NSTC Lays Out Plans to Improve Academic Research Grant Administration

With the goal of encouraging interdisciplinary and collaborative research, the Research Business Models Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has issued a list of initiatives to improve management of academic research grants made by various agencies of the federal government. The recommendations are also expected to result in greater consistency across agencies in award policies and reporting requirements.

The selected initiatives are the result of a series of workshops held last fall involving academic officials, researchers and federal grant administrators. The Association of American Universities (AAU) has noted that cost issues of concern for the academic research community, such as reimbursement rates for facilities and administrative costs, are not addressed by the initiatives.

In its e-newsletter, AAU identifies the NSTC initiatives as being:

Alignment of Funding Mechanisms with Scientific Opportunities

• Develop consistent methods to acknowledge and distribute credit for co-investigators in the application process and in agency systems.
• Consider ways to provide stability and predictability of support for facilities and major equipment independent of specific research project funding.
• Develop consistent standards for the support of graduate students and post-docs, particularly with respect to benefits.
• Develop processes that enhance collaborative research among universities, federal laboratories, government, and industry.

Common Practices Among Agencies

• Implement the sub-agreement template developed by the Federal Demonstration Partnership.
• Standardize progress reports and financial reporting, in conjunction with the e-Gov initiative.
• Develop consistent award formats and terms and conditions.
• Coordinate the implementation of the federal-wide Misconduct in Science policy among the agencies.
• Develop a federal-wide conflict-of-interest policy, and coordinate consistent applications by the agencies.

The AAU reports the subcommittee also is working with the Office of Management and Budget to change Circular A-133 audit monitoring requirements so that universities that are working as sub-recipients on each other's grants will no longer be required to monitor each other.

NSTC, a Cabinet-level Council chaired by the President, is the principal means for the President to coordinate science, space, and technology to coordinate the diverse parts of the federal research and development enterprise. Membership consists of the Vice President, the assistant to the President for science and technology, cabinet secretaries and agency heads with significant science and technology responsibilities, and other White House officials.

The subcommittee's membership includes representatives from 15 federal departments and agencies that support or are engaged in research activities. More information is available at: http://rbm.nih.gov./