Research Security Disclosures and Training by Sponsor

UPDATE: NIH started requiring the new Other Support format for applications, Just-in-Time submissions, and Research Performance Progress Reports with due dates on or after January 25, 2022.For additional information see notice NOT-OD-21-110.

Definition of “Other Support”:

With the release of their revised Grant Policy Statement in October of 2019, NIH revised their definition of Other Support. The revised definition, “…includes all resources made available to a researcher in support of and/or related to all of their research endeavors, regardless of whether or not they have monetary value and regardless of whether they are based at the institution the researcher identifies for the current grant.”

Who Must Report:

• At the Just-in-Time Stage (JIT) all individuals included in the grant application as senior/key personnel must submit Other Support information, except:
  • Other Significant Contributors
  • Program Directors, training faculty and others involved in the oversight of training grants
• For Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR) all senior/key personnel who have had a change in active Other Support must submit Other Support information, except:
  • Other Significant Contributors
  • Consultants
  • Program Directors, training faculty and others involved in the oversight of training grants

When to Report:

• At the Just-in-Time Stage – information gathered after proposal submission and prior to award.
• In the RPPR - changes to active Other Support should be submitted in the RPPR.
• As soon as MSU becomes aware that Other Support information was not disclosed at the JIT or RPPR stage, the University must submit the updated information to the Grants Management Specialist named in the award.

What to Report:

The following must be included on the Other Support form:

• All ongoing projects/awards andproposals currently under consideration(listed in thatorder).
  • This includes proposals and awards that the individual participated with, that were not routed through MSU’s research administration system
  • When submitting Other Support information at the JIT stage, the related application should not be included. Conversely, when submitting Other Support information at the RPPR stage, the related NIH award shouldbe included.
  • Internal MSU proposals / awards should be included.
• Consulting activities that involve conducting research, regardless of whether or not remuneration is received.
• Research conducted during the summer semester for faculty members with an Academic Year appointment, regardless of whether or not remuneration is received.
• Participation in a foreign “talents” or similar program.
• Financial support for laboratory personnel, travel, living expenses, etc.
• High-value materials that are not freely available (e.g., biologics, chemical, model systems, technology, etc.).
• Start-up packages and all other research-related support from entities other than MSU, even if the research will be carried out at another institution.
• Collaborations with other researchers outside of the applicant institution that directly benefit the individuals research endeavors.
• In-kind contributions that are not intended for use on the project/proposal that the Other Support form is related to. Examples include: office/lab space, equipment, supplies, or staff/students supported by an outside source.

The following may be excluded from Other Support:

• Activities that are not research-related
• Resources from the applicant institution, such as core facilities or shared equipment. These should be listed under Facilities and Other Resources.
• In-kind contributions for the project being proposed. These should be listed under Facilities and Other Resources.
• In-kind completed support from the last three years does not need to be included.
• Start- up packages from Michigan State University.
• Consulting or professional service arrangements that do not involve conducting research.
• Gifts – resources provided where there is no expectation of anything in return (would need to be reported if includes time, services, progress reports, etc.)
• Training grants involving the reporting investigator as mentor or project director
• Prizes given to the investigator

Supporting Documentation – In addition to submitting the Other Support form, NIH is now requiring supporting documentation including, “…copies of contracts specific to senior/key-personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution for all foreign activities and resources that are reported in Other Support.” NIH has indicated that supporting documentation is not required to be included with Other Support until the revised January 25, 2022 date. However, if requested by NIH staff, the information may still need to be sent to NIH prior to the required date.

• All supporting documentation must be translated to English prior to submission to NIH. It is the PI/departments responsibility to provide the translated documentation to the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) or Contract and Grant Administration (CGA) prior to submission.
  • NIH will accept machine-read translations (e.g. Google Translate)

What to include as supporting documentation:

• Appointment letters or employment agreements with non-domestic entities.
• If you are included on grants/contracts that are received by the non-domestic entity you have an appointment with, these grants/contracts need to be provided.
• Agreements from non-domestic entities for resources such as, lab space, access to personnel, equipment, or any in-kind resources.

What to exclude as supporting documentation:

• Sponsored project awards to MSU from non-domestic entities. This does not include non-domestic employment or appointment agreements.
• Supporting documentation does not need to be provided for completed support.

