§ 600.123 Cost sharing or matching. ( a ) All cost sharing or matching contributions, including cash and third party in-kind, shall meet all of the following criteria. ( 1 ) Are verifiable from the recipient's records.
( 2 ) Are not included as contributions for any other federally-assisted project or program.
( 3 ) Are necessary and reasonable for proper and efficient accomplishment of project or program objectives.
( 4 ) Are allowable under the applicable cost principles.
( 5 ) Are not paid by the Federal Government under another award, except where authorized by Federal statute to be used for cost sharing or matching.
( 6 ) Are provided for in the approved budget.
( 7 ) Conform to other provisions of this subpart, as applicable.
( b ) Unrecovered indirect costs may be included as part of cost sharing or matching.
( c ) Values for recipient contributions of services and property shall be established in accordance with the applicable cost principles. If DOE authorizes recipients to donate buildings or land for construction/facilities acquisition projects or long-term use, the value of the donated property for cost sharing or matching shall be the lesser of either paragraph (c)(1) or (2) of this section. ( 1 ) The certified value of the remaining life of the property recorded in the recipient's accounting records at the time of donation.
( 2 ) The current fair market value. However, when there is sufficient justification, DOE may approve the use of the current fair market value of the donated property, even if it exceeds the certified value at the time of donation to the project.
( d ) Volunteer services furnished by professional and technical personnel, consultants, and other skilled and unskilled labor may be counted as cost sharing or matching if the service is an integral and necessary part of an approved project or program. Rates for volunteer services shall be consistent with those paid for similar work in the recipient's organization. In those instances in which the required skills are not found in the recipient organization, rates shall be consistent with those paid for similar work in the labor market in which the recipient competes for the kind of services involved. In either case, paid fringe benefits that are reasonable, allowable, and allocable may be included in the valuation.
( e ) When an employer other than the recipient furnishes the services of an employee, these services shall be valued at the employee's regular rate of pay (plus an amount of fringe benefits that are reasonable, allowable, and allocable, but exclusive of overhead costs), provided these services are in the same skill for which the employee is normally paid.
( f ) Donated supplies may include such items as office supplies, laboratory supplies or workshop and classroom supplies. Value assessed to donated supplies included in the cost sharing or matching share shall be reasonable and shall not exceed the fair market value of the property at the time of the donation.
( g ) The method used for determining cost sharing or matching for donated equipment, buildings and land for which title passes to the recipient may differ according to the purpose of the award, if either paragraph (g)(1) or (2) of this section apply. ( 1 ) If the purpose of the award is to assist the recipient in the acquisition of equipment, buildings or land, the total value of the donated property may be claimed as cost sharing or matching.
( 2 ) If the purpose of the award is to support activities that require the use of equipment, buildings or land, normally only depreciation or use charges for equipment and buildings may be made. However, the full value of equipment or other capital assets and fair rental charges for land may be allowed, provided that DOE has approved the charges.
( h ) The value of donated property shall be determined in accordance with the usual accounting policies of the recipient, with the following qualifications. ( 1 ) The value of donated land and buildings shall not exceed its fair market value at the time of donation to the recipient as established by an independent appraiser (e.g., certified real property appraiser or General Services Administration representative) and certified by a responsible official of the recipient.
( 2 ) The value of donated equipment shall not exceed the fair market value of equipment of the same age and condition at the time of donation.
( 3 ) The value of donated space shall not exceed the fair rental value of comparable space as established by an independent appraisal of comparable space and facilities in a privately-owned building in the same locality.
( 4 ) The value of loaned equipment shall not exceed its fair rental value.
( i ) The following requirements pertain to the recipient's supporting records for in-kind contributions from third parties. ( 1 ) Volunteer services shall be documented and, to the extent feasible, supported by the same methods used by the recipient for its own employees.
( 2 ) The basis for determining the valuation for personal service, material, equipment, buildings and land shall be documented.
( j ) DOE shall specify in the solicitation or in the program rule, if any, any cost sharing requirement. The award document shall be specific as to whether the cost sharing is based on a minimum amount for the recipient or on a percentage of total costs.
( k ) If DOE requires that a recipient provide cost sharing which is not required by statute or which exceeds a statutory minimum, DOE shall state in the program rule or solicitation the reasons for requiring such cost sharing, recommended or required levels of cost sharing, and the circumstances under which the requirement for cost sharing may be waived or adjusted during any negotiation.
( l ) Whenever DOE negotiates the amount of cost sharing, DOE may take into account such factors as the use of program income (see § 600.124), patent rights, and rights in data. Foregone fee or profit shall not be considered in establishing the extent of cost sharing.