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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
April 20, 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 the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support along with new FAQs on Current and Pending Support.
March 16, 2022
University of California Office of President released a Research Security Video Series:
- Disclosures: Conflicts of Interest & Conflict of Commitments (4 min 40 seconds)
- Talent Recruitment Programs (3 min 55 seconds)
- International Collaborations (3 min 50 seconds)
- Data Security (3 min 30 seconds)
February 23, 2022
DOJ Scraps China Initiative
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
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 2022
Guidance for NSPM-33
National Science and Technology Council issues "Guidance for Implementing National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) on National Security Strategy for United States Government-Supported Research and Development"
December 21, 2022
Department of Energy issued an Interim Conflict of Interest Policy Requirements for Financial Assistance
December 21, 2021
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 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.
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.
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
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.
October 19, 2021