2017 SRA International Annual Meeting October 14-18, Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP)/Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) Update

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1 2017 SRA International Annual Meeting October 14-18, 2017 Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP)/Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) Update

2 Who are we? Anthony DeCrappeo, President, Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) Cynthia Hope, Immediate-Past Chair, Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Assistant VP Research, The University of Alabama 2

3 WHAT IS THE FDP? Researchers doing science, not administration! Mission The Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) is an association of federal agencies, academic research institutions and research policy organizations that work to streamline the administration of federally sponsored research. The goal of improving the productivity of research without compromising its stewardship has benefits for the entire nation. The FDP uniquely offers a forum for individuals from universities and nonprofits to work collaboratively with federal agency officials to improve the national research enterprise. At its regular meetings, faculty and administrators talk face-to-face with decision-makers from agencies that sponsor and regulate research. They test new ways of doing things in the real world before putting them into effect. 154 institutional recipients of federal funds and 10 Federal Agencies

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5 Past Initiatives Include: Expanded Authorities (related to prior approvals) FDP Terms and Conditions then Federal-Wide Standard Research Terms and Conditions* FDP Subaward Templates (continuing efforts) Project Certification Procurement - competition threshold data collection Two Faculty Workload (previously Burden) Surveys Public Health Service (PHS) Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) Clearinghouse *After UG, Research Terms and Conditions issued but, not federal-wide

6 FDP Project Certification Pilot was a practical alternative to salary certification/effort reporting. NSF OIG 2 reports issued (George Mason & Michigan Tech) No findings to indicate Payroll Certification is not a compliant means of documenting salary charges to federal awards June 21, 2017 memo to OMB regarding compliance with UG, HHS OIG - UC Irvine no audit/opinion, UC Riverside not positive but, maybe not relevant Certification of salaries at the project level, rather than the individual level, can be a more efficient & effective approach to salary certification. Project certification can now be implemented in compliance with the cost principles within Uniform Guidance.

7 Other Salary Documentation Initiatives July 2015, COGR Guide to 2 CFR Compensation-Personal Services In January of 2016, NCURA funded a research project to establish a cohort of universities to develop an effective model policy for alternatives to effort reporting in compliance with 2 C.F.R (I).

8 Continuing Initiatives

9 Subrecipient Management Subaward Templates/Forms Research Terms and Conditions are incorporated Updated annually through the efforts of a working group Including substantive, clarifying language, and technical performance New Guidance on Carryover New FAQs Major Changes Document Webinar on recent changes available online Additional tools (not mandatory) Risk Assessment Questionnaire Continuing Assessment Tool Related - Data Transfer and Use Agreement (DUTA)

10 Subrecipient Management Expanded Clearinghouse Pilot Address proliferation of commitment forms and financial questionnaires Moved to web based system Cohort 3 added 7/7/17 Total participants 111 FDP members = 164 entity profiles Other FDP member institutions can join one-at-a-time Beyond FDP? Pilot period ended 6/30/17 Avg time saved/year 153 hrs /institution (266 hrs when >25 transactions) Longer-term Goals for Pilot Approach SAM and FAC for possible synergies Data from the pilot could support the idea of a safe harbor

11 Activities include: Electronic Research Administration Joint Application Design (JAD) Team - works with Grants.gov to address issues in the system and streamline the process of using Grants.gov to submit grant applications. Developing a Workspace best practices guide DATA Act Working Group (includes participants from the Open Government Group) - works to monitor and engage in the activities of OMB and Dept of Treasury as they implement the DATA Act. Provided feedback to the DHHS Program Management Office (PMO) on the DATA Act Section 5 Grants Pilot. Works with other FDP groups, prominently with the Expanded Clearinghouse, providing guidance and support. Providing feedback to USDA on its rollout of ezfedgrants. 11

12 Faculty and Research Compliance Joint efforts in: Human Subjects, Animal Subjects, COI, Data Stewardship, Lab Safety Compliance continues efforts in: Troublesome Clauses, Export Control Faculty continue efforts in: Faculty Workload Survey (3 rd is scheduled to begin early next year), Research Pipeline, Family/Work Life Balance 12

13 Financial, Audit, & Costing Policy Procurement (still discussing implementation approaches) NIH/HHS subaccounting and close-out Potential costing models for Single IRB and public data access requirements Uniform Guidance topics that are unresolved and/or present opportunity for additional streamlining or other reductions in administrative burden 13

14 Emerging Research Institutions A subcommittee under Membership Representation on the Executive Committee 26 Member Institutions Exploring opportunities for coordination and collaboration, among ERIs and with other member institutions 14

15 Operational Committees Special Projects Include: Membership Phase VII planning Executive Committee Federal representative engagement Communications Website 15

16 Affiliate Organizations National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) Society of Research Administrators International (SRA) Association of Independent Research Institutes (AIRI) American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Association of American Univerities (AAU) National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and, Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) 16

17 Questions? Richard Seligman, Chair Cindy Hope, Past Chair David Wright, Executive Director thefdp.org