UPDATED @ 6 PM:

Norm Eisen, special counsel to the president for ethics and government reform, posted a comment on the White House blog explaining the amendments to the president's directive on communications with executive branch officials regarding stimulus package grants. See post here.

Eisen said that once the "merit-based" decision on a grant has been made, a lobbyist can communicate orally with government officials regarding the project.

Meanwhile, Public Citizen applauds the White House's move. See statement here.

Earlier:

The Obama administration expanded the ban on oral communication between lobbyists and executive branch officials with regard to stimulus projects to include anyone who has submitted an application for a grant, according to advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Those applying for grants will still be able to communicate with officials in writing.

"The White House announced updates to President Obama's March 20, 2009 Memorandum on Ensuring Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds. That policy barred lobbyists from engaging in oral conversations with agency officials regarding specific requests for Recovery Act funds. The new policy will bar not just lobbyists, but everyone from speaking with agency officials about competitive grants once grant applications have been submitted. Written communications will be permitted." according a CREW release.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW applauded the move as a way "to level the playing field to ensure that corporate bigwigs and major donors who do not register as lobbyists do not benefit from an inside track unavailable to those less politically influential."

Sloan had joined with the American Civil Liberties Union and the American League of Lobbyists to protest the March 20 directive which initially only applied to federally registered lobbyists.

A White House official couldn't be reached for comment.