Uniform Guidance

Page Updated: March 1, 2024

This page is no longer current but is maintained for historical purposes.

What is the Uniform Guidance

The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) were released on December 26, 2013. The Uniform Guidance streamlines and supersedes guidance that was previously contained in eight different OMB Circulars, including A-110, A-21, and A-133. The new guidance consists of definitions, uniform administrative requirements (both pre- and post-award), cost principles, and audit requirements.

When will the Uniform Guidance apply?

  • The Uniform Guidance administrative requirements and cost principles will apply to new funding awarded on or after December 26, 2014. Some Federal agencies will also apply the Uniform Guidance to incremental funding awarded after December 26, 2014.
  • Existing Federal awards will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions under which they were awarded.
  • Carryover funds may or may not be subject to the Uniform Guidance, depending on the Federal awarding agency.
  • Subpart F, Audit Requirements, will apply to audits of non-Federal entity fiscal years beginning on or after December 26th, 2014. For UW-Madison, this will be Fiscal Year July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016.
  • Application of Federal Regulations by Agency
  • Examples in WISDM of Awards Subject to the Uniform Guidance

What is UW-Madison doing to implement the Uniform Guidance?

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs has developed strategies for implementation of the Uniform Guidance. Working groups are addressing high priority subjects. A matrix of subjects and their current status is available here.

Updated UW-Madison Guidance

How can I learn more?

Federal Agency Resources

U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of Education

Department of Energy

Environmental Protection Agency

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Institutes of Health

National Science Foundation

Office of Naval Research

COFAR Resources

Other Federal Resources

Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) Resources

Uniform Guidance Archive