How to Report:

• This Other Support Format must be used for applications and RPPRs submitted for due dates on or after January 25, 2022.
• NIH is anticipating that a template will be available in SciENcv beginning in FY 2022.
• NIH has provided instructions for completing the new Other Support format as well as a new and renewal applications sample. Highlights of key changes include:
  • NIH’s new template separates Project/Proposal support from In-Kind contributions. Support should be grouped together based on their “Status” and reported in the order of Active, Pending or Completed during the past three years, (from top to bottom). Completed support does not need to be reported for In-kind contributions.
  • Primary Place of Performance has been added
  • Provide the Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs)
  • Person Months must be provided per budget period for the project

    Year (YYYY)	Person Months (##.##)
    1. [enter year 1]
    2. [enter year 2]
    3. [enter year 3]
    4. [enter year 4]
    5. [enter year 5]

• Signature spot for the PD/PI or other senior/key personnel to certify the form

  I, PD/PI or other key/senior personnel, certify that the statements herein are true, complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge, and accept the obligation to comply with Public Health Services terms and conditions if a grant is awarded as the result of this application. I am aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties.

  *Signature:____________________________

  Date:____________________________

Submitting Other Support information at the Just-in-Time stage:

1. Typically, the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) receives notice of the JIT request, and will contact the PI and Research Administrator (RA) to inform them of who in OSP will assist with review and submission.
2. OSP will provide a list of key personnel that need to provide Other Support.
3. PI/RA will collect up-to-date Other Support information (using the NIH format and following NIH guidelines) from all Senior/Key Personnel included in the application.
   • Each key person must electronically sign their respective Other Support form and send it to the lead PI/RA in a format that shows their original electronic signature. The version with the original electronic signature must be retained by the department/college, to be made available upon request.
     • OSP suggests that MSU key personnel provide a draft Other Support form for review prior to signing. OSP will compare information on the form with data that is in KR, which may require updates to the form.
     • Record retention – For unfunded proposals, the original electronic signature must be kept for 18 months after the date the proposal was submitted. For awarded proposals, the original electronic signature must be kept through the retention period for the award.
   • PI/RA will convert all Other Support forms to a flattened PDF file and upload into eRA Commons.
   • PI/RA will also upload Supporting Documentation that is required to be submitted with Other Support. Copies must be provided (in English) as part of the PDF, following the Other Support format page.
4. PI/RA notifies OSP that JIT materials are ready for final review and submission.
5. OSP will review based on the criteria provided in the Roles and Responsibilities chart, submit JIT, and send confirmation to the PI and/or RA.

Roles & Responsibilities for the MSU Other Support Process:

A biographical sketch (biosketch), is a document that is typically included for all senior/key personnel at the time of proposal submission, or with a change in PI during an award. Recently agencies have been making changes to, and clarifying their instructions for, their biosketch formats. This website provides additional information and resources, by sponsor, for the biosketch.

UPDATE: NIH will require the new Biosketch format for applications and Research Performance Progress Reports with due dates on or after January 25, 2022. Although NIH extended the required date for use, they expect applicants and recipients to begin using the new format as of May 25, 2021. For additional information see notice NOT-OD-21-110.

Who Must Report:

• All Senior/Key Personnel and Other Significant Contributors.

When to Report:

• At the proposal stage, within an application.
• During an award, if the following changes occur:
  • A request to NIH for approval to change the PI, must include a biosketch for the replacement PI.
  • Within the Research Performance Progress Report if disclosing that there are new Senior/Key Personnel or Other Significant Contributors added to the project.

What to Report:

In the grid at the top of the format page complete your:

• Name
• eRA Commons User Name
• Position Title
• Education/Training

How to Report:

• Non-fellowship applications must use this Biosketch Format (non-fellowship) for applications and RPPRs submitted for due dates on or after January 25, 2022.
• Fellowship applications must use this Biosketch Format (fellowship) for applications and RPPRs submitted for due dates on or after January 25, 2022.
• A template is available for use in SciENcv.
• NIH has provided instructions for completing the new Biosketch format as well as biosketch samples.
• The biosketch is limited to five pages.
• Applicants may use ‘et al’ in lieu of listing all authors in a citation.

