The February 2012 COGR Meeting Report details significant developments and ongoing issues in federal research policy, especially those affecting university research administration. A major focus is the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) grants reform initiative, as outlined in the Advance Notice of Proposed Guidance (ANPG), which proposes consolidating multiple OMB circulars governing grants, audits, cost principles, and administrative requirements. The report discusses the creation of the Council on Financial Assistance Reform (COFAR), which is now central to streamlining grants policy. COGR expresses strong opposition to the introduction of fixed indirect cost (F&A) rates, instead advocating for the continued use of negotiated rates, and highlights the importance of community feedback during the public comment period, which was expected to be extended to late April 2012.
The report also provides updates on policies affecting contracts and intellectual property, such as implementation of the America Invents Act and the requirement for public technology transfer websites for NSF-funded institutions. It addresses concerns over faculty "free agency" in technology transfer, as promoted by the Kauffman Foundation, and outlines the metrics project by APLU’s CICEP aimed at better quantifying higher education’s economic impact. In research compliance and administration topics, the report covers the complexities of NASA restrictions on collaborations with China, the evolving NIH financial conflict of interest regulations (particularly disclosure and reporting burdens), and audit updates from various agencies, including issues with ARRA spending and recent OIG activities. Additional discussions pertain to USDA's revised policies on inspection report postings and broader animal research compliance, as well as legal advocacy in support of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. Throughout, COGR underscores the need for collaborative responses, vigilance in regulatory compliance, and proactive advocacy to ensure research institutions’ interests are represented in evolving federal policy.
