If he/she (I am assuming it's the Program Officer) is telling you to do something that seems contrary to NSF policy, I would contact Jean Feldman, head of the Policy Office, and explain that it is your understanding of NSF policy that conference speakers do not get included in the PSC portion of the budget but you are being told otherwise by the Program Officer (or whoever it is). I have e-mailed her directly in the past about policy-related questions and have received a response from her, and even a phone call one time to discuss her answer to a question I had. She is very good and told me not to hesitate to contact her with any questions I had. Her e-mail address is: xxxxxx@nsf.gov. Plus, if this is a problem within NSF where Program Officers are telling their recipients something that is incorrect, she needs to be aware of that.

Good luck,
Amanda

On Wed, Aug 1, 2018 at 2:03 PM, Lindsey Demeritt <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:
Not to be too terribly nit-picky, but are you dealing with the program official or grants management?  If it's the former, it might be worth looping in the latter as they are really the ones responsible for all financial decision.

Lindsey

On Wed, Aug 1, 2018 at 9:57 AM Michener, Matthew <xxxxxx@wsu.edu> wrote:
Here is a copy of the NSF Newsletter that Kelly referenced.  I send this out to RAs and PIs frequently.

Matt

Matthew Michener
Grant and Contract Coordinator Lead
Office of Research Support and Operations (ORSO)
Washington State University
Lighty 280, PO Box 641060
Pullman, WA 99164-1060
xxxxxx@wsu.edu
T: (509)335-1960 F: (509)335-1676

-----Original Message-----
From: Research Administration List <xxxxxx@LISTS.HEALTHRESEARCH.ORG> On Behalf Of Searsmith, Kelly Lin
Sent: Wednesday, August 1, 2018 7:39 AM
To: xxxxxx@LISTS.HEALTHRESEARCH.ORG
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Participant Costs

The NSF May 2017 newsletter's FAQ on PSC answers this question about speaker costs:

Q: May I include conference speaker
fees in the participant support costs
section of the budget?
A: No, the participant support
category is for the support of
participants or trainees only.
Speakers and trainers are not
considered participants and should
not be included in this section of the
budget.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nsf.gov_bfa_dias_policy_newsletter_may-5F2017.pdf&d=DwIFAg&c=C3yme8gMkxg_ihJNXS06ZyWk4EJm8LdrrvxQb-Je7sw&r=qHL6NwHGHjI7yD30jdLMV3svRLhQleQOwM5l-0Qv8II&m=yitEoyrzxAKb1OPHisD9oNH9pwXrHbJuLMf211CmMAE&s=2dp_fDArPfSRIjhunn6yi5yktSRpWtHmCdB7NTIwe0E&e=

Maybe you can forward that to your PO?

Best,
Kelly



-----Original Message-----
From: Research Administration List <xxxxxx@LISTS.HEALTHRESEARCH.ORG> On Behalf Of Truscello, Roberta
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2018 6:52 PM
To: xxxxxx@LISTS.HEALTHRESEARCH.ORG
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Participant Costs

?Hi Sophia,


We are in a similar situation, and are not having much luck in reaching a common understanding of what expenses belong in this category.


Roberta


Roberta Truscello, M.A., C.R.A. | Director of Sponsored Programs | Hobart and William Smith Colleges | 20 Seneca Street |  Geneva, New York | phone: 315.781.3754 ________________________________
From: Research Administration List <xxxxxx@LISTS.HEALTHRESEARCH.ORG> on behalf of Sophia Hinojosa <xxxxxx@SCU.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2018 6:30 PM
To: xxxxxx@LISTS.HEALTHRESEARCH.ORG
Subject: [RESADM-L] Participant Costs

We have a program officer who is asking us to move conference speakers travel to participant costs. Here's the program officers response when we questioned:

The speakers are also participants.  Section E is only travel for Pis/co-Pis/students and others listed in section A.

Has anyone else had experience with this?


________________________________

To unsubscribe from the RESADM-L list, click the following link:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lists.healthresearch.org_scripts_wa-2DHLTHRES.exe-3FSUBED1-3DRESADM-2DL-26A-3D1&d=DwIFAg&c=C3yme8gMkxg_ihJNXS06ZyWk4EJm8LdrrvxQb-Je7sw&r=qHL6NwHGHjI7yD30jdLMV3svRLhQleQOwM5l-0Qv8II&m=yitEoyrzxAKb1OPHisD9oNH9pwXrHbJuLMf211CmMAE&s=lCRlE6W8HCT4Vxpt3nmxZ7e1zoHdCWW5tdbZOV_jR64&e=

############################

To unsubscribe from the RESADM-L list:
write to: mailto:RESADM-L-SIGNOFF-xxxxxx@LISTS.HEALTHRESEARCH.ORG
or click the following link:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lists.healthresearch.org_scripts_wa-2DHLTHRES.exe-3FSUBED1-3DRESADM-2DL-26A-3D1&d=DwIFAg&c=C3yme8gMkxg_ihJNXS06ZyWk4EJm8LdrrvxQb-Je7sw&r=qHL6NwHGHjI7yD30jdLMV3svRLhQleQOwM5l-0Qv8II&m=yitEoyrzxAKb1OPHisD9oNH9pwXrHbJuLMf211CmMAE&s=lCRlE6W8HCT4Vxpt3nmxZ7e1zoHdCWW5tdbZOV_jR64&e=

############################

To unsubscribe from the RESADM-L list:
write to: mailto:RESADM-L-SIGNOFF-xxxxxx@LISTS.HEALTHRESEARCH.ORG
or click the following link:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lists.healthresearch.org_scripts_wa-2DHLTHRES.exe-3FSUBED1-3DRESADM-2DL-26A-3D1&d=DwIFAg&c=C3yme8gMkxg_ihJNXS06ZyWk4EJm8LdrrvxQb-Je7sw&r=qHL6NwHGHjI7yD30jdLMV3svRLhQleQOwM5l-0Qv8II&m=yitEoyrzxAKb1OPHisD9oNH9pwXrHbJuLMf211CmMAE&s=lCRlE6W8HCT4Vxpt3nmxZ7e1zoHdCWW5tdbZOV_jR64&e=

############################

To unsubscribe from the RESADM-L list:
write to: mailto:RESADM-L-SIGNOFF-xxxxxx@LISTS.HEALTHRESEARCH.ORG
or click the following link:
http://lists.healthresearch.org/scripts/wa-HLTHRES.exe?SUBED1=RESADM-L&A=1


--
You cannot simultaneously prepare for and prevent war.  --Albert Einstein
Sometimes, I wonder if God will ever forgive us for what we've done to each other? -- Danny Archer, "Blood Diamond"

To unsubscribe from the RESADM-L list, click the following link:
http://lists.healthresearch.org/scripts/wa-HLTHRES.exe?SUBED1=RESADM-L&A=1




--
Amanda Johnson
Grants Manager/Compliance Officer
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Box AB
Millbrook, NY 12545
(845) 677-7600 X 108

To unsubscribe from the RESADM-L list, click the following link:
http://lists.healthresearch.org/scripts/wa-HLTHRES.exe?SUBED1=RESADM-L&A=1