Additional Resources:

• NIH has a webpage devoted to Biosketches, which includes:
  • Biosketch Templates:
    • Non-Fellowship
    • Fellowship
  • Instructions on how to complete the Biosketch
  • Sample Biosketches:
    • Non Fellowship
    • Fellowship
      • Predoctoral
      • Postdoctoral
  • FAQs
• NIH examples of what senior key personnel should disclose and where to make the disclosure
• NOT-OD-21-073: NIH announces changes to the Biosketch and Other Support format page
• NOT-OD-21-110: NIH changes the implementation date for the new format pages
• NOT-OD-19-114: Reminders of NIH Policies on Other Support and on Policies related to Financial Conflicts of Interest and Foreign Components

As of October 1, 2025, to comply with NOT-OD-25-133, Research Security training is required for all Senior/Key Personnel prior to submission of NIH Just-In-Time materials and progress reports.

For information on how to register for training, please visit MSU's Research Security Training webpage.

You can check someone's training status in KR by looking at the COI Disclosure Information table – we recommend checking in the Institutional Proposal document and clicking the sync button in order to pull in the most up-to-date information.

How to comply with this new requirement:

• MSU employees – can register to take MSU’s research security training in the Ability Learning Management System (see registration instructions below). See the Research Security Training website for instructions on how to register.
• Subawardees – use the updated Subrecipient Commitment Form to gather the Other Support Training and Policy certification for Senior/Key Personnel employed by the subrecipient. The Subrecipient Commitment Form must be received from subawardee entities prior to proposal submission to verify they have agreed and comply with the requirements of NOT-OD-25-133.
  • Link to the MSU Simplified Subrecipient Commitment Form.
  • Link to the HFH+MSU HS Simplified Subrecipient Commitment Form.
• Non-MSU Covered Individuals (CI) – For other Senior/Key Personnel that are not part of a subaward, the individual must send their certificate of completion for Research Security Training.  Training options are:
  • Complete the four modules on the NSF Research Security Training website.
  • Provide the certificate of completion from the individual’s home institution training.
  • Provide the certificate of completion from the CITI Research Security Training.

The MSU department/college will be responsible for retaining a copy of the Non-MSU CI’s certification of completion.  OSP suggests that the certificate of completion be attached to the Proposal Development document for record keeping.

UPDATE 10/29/24: The National Science Foundation released version 24-1 of their Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) in February 2024.The new PAPPG contains updated guidance in relation to Current and Pending (Other) Support and Biographical Sketches

Each individual designated as a senior/key person must prepare, save, certify, and submit their Current and Pending (Other) support through a SciENcv Support form, which will generate an NSF compliant PDF version of the current and pending (other) support to be submitted as a part of their Research.gov proposal or JIT.

The NSF disclosure table entitled, NSF Pre-award and Post-award Disclosures Relating to the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support, helps determine what to disclose. The link includes archived versions of the disclosure table; please make sure to view the current version.

Special Considerations:

Consulting activities must be disclosed on the common form when any of the following scenarios apply:

• The consulting activity will require the senior/key person to perform research as part of the consulting activity;
• The consulting activity does not involve performing research, but is related to the senior/key person’s research portfolio and may have the ability to impact funding, alter time or effort commitments, or otherwise impact scientific integrity; or
• The consulting entity has provided a contract that requires the senior/key person to conceal or withhold confidential financial or other ties between the senior/key person and the entity, irrespective of the duration of the engagement.

International contracts and collaborations: Senior/key persons are required to disclose contracts associated with participation in programs sponsored by foreign governments, instrumentalities, or entities including foreign government talent recruitment programs. Senior/key personnel must also report other foreign government-sponsored or affiliated activities. In accordance with OSTP policy and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, individuals are prohibited from being a party in a malign foreign talent recruitment program. MSU has created a matrix that helps faculty know if a sponsorship by an international entity is problematic.

In-Kind: disclose ALL in-kind contributions with an estimated dollar value of $5000 or more and that require a commitment of the individual’s time. An in-kind contribution is a non-cash contribution provided by an external entity that directly supports the individuals’ research and development efforts. An in-kind contribution may include but is not limited to: real property; laboratory space; equipment; data or data sets; supplies; other expendable property; goods and services; employee or student resources. In-kind contributions with an estimated value of less than $5000 need not be reported.

Certifications:

The Current and Pending (Other) Support documents require the individual to certify prior to proposal submission that the information provided is accurate, current, and complete, and that the individual is not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.

