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://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/newsletter/may_2017.pdf

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?

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