November 16, 2012

Clarifications re: NSF Proposal Submission Requirements for FCOI



Please note the following clarifications regarding financial conflict of interest (FCOI) disclosure requirements and procedures for National Science Foundation (NSF) funding.

EXTERNAL INVESTIGATORS
Per the definition of “Investigator” as promulgated in the NSF Conflict of Interest Policies, MU will not require reporting nor manage the conflicts of external Investigators on NSF-funded projects. External Investigators (e.g., non-MU co-PI, non-MU Collaborator) should be listed on the Investigator Form; however, individual disclosures or institutional certifications are not required.

PRELIMINARY PROPOSALS
Preliminary proposals (pre-proposals) utilize the NSF Proposal Cover Sheet and are thus submissions subject to the Proposal Certifications outlined therein. An Investigator Form is required for pre-proposal submissions, and NSF pre-proposals will not be submitted until it is confirmed that all MU Investigators have a current Outside Interest Disclosure Form (OIDF) on file.

The OSPA Sponsored Programs Procedure Guide (SPPG) will be updated to reflect these changes. Should you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me.