(i) William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Section 223(a)(1) (42 U.S.C. §6605(a)(1)): In accordance with Section 223(a)(1) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (42 U.S.C. § 6605(a)(1)), each individual identified as a senior/key person is required to certify in SciENcv that the information provided in the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support documents are accurate, current, and complete.

Senior/key personnel are required to update their Current and Pending (Other) Support disclosures prior to award, and at any subsequent time the agency determines appropriate during the term of the award. See additional information on NSF Disclosure Requirements in Chapter II.B.

(ii) Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs: Pursuant to Section 10632 (42 U.S.C. § 19232), each identified as senior/key person must certify prior to proposal submission that they are not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program and annually thereafter for the duration of the award.

Each individual designated as a senior/key person must prepare, save, certify, and submit their Biographical Sketch through a SciENcv Support form, which will generate an NSF compliant PDF version of the biographical sketch to be submitted as a part of their Research.gov proposal or JIT. There is now no page limit to the Biographical Sketch Common Form, and the Synergistic Activities disclosure has been removed from the biographical sketch form. A one-page document that lists up to five distinct examples the individual’s professional and scholarly activities is now a separate attachment.

Certifications:

The Biographical Sketch documents require the individual to certify prior to proposal submission that the information provided is accurate, current, and complete, and that the individual is not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.

I certify that the information provided is current, accurate, and complete. This includes but is not limited to information related to domestic and foreign appointments and positions.

I also certify that, at the time of submission, I am not a party in a malign foreign talent recruitment program.

Misrepresentations and/or omissions may be subject to prosecution and liability pursuant to, but not limited to, 18 U.S.C. §§ 287, 1001, 1031 and 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733 and 3802.

Effective October 10, 2025, NSF requires all Senior/Key Personnel to complete research security training within 12 months prior to proposal submission. The training addresses cybersecurity, international collaboration, foreign interference, and rules of proper use of funds, disclosure, conflict of commitment, and conflict of interest.

As a prime applicant, MSU’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must certify that each Senior/Key Person listed on an application has completed research security training, retain records of Research Security Training compliance, and this requirement must be extended to all subrecipients.

How to comply with this new requirement:

• MSU employees – can register to take MSU’s research security training in the Ability Learning Management System (see registration instructions below). See the Research Security Training website for instructions on how to register.
• Subawardees – use the updated Subrecipient Commitment Form to gather the Research Security Training certifications for Covered Individuals employed by the subrecipient.  The Subrecipient Commitment Form must be received from subawardee entities prior to proposal submission to verify they have agreed and comply with Research Security Training requirements.
  • Link to the MSU Simplified Subrecipient Commitment Form.
  • Link to the HFH+MSU HS Simplified Subrecipient Commitment Form.
• Non-MSU Covered Individuals (CI) – For other Senior/Key Personnel that are not part of a subaward, the individual must send their certificate of completion for Research Security Training.  Training options are:
  • Complete the four modules on the NSF Research Security Training website.
  • Provide the certificate of completion from the individual’s home institution training.
  • Provide the certificate of completion from the CITI Research Security Training.

The MSU department/college will be responsible for retaining a copy of the Non-MSU CI’s certification of completion.  OSP suggests that the certificate of completion be attached to the Proposal Development document for record keeping.

On June 29^th, 2023 the Secretary of Defense issued a Policy for Risk-Based Security Reviews of Fundamental Research. Included in this policy is a decision matrix which pertains to fundamental research conducted by academic institutions. While DoD encourages open international collaborations to allow DoD to maintain a competitive research advantage, it will also enact risk-based security reviews of fundamental research projects to comply with NSPM-33 on every project selected for award based on technical merit.

The DoD Policy decision matrix states that after 8/9/24, institutions must have policies prohibiting MFTRP participation. Of note, Covered Individuals who participate in MFTRP are prohibited from DARPA funding.

Current and Pending disclosures are used by DoD by the proposing institution for all “covered individuals”* listed in a fundamental research project. Annual reviews of funded projects will be conducted using the Research Performance Progress Report.

Of special interest to DoD is:

• Participation in foreign talent recruitment programs, particularly with a Foreign Country of Concern (FCOC)
• Acceptance of any funds from FCOCs
• Patents arising from US-funded research filed in a foreign country before it is file in the U.S.
• Academic, professional, or institutional appointments or positions with a foreign government connected entity where monetary reward, non-monetary reward, or other quid-pro-quo obligation is involved.
• Academic, professional, or institutional appointments or positions with a foreign government connected entity wherenon-monetary reward, non-monetary reward, or other quid-pro-quo obligation is involved.

