Section 200.201 - Use of grants, cooperative agreements, fixed amount awards, and contracts(a)Federal awards. The Federal agency or pass-through entity must decide on the appropriate type of agreement for a Federal award (for example, a grant, cooperative agreement, subaward, or contract) in accordance with this guidance. See the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act (31 U.S.C. 6301 - 6309 ).(b)Fixed amount awards. The Federal agency or pass-through entity (see § 200.333 ) may use fixed amount awards (see the definition of fixed amount awards in § 200.1 ) for which the following conditions apply: (1) The Federal award amount is negotiated using the cost principles (or other pricing information) as a guide. See § 200.101(b)(4)(ii) for further information on which provisions in subpart E (cost principles) apply to fixed amount awards. The Federal agency or pass-through entity may use fixed amount awards if the project scope has measurable goals and objectives and if accurate cost, historical, or unit pricing data is available to establish a fixed budget based on a reasonable estimate of actual costs. Budgets for fixed amount awards are negotiated with the recipient or subrecipient and the total amount of Federal funding is determined in accordance with the recipient's or subrecipient's proposal, available pricing data, and subpart E. Accountability must be based on performance and results, which can be communicated in performance reports or through routine monitoring. There is no expected routine monitoring of the actual costs incurred by the recipient or subrecipient under the Federal award. Therefore, no financial reporting is required. This does not absolve the recipient or subrecipient from the record retention requirements contained in §§ 200.334 through 200.338 ; nor does it absolve the recipient or subrecipient of the responsibilities of making records available for review during an audit. See § 200.101(b)(5)(i) . Payments must be based on meeting specific requirements of the Federal award. Some of the ways in which the Federal award may be paid include, but are not limited to: (i) In several partial payments. The amount of each payment as well as the "milestone" or event triggering the payment, should be agreed to in advance and included in the Federal award;(ii) On a unit price basis. The defined unit(s) or price(s) should be agreed to in advance and included in the Federal award; or(iii) In one payment at the completion of the Federal award.(2) A fixed amount award must not be used in programs that require cost sharing.(3) A fixed amount award may generate and use program income in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Federal award; however, the requirements of § 200.307 do not apply.(4) At the end of a fixed amount award, the recipient or subrecipient must certify in writing to the Federal agency or pass-through entity that the project was completed as agreed to in the Federal award, or identify those activities that were not completed, and that all expenditures were incurred in accordance with § 200.403 . When the required activities were not carried out, including fixed amount awards paid on a unit price basis under 200.201(b)(1)(ii), the amount of the Federal award must be reduced by the amount that reflects the activities that were not completed in accordance with the Federal award. When the required activities were completed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Federal award, the recipient or subrecipient is entitled to any unexpended funds.(5) Periodic reports may be established for fixed amount awards.(6) Prior approval requirements that apply to fixed amount awards are § 200.308(f) (paragraphs 1 through 3, 6 through 8, and 10) and § 200.333 . 85 FR 49538 , 11/12/2020; 89 FR 30136 , 10/1/2024