(a) The budget plan is the financial expression of the project or program as approved during the award process. It includes the sum of the Federal and non-Federal shares when there are cost sharing requirements. The budget plan must be related to performance for program evaluation purposes, whenever appropriate.

(b) The recipient must obtain the contracting officer's prior approval if a revision is necessary for either of the following two reasons:

(1) A change in the scope or the objective of the project or program (even if there is no associated budget revision requiring prior written approval).

(2) A need for additional Federal funding.

(c) The recipient must obtain the contracting officer's prior approval if a revision is necessary for any of the following six reasons, unless the requirement for prior approval is specifically waived in the program regulation or terms and conditions of the award:

(1) A change in the approved project director, principal investigator, or other key person specified in the application or award document.

(2) The absence for more than three months, or a 25 percent reduction in time devoted to the project, by the approved project director or principal investigator.

(3) The inclusion of any additional costs that require prior approval in accordance with the applicable costs principles for Federal funds and the requirements applicable to the recipient's cost share or match, as provided in § 600.313 and § 600.317, respectively.

(4) The inclusion of pre-award costs for periods greater than the 90 calendar days immediately preceding the effective date of the award.

(5) A “no-cost” extension of the project period.

(6) Any subaward, transfer, or contracting out of substantive program performance under an award, unless described in the application and funded in the approved awards.

(d) If specifically required in the program regulation or the terms and conditions of the award, the recipient must obtain the contracting officer's prior approval for the following revisions:

(1) The transfer of funds among direct cost categories, functions, and activities for awards in which the Federal share of the project exceeds $100,000 and the cumulative amount of such transfers exceeds or is expected to exceed 10 percent of the total budget as last approved by DOE.

(2) For awards that provide support for both construction and nonconstruction work, any fund or budget transfers between the two types of work supported.

(e) Within 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of the recipient's request for budget revisions, the contracting officer must review the request and notify the recipient whether the budget revisions have been approved. If the revision is still under consideration at the end of 30 calendar days, the contracting officer must inform the recipient in writing of the date when the recipient may expect the decision.