Please note that The Department of Defense (DoD) has several branches and offices, and MSU tracks our funding by the specific agency or office within DoD. DoD agencies may have different requirements for Current and Pending support at proposal time, but it is anticipated that DoD agencies will use Common forms. Generally the following information is currently required:

• For all previous (award period of performance within the past 5 years), current, and pending research support, include:
  • Title of project; project number
  • Supporting agency including name and address of the funding agency’s procuring Contracts/Grants Officer
  • Specific Aims or tasks; brief description of the project’s goals
  • Performance period
  • Effort: number of person months per year to be devoted to each project
  • Total award amount for the entire award period
  • If applicable, identify where the proposed project overlaps with other existing and pending research projects. learly state if there is no overlap.
  • Report all current projects and activities that involve senior/key personnel, even if the support received is only in-kind (e.g. office/laboratory space, equipment, supplies, employees).

*DoD defines Covered Individual: An individual at an extramural research institution who contributes significantly to the design and/or execution of a fundamental research project that is, or if selected for award would be, funded, in whole or in part, by the DoD, and who is considered essential to the successful performance of the fundamental research project. Covered individuals include those listed as key personnel in fundamental research project proposals, such as the principal investigator or co-principal investigators.

Department of Defense (DoD) has several branches and offices. DoD agencies have different requirements for the Biographical Sketch at proposal time. The Electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) has a biographical sketch template that is to be used for Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) as well as United States Special Operation Command (SOCOM) proposals but generally the following is required for each person who will contribute significantly to the proposed research project. Page limitations will be specified in the Program Announcement.

• List all positions and scientific appointments, both domestic and foreign, held by senior/key personnel that are relevant to an application, including affiliations with foreign entities or governments (including any Federal Government Advisory Committees). This includes titled academic, professional, or institutional appointments whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary).
• List in chronological order the titles, all authors, and complete references to all publications during the past 3 years and to representative earlier publications pertinent to this application. If the list of publications in the last 3 years exceeds 2 pages, select the most pertinent publications.

While Research Security Training for Covered Individuals (including subawardees and non-MSU collaborators) is not yet required, we expect to receive more information soon. We will update this information as soon as it is available.

DOE Office of Science (SC) is now requiring use of the Common Form for Current and Pending Support, generated by SciENcv. In some current DOE solicitations, and for all proposals starting in October of 2025, use of SciENcv will be required.

Who must complete:

All Covered Individuals* listed on a project must complete and certify their Current and Pending Support form.

*Covered Individuals – DOE defines as any principal investigator (PI); project director (PD); co-principal investigator (Co-PI); co-project director (Co-PD); project manager; and any individual regardless of title that is functionally performing as a PI, PD, Co-PI, Co-PD, or project manager.

• Status as a consultant, graduate student (master’s or PhD), or postdoctoral associate does not automatically disqualify a person from being designated as a “covered individual” if they meet the definition above.
• Individuals committing no measurable effort, or “as-needed” effort are not automatically exempt from being designated as a covered individual.
• The prime applicant’s listing of an individual in the “Senior/Key Person” section of an SF-424(R&R) budget serves as an acknowledgement that DOE designates that person as a covered individual.
• DOE may further designate covered individuals during award negotiations or the award period of performance.

Current and Pending Support forms are required at:

• Proposal stage – Follow the instructions provided in the Notice Of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the proposal submission.
• Award stage –
  • Adding new Senior/key personnel – If there are changes or additions to Senior/key personnel for the project, the new person must submit a Current and Pending Support form within 30 days of joining the project team, or on a timeline provided by the program office.
  • Changes to previously submitted Current and Pending Support – Changes to a previously submitted Current and Pending Support form must be submitted within 30 days of the change, or on a timeline provided by the program office.

What to include on Current and Pending Support forms:

Caution: DOE NOFO’s may have different requirements for Current and Pending Support. The below information is commonly requested, but please follow the specific instructions included in the NOFO.

