EXCESS GOVERNMENT PROPERTY (GFE) 'aragraph 505 (b) (1) states NASA policy against furnishing acquired xcess property to Grantees. The following Grant and Cooperative Agreement Handbook Instructions (Changes) have been issued: Instruction No. 1 Instruction No. 2 July 1, 1981 September 30, 1982 1981 EDITION G-2:7 BASIC POLICIES situations where the project would not be possible without extensive NASA-university collaboration. Thus, cooperative agreements would be appropriate, for instance, where a university investigator works for a substantial amount of time at a NASA center (or a NASA investigator works at the university), or when the NASA-university scientific collaboration is such that a jointly authored report is appropriate. Under no circumstances are cooperative agreements to be used solely to obtain the stricter control requirements typical of a contract. Subject to the statutory requirements set forth in paragraph 203.1, the characterstics generally inherent in grants, cooperative agreements and contracts are as follows: (a) Characteristics of a grant instrument: (i) The principal purpose is to accomplish a NASA objective through stimulating or supporting the acquisition of knowledge or understanding of the subject or phenomena under study; (ii) The exact course of the work and its outcome cannot be defined precisely and specific points in time for achievement of significant results cannot be realistically specified; (iii) NASA desires, or the nature of the proposed investigation is such, that the grantee will bear prime responsibility for the conduct of the research, and exercises judgment and original thought toward attaining the scientific goals within broad parameters of the research areas proposed and the related resources provided; (iv) The research problem is such that long term support (i.e., in excess of 1 year) is required for the study to mature to maximum scientific effectiveness (however, this does not preclude shorter-term grants in special cases); (v) Meaningful technical reports (as distinguished from the Semiannual Status Reports) can be prepared only as new findings are made, rather than on a predetermined time schedule; and (vi) Simplicity and economy in execution and administration are mutually desirable. (b) Characteristics inherent in a cooperative agreement include the characteristics of a grant plus the following: (i) Substantial NASA involvement in and contribution to the technical aspects of the effort are necessary for its accomplishment; (ii) The project, conducted as proposed, would not be possible without extensive NASA-university technical collaboration; and (iii) The nature of the collaboration can be clearly defined and specified in advance. (c) Characteristics inherent in a contract are as follows: (i) The principal purpose is the purchase for the direct use or benefit of NASA's well-defined, specific effort clearly required for the advancement of a programmed NASA mission or project; (ii) The work to be conducted is directed closely toward the solution of a specific problem; (iii) A specific service, piece of hardware, or improved performance of a specific device is the end product; NASA GRANT AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT HANDBOOK |