74.27—Allowable costs.
(a)
For each kind of recipient, there is a particular set of Federal principles that applies in determining allowable costs. Allowability of costs shall be determined in accordance with the cost principles applicable to the entity incurring the costs. Thus, allowability of costs incurred by State, local or federally-recognized Indian tribal governments is determined in accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular A-87, “Cost Principles for State and Local Governments.” The allowability of costs incurred by nonprofit organizations (except for those listed in Attachment C of Circular A-122) is determined in accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular A-122, “Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations” and paragraph (b) of this section. The allowability of costs incurred by institutions of higher education is determined in accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular A-21, “Cost Principles for Educational Institutions.” The allowability of costs incurred by hospitals is determined in accordance with the provisions of appendix E of this part, “Principles for Determining Costs Applicable to Research and Development Under Grants and Contracts with Hospitals.” The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations and those nonprofit organizations listed in Attachment C to Circular A-122 is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR part 31, except that independent research and development costs are unallowable.
(b)
OMB Circular A-122 does not cover the treatment of bid and proposal costs or independent research and development costs. The following rules apply to these costs for nonprofit organizations subject to that Circular.
(1) Bid and proposal costs.
Bid and proposal costs are the immediate costs of preparing bids, proposals, and applications for Federal and non-Federal awards, contracts, and other agreements, including the development of scientific, cost, and other data needed to support the bids, proposals, and applications. Bid and proposal costs of the current accounting period are allowable as indirect costs. Bid and proposal costs of past accounting periods are unallowable in the current period. However, if the recipient's established practice is to treat these costs by some other method, they may be accepted if they are found to be reasonable and equitable. Bid and proposal costs do not include independent research and development costs covered by paragraph (b)(2) of this section, or pre-award costs covered by OMB Circular A-122, Attachment B, paragraph 33 and § 74.25(d)(1).
(2) Independent Research and Development costs.
Independent research and development is research and development which is conducted by an organization, and which is not sponsored by Federal or non-Federal awards, contracts, or other agreements. Independent research and development shall be allocated its proportionate share of indirect costs on the same basis as the allocation of indirect costs to sponsored research and development. The cost of independent research and development, including their proportionate share of indirect costs, are unallowable.