• For every activity, list the following items:
  • The sponsor of the activity or the source of funding.
  • The award or other identifying number.
  • The title of the award or activity. If the title of the award or activity is not descriptive, add a brief description of the research being performed that would identify any overlaps or synergies with the proposed research.
  • The total cost or value of the award or activity, including direct and indirect costs. For pending proposals, provide the total amount of requested funding.
  • The award period (start date — end date).
  • The person-months of effort per year being dedicated to the award or activity.
• If required to identify overlap, duplication of effort, or synergistic efforts, append a description of the other award or activity to the current and pending support.
• DOE requires research gifts to be disclosed on current and pending support, which is different than most other federal agencies.
• DOE recommends using ORCID iD as the individual’s Persistent Identifier (PID), and starting in May of 2025, DOE will require ORCID iDs on Current and Pending Support forms.
• In many DOE solicitations (but not all) current and pending support may no longer be provided as attachments to the project narrative. These documents must be attached to the Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form in an application. In other DOE solicitations, however, such as National Nuclear Security Administration (NSSA), current and pending support for the PI and senior/key personnel should be attached as an appendix to the project narrative.

Certifications:

Current and pending certification requirements may differ among solicitations. The certification found on the Current and Pending form in SciENcv is:

I certify that the information provided is current, accurate, and complete.This includes but is not limited to current, pending, and other support (both foreign and domestic) as defined in 42 U.S.C. (section) 6605.

I also certify that at the time of submission, I am not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.

Misrepresentations and or omissions may be subject to prosecution and liability pursuant to, but not limited to, 18 U.S.C section 287, 1001,1031, and 31 U.S.C sections 3729-3733 and 3802.

When not using SciENcv, typically the following certification must be signed, dated and appended to the Current and Pending form:

I, [Full Name and Title], certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that the information contained in this Current and Pending Support Disclosure Statement is true, complete, and accurate. I understand that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent information, misrepresentations, half-truths, or omissions of any material fact, may subject me to criminal, civil or administrative penalties for fraud, false statements, false claims or otherwise. (18 U.S.C. §§ 1001 and 287, and 31 U.S.C. 3729-3733 and 3801-3812). I further understand and agree that (1) the statements and representations made herein are material to DOE’s funding decision, and (2) I have a responsibility to update the disclosures during the period of performance of the award should circumstances change which impact the responses provided above.

Supporting Documentation:

Related to disclosures on current and pending support, DOE has indicated that details of any obligations, contractual or otherwise, to any program, entity, or organization sponsored by a foreign government must be provided on request to either the applicant institution or DOE.

Depending upon the solicitation, DOE may strongly recommend the use of SciENcv but require the use of the Common Form format. Other solicitations may require the use of SciENcv on the proposal. It is important to read through your solicitation! Effective October 2025, DOE will require biosketches be completed in SciENcv.

Who must complete:

All individuals listed in the application as Senior/Key Personnel, must include their biographical sketch form.

What to include on Biographical Sketch forms:

Caution: DOE NOFO’s may have different requirements for the Biographical Sketch. The below information is commonly requested, but please follow the specific instructions included in the NOFO.

• Education and Training: Undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral training, provide institution, major/area, degree and year.
• Research and Professional Experience: Beginning with the current position, list professional/academic positions in chronological order with a brief description. List all current academic, professional or institutional appointments, foreign or domestic, at the applicant institution or elsewhere, whether remuneration is received, and, whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary.
• Publications: Provide a list of up to 10 publications most closely related to the proposed project. For each publication, identify the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication), the article title, book or journal title, volume number, page numbers, year of publication, and website address if available electronically. Patents, copyrights and software systems developed may be provided in addition to or substituted for publications. An abbreviated style such as the Physical Review Letters (PRL) convention for citations (list only the first author) may be used for publications with more than 10 authors.
  • DOE recommends using ORCID iD as the individual’s Persistent Identifier (PID), and starting in May of 2025, DOE will require ORCID iDs on Biographical Sketch forms.

Synergistic Activities:

For some NOFOs, Synergistic Activities are collected separately from the biographical sketch. Please take care to follow the solicitation instructions for how to report Synergistic Activities.

Certifications:

If not using SciENcv to generate the biographical sketch, which already includes a certification statement, append the following signed and dated certification to the biographical sketch:

I, [Full Name and Title], certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that the information contained in this Biographical Sketch Disclosure Statement is true, complete, and accurate. I understand that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent information, misrepresentations, half-truths, or omissions of any material fact, may subject me to criminal, civil or administrative penalties for fraud, false statements, false claims or otherwise. (18 U.S.C. §§ 1001 and 287, and 31 U.S.C. 3729-3733 and 3801-3812). I further understand and agree that (1) the statements and representations made herein are material to DOE’s funding decision, and (2) I have a responsibility to update the disclosures during the period of performance of the award should circumstances change which impact the responses provided above.

