(a) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards set forth in 2 CFR part 200 apply to the Department of the Interior. This part adopts, as the Department of the Interior (DOI) policies and procedures, the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements set forth in 2 CFR part 200. The Uniform Guidance applies in full except as stated in this part.

(b) This part establishes DOI financial assistance regulations that implement or supplement the OMB's Uniform Guidance. It is designed to ensure that financial assistance is administered in full compliance with applicable law, regulation, policy, and best practices to ensure the American people get the most value from the funds DOI awards on financial assistance. For supplemental guidance, DOI has adopted section numbering that corresponds to related OMB guidance in 2 CFR part 200.

(c) This part extends 2 CFR part 200, subparts A through E, policies and procedures to foreign public entities and foreign organizations as allowed by 2 CFR 200.101, except as indicated throughout this part.

(a) This part applies to all DOI grant-making activities and to any non-Federal entity that applies for, receives, operates, or expends funds from a DOI Federal award after October 29, 2019, unless otherwise authorized by Federal statute.

(b) This part applies to foreign entity applicants and recipients, except where the DOI office or bureau determines that the application of this part would be inconsistent with the international obligations of the United States or the statutes or regulations of a foreign government (see § 1402.102).

(1) Foreign entities are subject to the definitions and requirements in 2 CFR part 200, subparts A through E, and as supplemented by this part. In addition to the general requirements in 2 CFR part 200, foreign entities must follow the special considerations and requirements for different classes of recipients in subparts A through E as follows, unless otherwise instructed in this part:

(i) Foreign public entities are to follow those for States, with the exception of the State payment procedures in 2 CFR 200.305(a). Foreign public entities must follow the payment procedures for non-Federal entities other than States;

(ii) Foreign nonprofit organizations are to follow those for nonprofits; and

(iii) Foreign higher education institutions are to follow those for Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs).

(2) [Reserved]

(a) Awards made in accordance with the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93-638, 88 Stat. 2204), as amended, are governed by 25 CFR parts 900 and 1000, and by 2 CFR part 200, subparts E and F.

(b) Exceptions for individual foreign entities to the requirements in this part may be authorized by the Director, Office of Grants Management. Such exceptions must be made in accordance with written bureau or office policy and procedures.

(1) Foreign entities must request any exception to a requirement established in this part in writing. Such requests must be submitted to the funding bureau or office by an authorized official of the foreign entity, and must provide sufficient pertinent background information, including:

(i) Identification of the requirement under this part that is inconsistent with an in-country statute or regulation to which the foreign entity is subject;

(ii) A complete description of the in-country statute or regulation, including a description of how it prohibits or otherwise limits the foreign entity's ability to comply with the identified requirement under this part; and

(iii) Identification of the entity's name, DOI award(s) affected, and point of contact for the request.

(2) The Director, Office of Grants Management may approve exceptions for individual foreign entities to the requirements of this part only when it has been determined that the requirement to be waived is inconsistent with either the international obligations of the United States or the statutes or regulations of a foreign government. Bureaus and offices will communicate exception request decisions to the requesting entity in writing.

(3) Submissions by public international organization submissions of any assurances, certifications or representations required for and related to a Federal award do not constitute a waiver of immunities provided under the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288-288f).

(4) Foreign entities are not subject to the following requirements in 2 CFR part 200:

(i) Foreign entities may be subject to other applicable international or in-country alternatives to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), such as the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). See 2 CFR 200.403, Factors affecting allowability of costs;

(ii) 2 CFR 200.321, Contracting with small and minority businesses, women's business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms; and

(iii) Section 6002 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act. See 2 CFR 200.322, Procurement of recovered materials.

Non-Federal entities must follow bureau or office policies and procedures as communicated in notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) and award terms and conditions. In the event such policies or procedures conflict with 2 CFR part 200 or this part, 2 CFR part 200 or this part will supersede, unless otherwise authorized by Federal statute.

This section shall apply to all non-Federal entities. NOFOs and financial assistance awards must include the full text of the conflict of interest provisions in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section.

(a) Applicability. (1) This section intends to ensure that non-Federal entities and their employees take appropriate steps to avoid conflicts of interest in their responsibilities under or with respect to Federal financial assistance agreements.

(2) In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services by recipients and by subrecipients, the conflict of interest provisions in 2 CFR 200.318 apply.

(b) Notification. (1) Non-Federal entities, including applicants for financial assistance awards, must disclose in writing any conflict of interest to the DOI awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with 2 CFR 200.112.

(2) Recipients must establish internal controls that include, at a minimum, procedures to identify, disclose, and mitigate or eliminate identified conflicts of interest. The recipient is responsible for notifying the Financial Assistance Officer in writing of any conflicts of interest that may arise during the life of the award, including those that have been reported by subrecipients.

(c) Restrictions on lobbying. Non-Federal entities are strictly prohibited from using funds under a grant or cooperative agreement for lobbying activities and must provide the required certifications and disclosures pursuant to 43 CFR part 18 and 31 U.S.C. 1352.

(d) Review procedures. The Financial Assistance Officer will examine each conflict of interest disclosure on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed grant or cooperative agreement, and will determine whether a significant potential conflict exists and, if it does, develop an appropriate means for resolving it.

(e) Enforcement. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the government may be cause for termination of the award. Failure to make required disclosures may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.339, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR part 180).

In addition to the disclosures required under 2 CFR 200.112 and 200.113, non-Federal entities, including applicants for all Federal awards, must disclose in writing any potential or actual conflict of interest to the DOI awarding agency or pass-through entity. Non-Federal entities and applicants must also disclose any outstanding unresolved matters with the Government Accountability Office or an Office of Inspector General when submitting a proposal and through the life of the award as needed. Unresolved items are those items that do not have an approved (by the awarding agency) corrective action plan in place and remain open.