 to currently active CPRIT awards if they are paid in a way that conforms to an established policy of the grantee and that policy treats both grant-supported and other activities consistently. 

Grantees must maintain records and documentation to support charges to the CPRIT grants for salaries and benefits for personnel not working or reducing their amount of work because of the COVID-19 disaster. CPRIT has created a “2020 COVID-19 Disaster Grant Expense Claims Form” for grantees to record COVID-19 disaster expenses. The link to the form is available in the “Latest Updates” section on the CPRIT COVID-19 landing page.

CPRIT will reimburse salaries and benefits up to the level reflected on the grantee’s Personnel Level of Effort (PLOE) form in place on February 29, 2020. CPRIT will consider salary and fringe reimbursement for an employee(s) not listed on the PLOE form in place February 29, 2020, on a case-by-case basis.  Please contact your program manager to discuss this request.

This authorization applies to personnel costs incurred only during the fiscal quarter March 1 – May 31, 2020.

CPRIT will reimburse otherwise allowable stipend payments to fellows and trainees who are unable to work due to or related to the COVID-19 disaster if the stipends are paid in a way that conforms to an established policy of the grantee and that policy treats both grant-supported and other activities consistently.

Grantee institutions should provide documentation demonstrating the effect of the COVID-19 disaster. CPRIT has created a “2020 COVID-19 Disaster Grant Expense Claims Form” for grantees to record COVID-19 disaster expenses. The link to the form is available in the “Latest Updates” section on the CPRIT COVID-19 landing page.

This authorization applies only to stipend payments made in the fiscal quarter March 1 – May 31, 2020.

No, CPRIT will only reimburse personnel costs (salaries and benefits) for grantee employees assigned to the project who are not working or have reduced their level of effort on the project due to COVID-19. This policy does not extend to subcontractor/subrecipient employees.

However, if a Multi-Investigator Research Award (MIRA) grantee subcontracts with other Texas institutions of higher education pursuant to the MIRA, the grantee may request reimbursement for salary and benefits paid for employees of the subcontracting institution that did not work or reduced their level of effort on the project during the March 1 – May 31 fiscal quarter due to COVID-19.

If the grantee requests reimbursement for the MIRA subcontractor employees, the grantee must include the subcontractor’s employees assigned to the CPRIT project on the PLOE for the March 1 – May 31 fiscal quarter and the COVID-19 Disaster Grant Expense Claims Form. The grantee should only update one PLOE and submit one COVID-19 Disaster Grant Expense Claims Form for the grant project, not separate forms for the subcontracting institution(s). The grantee must also include the general ledger support for the personnel and related fringe expenses from the subcontracting institution(s) with the FSR Supporting Documents packet uploaded in CGMS.

CPRIT will reimburse otherwise eligible costs associated with non-refundable grantee travel not taken because of the COVID-19 disaster. CPRIT will also reimburse otherwise allowable non-refundable registration fees for conferences, seminars, or symposiums that the event host cancelled due to the COVID-19 disaster. 

Grantees must maintain records and documentation to support charges to the CPRIT grants for non-refundable travel and/or non-refundable registration costs resulting because of the COVID-19 disaster. CPRIT has created a “2020 COVID-19 Disaster Grant Expense Claims Form” for grantees to record COVID-19 disaster expenses. The link to the form is available in the “Latest Updates” section on the CPRIT COVID-19 landing page.

This authorization does not apply to travel booked or for event registrations made on or after March 20 (or the date that a grant organization implemented a no travel policy for its employees and students, if earlier than March 20.) The grantee should make every effort to minimize future non-refundable travel and event registration costs booked on or after March 20, and CPRIT reserves the right to reject a grantee’s reimbursement request if the grantee has failed to adequately protect against future non-refundable travel and event registration costs, even those related to the COVID-19 disaster.

No, CPRIT will only reimburse otherwise eligible non-refundable travel costs incurred by grantee employees assigned to the project. This policy does not extend to subcontractors or subrecipients. However, the grantee may include expenses it incurred paying for a subcontractor or subrecipient’s non-refundable travel as part of its required matching expenses.

CPRIT will consider requests to purchase supplies and equipment the grantee considers necessary to maintain work during COVID-19 related business closures on a case-by-case basis. Please contact your program manager to discuss the request. If approved, grantees must maintain records and documentation to support charges to the CPRIT grants for supplies and equipment necessary to maintain work during COVID-19.

A grantee may report unplanned miscellaneous grant expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 disaster, such as laptops purchased so grantee personnel may work remotely on the grant project, as an "other" expense on the “2020 COVID-19 Disaster Grant Expense Claims Form.” The link to the form is available in the “Latest Updates” section on the CPRIT COVID-19 landing page.

Grantees may only claim expenses that are necessary to accomplish the grant project's goals and objectives as an "other" grant expense. Grantee expenses for general administrative changes or other general support costs due to the COVID-19 disaster may not be claimed as a grant expense. A grantee must provide a reason related to the grant's goals and objectives for the claimed expense.

A grantee may request reimbursement for PPE and COVID-19 testing if the expenses are necessary to provide direct patient care that is a major component of the goals and objectives of the CPRIT grant project. CPRIT defines “direct patient care” as providing cancer prevention clinical services, such as a mammogram or colonoscopy, or treatment to a cancer patient through a clinical trial.

Grantees may include expenses for PPE and COVID-19 testing as an "other" expense on the “2020 COVID-19 Disaster Grant Expense Claims Form.” The link to the form is available in the “Latest Updates” section on the CPRIT COVID-19 landing page. A grantee must provide a reason justifying the expense that is related to the grant's goals and objectives.

CPRIT will reimburse authorized COVID-19 related costs incurred only during the fiscal quarter March 1 - May 31, 2020, with existing grant funds already approved for the grant project. CPRIT will not supplement the approved grant funds with additional money at this time. We will continue to monitor the issue.