Department of Defense Budget Justification Guidelines
Our boilerplates and sample text for selected applications may be used as a starting point for your applications, and should be modified to meet sponsor's requirements and to align with your proposed research plan. The following guidelines were developed to with creating a budget justification for a DOD budget. Please also refer to the Budget Justification Guide and Boilerplate for more general information on your budget justification.
Department of Defense (DOD) Budget
DOD guidelines are very similar to the NIH detailed budget justification guidelines. Requirements specific to the DOD include:
Each year of the budget must have its own complete categorical budget justification (even if each year is exactly the same). The entire (all years) budget justification should be one pdf document.
Equipment Requests must include at least one of these: a vendor quote; a historical cost that identifies the vendor, date of purchase, and whether or not the cost represented the lowest bid and reasons for not soliciting current quotes; an estimate including a rationale for the estimate and reasons for not soliciting current quotes. More>>
Travel Identify total travel costs. Provide specific details of what the requested costs cover, such as meeting registration, transportation (reminder that per the Fly America Act, only U.S. air carrier services are allowable), hotel, board, estimated number of days, number of travelers, identification of personnel who will be traveling, etc.
Materials and Supplies Include a general description of expendable material and consumable supply costs for each year. For individual or total material and supply costs of $5,000 or more per year, provide descriptions, quantities, and unit prices. For animals to be purchased, provide the species, strain, number to be used, cost per animal, and total animal purchase costs. Also include a proposed vendor and a copy of the animal per diem cost/rate agreement. If human cell lines are to be purchased, state the source, cost, and description.
The DOD has historically not allowed computers and software to be included as a direct cost. However, per the Uniform Guidance, computing devices may now be included as a direct cost for devices that are essential and allocable to the project, even if the device is not solely dedicated to the work proposed. If a computer/software purchase is requested, include a detailed explanation of why it is needed to complete the proposed research project; verify that the requested computer/software is not currently available for use by the PI; provide a statement assuring that the requested item will be purchased in accordance with applicable cost principles. More>>
Indirect Costs or Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A) Provide details of the direct cost base (e.g., Modified Total Direct Costs). Indicate if the rate is an on-site or off-site rate. Documentation to support hte indirect cost rate must be provided (e.g., the current DHHS Rate Agreement). More>>
