The December 2016 Update from the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) provides a thorough account of recent legislative, regulatory, and policy developments affecting research institutions, especially in the realm of federal grants administration and compliance. Key highlights include the successful increase of the micro-purchase threshold (MPT) to $10,000 for universities and research organizations via the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2017, representing significant progress toward reducing administrative burden. COGR anticipates alignment between the NDAA provision and forthcoming OMB procurement rules and is closely monitoring the integration and implementation of these changes. Additional updates relate to ongoing issues with Uniform Guidance, such as unresolved topics surrounding Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rates, the DS-2 approval process, utility cost adjustments, and software capitalization thresholds.
The update also details COGR’s engagement with federal agencies regarding new and proposed regulations, such as NIH and DoD notices, efforts to clarify policies on human subjects research (including the extension of the NIH Single IRB policy effective date), and the Good Clinical Practices training requirement. There is discussion of recent audits and compliance trends, including activities of the HHS and NSF Offices of Inspector General and their focus on internal controls and subrecipient monitoring. The newsletter outlines further regulatory reform efforts embodied in the 21st Century Cures Act and the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, both of which aim to streamline research regulations and reduce burden. Other topical areas include the evolving landscape of university technology transfer, responses to proposed Bayh-Dole regulation changes, persistent drug pricing debates, developments in public access and data management, and COGR’s continued advocacy for clear and equitable research policies. Overall, the update reflects a period of substantive legislative action and ongoing dialogue between research institutions and the federal government to foster effective, compliant, and less burdensome research administration practices.
