Laserfiche WebLink
(4) Any attempt to influence: (i)The introduction of Federal or State legislation; or(ii)the enactment <br /> or modification of any pending Federal or State legislation by preparing, distributing or using <br /> publicity or propaganda, or by urging members of the general public or any segment thereof to <br /> contribute to or participate in any mass demonstration, march, rally, fundraising drive, lobbying <br /> campaign or letter writing or telephone campaign; or <br /> (5) Legislative liaison activities, including attendance at legislative sessions or committee hearings, <br /> gathering information regarding legislation, and analyzing the effect of legislation, when such <br /> activities are carried on in support of or in knowing preparation for an effort to engage in <br /> unallowable lobbying. <br /> The following activities as enumerated in Paragraph B are excepted from the coverage of Paragraph A: <br /> Paragraph B. <br /> (1) Providing a technical and factual presentation of information on a topic directly related to the <br /> performance of a grant, contract or other agreement through hearing testimony, statements or <br /> letters to the Congress or a State legislature, or subdivision, member, or cognizant staff member <br /> thereof, in response to a documented request(including a Congressional Record notice <br /> requesting testimony or statements for the record at a regularly scheduled hearing) made by the <br /> recipient member, legislative body or subdivision, or a cognizant staff member thereof; provided <br /> such information is readily obtainable and can be readily put in deliverable form; and further <br /> provided that costs under this section for travel, lodging or meals are unallowable unless incurred <br /> to offer testimony at a regularly scheduled Congressional hearing pursuant to a written request <br /> for such presentation made by the Chairman or Ranking Minority Member of the Committee or <br /> Subcommittee conducting such hearing. <br /> (2) Any lobbying made unallowable by subparagraph A(3)to influence State legislation in order to <br /> directly reduce the cost, or to avoid material impairment of the organization's authority to perform <br /> the grant, contract, or other agreement. <br /> (3) Any activity specifically authorized by statute to be undertaken with funds from the grant, contract, <br /> or other agreement. <br /> Paragraph C. <br /> (1) When an organization seeks reimbursement for indirect costs, total lobbying costs shall be <br /> separately identified in the indirect cost rate proposal, and thereafter treated as other unallowable <br /> activity costs in accordance with the procedures of subparagraph B.(3). <br /> (2) Organizations shall submit, as part of the annual indirect cost rate proposal, a certification that <br /> the requirements and standards of this paragraph have been complied with. <br /> (3) Organizations shall maintain adequate records to demonstrate that the determination of costs as <br /> being allowable or unallowable pursuant to this section complies with the requirements of this <br /> Circular. <br /> (4) Time logs, calendars, or similar records shall not be required to be created for purposes of <br /> complying with this paragraph during any particular calendar month when: (1)the employee <br /> engages in lobbying (as defined in subparagraphs (a)and (b))25 percent or less of the <br /> employee's compensated hours of employment during that calendar month, and (2)within the <br /> preceding five-year period, the organization has not materially misstated allowable or unallowable <br /> costs of any nature, including legislative lobbying costs.When conditions (1) and (2)are met, <br /> organizations are not required to establish records to support the allowability of claimed costs in <br /> addition to records already required or maintained. Also, when conditions(1)and (2)are met, the <br /> absence of time logs, calendars, or similar records will not serve as a basis for disallowing costs <br /> by contesting estimates of lobbying time spent by employees during a calendar month. <br /> (5) Agencies shall establish procedures for resolving in advance, in consultation with OMB, any <br /> significant questions or disagreements concerning the interpretation or application of this section. <br /> Any such advance resolution shall be binding in any subsequent settlements, audits or <br /> investigations with respect to that grant or contract for purposes of interpretation of this Circular; <br /> provided, however, that this shall not be construed to prevent a contractor or grantee from <br /> contesting the lawfulness of such a determination. <br /> Federal Certification Regarding Lobbying (Rev. 7-2008) 2 <br />