The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is requiring the use of the new developed Department of Commerce RPPR (Form RPPR, OMB Number 0690-0032) for research award performance reports. The RPPR must be used for all FY2019 research awards and awards in succeeding fiscal years. In addition, awards with a start date prior to 10/01/2018 will include a special award condition requiring the use of the RPPR. More information can be found in the attached memo. 

The Volunteer Registration is now open for the NIH Regional Conference to be held at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel on May 15-17 2019 as local “Ambassadors." This NIH program provides valuable information to our research-active faculty and administrative staff to learn firsthand about current NIH-related research administration matters. 

 Workshop topics are broken down for Administrators, New Investigators and something for everyone.  There are session on Writing Grants, International Collaborations, Advanced Administration – Post Award, and Current NIH Issues.  There is also an opportunity for faculty to meet their Program Directors face to face!

In past years a contingent of UMBC personnel attend the meeting as volunteer ambassadors. This is an excellent opportunity for our research faculty, administrators, and students to attend the seminar at no charge on the day they volunteer. If someone volunteers for a day and would like to attend a 2nd day as an attendee, the OVPR will pay for the $100 charge for second day!  That is a day of Free training from arguably one of the best federal granting agencies. UMBC will be billed centrally for all of the registration for Ambassadors so don't worry about payment.  Once you have registered please email me to let me know. I would like to have a list by early next week.

Stan Jackson

jacksons@umbc.edu

Information for registration is below:

Online Registration 

Students, faculty, or staff who are interested in participating as a volunteer will be able to sign-up here on a first come, first served basis. When prompted for an access code, please enter 2019Volunteer to begin registration. Once you get to the point that it is asking for payment just exit the registration.  They will then send on bill to OVPR.  Make sure you email me that you are registered because I must send a list of our volunteers so they can mark them as paid.  Please also have volunteers select “No” when asked if they will be an exhibitor. During the registration process, potential volunteers will be: 

·         Reminded that volunteers are expected to participate in a full day of events 

·         Informed about the mandatory orientation session the morning of their participation (only need to attend one orientation if volunteering multiple days) 

·         Asked to choose their preferred roles and seminar sessions from the following choices: 

o    Room Monitor: volunteers will select this role by the title of the session; duties may include counting attendees, keeping the session on time, and assisting speakers and/or attendees  

o    Data Entry: volunteers will help collect and tabulate survey responses 

o    Floater: volunteers will pitch in as needed; duties may include helping with registration, assisting attendees, setting up or breaking down conference rooms, or other activities 

o    All volunteers will be asked to support morning registration after the volunteer orientation  

While the registration page reflects the current conference agenda, it is important to note that the timing, titles, and/or content of individual sessions are subject to change. We will send an email to the confirmed volunteers outlining the orientation session, roles and responsibilities, and additional seminar information a few weeks before the event.  

When naming key personnel on a proposal there are several things that PI’s need to keep in mind.  Administratively, routing of anyone listed as key personnel (even other key) in KUALI will require that person to approve and that person’s home unit must approve the proposal and the individual named will have to certify the proposal.  For ongoing administration of the award any time a named key individual drops from a project most sponsors require they must be informed and an impact statement has to be send to the sponsor explaining what the impact of the in individual being dropped from the project is.

The NIH grant Policy Statement (GPS) defines senior/key personnel as: The PD/PI and other individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they receive salaries or compensation under the grant.  They should be individual with unique knowledge, experience and/or skills who would be difficult to replace on the project.  OSP always encourages keeping the list of key personnel to the minimum that is appropriate and practical for the project.

• Addition of Research.gov as an option for proposal preparation and submission, and proposal file updates;
• Revision of eligibility standards for unaffiliated individuals;
• Specification that conference proposals over $50,000 and all equipment proposals must include the Collaborators and Other Affiliations information in the proposal submission;
• Revision of resubmission guidelines for NSF programs that accept proposals at any time;
• Implementation of NSF’s policy on sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, or sexual assault;
• Specification that proposers are required to have a policy or code-of-conduct that addresses sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, and sexual assault, and that includes clear and accessible means of reporting violations of the policy or code-of-conduct.  This policy or code-of-conduct must be disseminated to conference participants prior to attendance at the conference as well as made available at the conference itself;
• Emphasis on the importance of training faculty in the responsible and ethical conduct of research;
• Incorporation of existing patent policy into the PAPPG.  This policy was previously implemented by regulation at 45 CFR 650; and
• Numerous clarifications and other changes throughout the document.

Dear Research Administrators,

The “All about Subawards” training is now available. If you would like to learn about how to use the KUALI Subaward module, current OSP Subaward procedures and forms, or discuss Subaward related issues, please join us on one of the below dates:

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

9 AM:   All About Subawards

11 AM: All About Subawards

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

1 PM:   All About Subawards

3 PM:   All About Subawards

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

9 AM:    All About Subawards

12 PM:  All About Subawards

More dates and other Kuali training schedules are available on “Kuali Research at UMBC” group available at https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/kualiresearchatumbc

Thank you,

Subaward Team