Updates

Undue Foreign Influence is an ever-evolving compliance area.  Please check here for the list of updates and new information.

January 30, 2023

New NSF PAPPG (Effective 1/30/23 and in some cases, 10/23/23)

NSF's issuance of a new Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) for 2023, effective for proposal submitted on or after January 30, 2023.

Highlights: 

  • NSF Disclosure Requirements- new section describing NSF disclosures, the sections of the PAPPG they apply to and the consequences for violating these requirements.
  • Certification requirement for senior personnel that information provided in Biosketch and Current and Pending Support are accurate, current, and complete (included in SciENcv and the NSF fillable format for proposals)
  • Mandate to use SciENcv only for biographical sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support effective for new proposals submitted on or due on or after October 23, 2023.
    • Prior to making a funding recommendation, the cognizant NSF program officer will request an updated version of Current and Pending (Other) Support be submitted via Research.gov.
January 30, 2023

September 19, 2022

Department of Energy Conflict of Interest Policy Frequently Asked Questions

Department of Energy issued FAQs on their Interim COI Policy. Some highlights:

  • A project’s “purpose” has its common meaning -- the reason for which a project is proposed or carried out. That reason may include, for example, the desire to improve a technology or solve a specific energy-related problem. Individuals responsible for the “purpose” of a project may not be the same individuals responsible for the “design, conduct and reporting”, but their financial interests could still bias the project because the purpose can underpin the whole reason for proposing the project.
  • Investigator is required to disclose all financial interests received from a foreign non-Federal entity of higher education or the government of another country, or an entity controlled by the government of another country.
September 19, 2022

September 16, 2022

Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) and Other Support: Reminders (NIH Guide Notice)

NIH issued a Guide Notice to remind the NIH extramural research community about the financial conflict of interest regulation and the requirement to submit complete and accurate Other Support information.

September 16, 2022

July 21, 2022

NSF Updated their FAQs on Current and Pending Support

National Science Foundation released a couple of additional questions  to their FAQs related to how to report no-cost time extensions in current and pending support.

July 21, 2022

June 1, 2022

DOE Current and Pending Support Disclosure Requirements for Financial Assistance

Department of Energy (DOE) issued Financial Assistance Letter (FAL) 2022-04 instructing DOE and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) program offices to incorporate consistent current and pending support disclosure requirements, effective immediately.

June 1, 2022

May 2022

Department of Energy conflict of interest website revisions

In anticipation of the June 18, 2022 implementation of the Interim Department of Energy Conflict of Interest policy, the conflict of interest and undue foreign influence webpages are being updated.

May 2022

April 20, 2022

NSF Pre-award and Post-award Disclosures Table

April 20, 2022

March 16, 2022

University of California Office of President released a Research Security Video Series:

March 16, 2022
February 23, 2022

February 2022

The following critical and emerging technology areas are of particular importance to the national security of the United States:

  • Advanced Computing
  • Advanced Engineering Materials
  • Advanced Gas Turbine Engine Technologies
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Advanced and Networked Sensing and Signature Management
  • Advanced Nuclear Energy Technologies
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Autonomous Systems and Robotics
  • Biotechnologies
  • Communication and Networking Technologies
  • Directed Energy
  • Financial Technologies
  • Human-Machine Interfaces
  • Hypersonics
  • Networked Sensors and Sensing
  • Quantum Information Technologies
  • Renewable Energy Generation and Storage
  • Semiconductors and Microelectronics
  • Space Technologies and Systems
February 2022

January 10, 2022

NSF Pre-award and Post-award Disclosures Table

National Science Foundation released a new table for Pre-award and Post-award Disclosures Relating to Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support along with new FAQs.

January 10, 2022

December 21, 2022

December 21, 2022

October 2021

National Counterintelligence and Security Center's Protecting Critical and Emerging US Technologies from Foreign Threats

National Counterintelligence and Security Center published "Protecting Critical and Emerging U.S. Technologies from Foreign Threats", which highlighted artificial intelligence, bioeconomy, autonomous systems, quantum, and semiconductors as areas with the greatest stakes for U.S. economic and national security.

October 2021

October 5, 2021

The Government Accountability Office recently released a report on “Agency Actions Needed to Address Foreign Influence.” The report found that in the absence of agency-wide COI policies and definitions for non-financial interests, researchers may not fully understand what they need to report on their grant proposals, leaving agencies with incomplete information to assess the risk of foreign influence.

October 5, 2021

September 17, 2021

DARPA Countering Foreign Influence Program

Department of Defense- DARPA recently released a memo to DARPA staff and contractors announcing their Countering Foreign Influence Program (CFIP) will create risk assessments of all proposed Senior/Key Personnel selected for negotiations of a fundamental research grant or cooperative agreement award. The CFIP risk assessment process will be conducted separately from the DARPA scientific review process and adjudicated prior to final award.

Senior/Key Personnel Foreign Influence Risk Rubric

September 17, 2021

June 28, 2021

June 28, 2021

June 22, 2021

NSF New PAPPG

NSF issued new Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) effective October 4, 2021 along with NSF Pre-award and Post-award Disclosures Relating to Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support.

  • Biographical Sketches page limit increased to three pages
  • Current and Pending Support requires information on objectives and overlap with other projects
June 22, 2021

April 9, 2021

NIH New requirements for Biosketch and Other Support

Important Information for NIH Investigators: New Requirements for Biographical Sketch and Other Support (effective 5/24/21).

See updated Biosketch and Other Support sections in Federal Sponsored Projects Requirements section.

April 9, 2021
October 19, 2021