Biographical sketches must be attached to the Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form in an application.

On October 7, 2024 Department of Energy released FAL 2025-02 which requires that each Covered Individual* listed on an application certify that they have completed research security training within the 12 months preceding the application date.Research Security Training is currently required for some solicitations and will be mandatory for all DOE applications effective May 1, 2025.

As a prime applicant, MSU must certify that each Covered Individual listed on an application has completed research security training, retain records of Research Security Training compliance, and we must extend this requirement to any and all subrecipients.

• MSU employees – can register to take MSU's research security training in the Ability Learning Management System (see registration instructions below). See the Research Security Training website for instructions on how to register.
• Subawardees – use the updated Subrecipient Commitment Form to gather the Research Security Training certifications for Covered Individuals employed by the subrecipient.The Subrecipient Commitment Form must be received from subawardee entities prior to proposal submission, to verify they have agreed and comply with Research Security Training requirements.
  • Link to the MSU Simplified Subrecipient Commitment Form.
  • Link to the HFH+MSU HS Simplified Subrecipient Commitment Form.
• Non-MSU Covered Individuals (CI) – For other Covered Individuals that are not part of a subaward, the individual must send their certificate of completion for Research Security Training.Training options are:
  • Complete the four modules on the NSF Research Security Training website.
  • Provide the certificate of completion from the individual’s home institution training.
  • Provide the certificate of completion from the CITI Research Security Training.

The MSU department/college will be responsible for retaining a copy of the Non-MSU CI’s certification of completion.OSP suggests that the certificate of completion be attached to the Proposal Development document for record keeping.

Effective October 1, 2024 NASA requires the Common Disclosure Form for each senior/key person preparing and certifying a current and pending/other support form as part of their proposal. Rather than require use of SciENcv to create the forms, NASA has provided a form template for use. The form template with instructions is available for download on the NASA Grant Policy and Compliance website. There is no page limit to the current and pending support form, and it is the Senior/key person’s responsibility to include all required information on the form. For guidance on what to include, see the NASA Pre-award and Post-award Disclosure Requirements table.

Current and Pending Support disclosure forms must be submitted for all Covered Individuals, which NASA designates as:

• PIs (regardless of level of effort), any CoPIs (regardless of level of effort), and only Co-Is proposing to spend ten percent or more of their time in any given year on a NASA-funded award.
• NASA funding organizations may designate additional personnel categories as covered individuals on a project-by-project basis, and these designations will be explicitly stated in all Notice of Funding Opportunities.

The certification language on the Current and Pending form is as follows:

I certify that the information provided is current, accurate, and complete. This includes, but is not limited to, information related to current, pending, and other support (both foreign and domestic) as defined in 42 U.S.C.§6605.

I also certify that, at the time of submission, I am not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.

Misrepresentations and/or omissions may be subject to prosecution and liability pursuant to, but not limited to, 18 U.S.C. §§287, 1001, 1031 and 31 U.S.C. §§3729-3733 and 3802.

Signature:

Date:

Persistent Identifiers: Publicly available Science Mission Directorate–funded data collections must be citable using a persistent identifier. A commonly used identifier is ORCID iD. We recommend individuals use their ORCID iD, or this field may also be left blank.

Digital Signatures: Individuals will need to include a digital signature on their current and pending form. Note that a printed copy of a submitted proposal in NSPIRES will not contain the digital signature. Units are responsible for making sure digital signatures are kept on file. OSP would highly recommend that biographical sketches and current and pending documents with digital signatures are attached to the proposal in KR for record keeping purposes. To be acceptable to NASA, the date of the signature must be within the past 12 months from when the document is submitted to NASA.

Changes to previously submitted Current and Pending Support: Changes to a previously submitted Current and Pending Support form must be submitted to the NASA Program Officer within 30 calendar days per their award’s terms and conditions.

Effective October 1, 2024 NASA requires the Common Disclosure Form for each senior/key person preparing and certifying a biographical sketch as part of their proposal. Rather than require use of SciENcv to create the forms, NASA has provided a form template for use. The form template with instructions is available for download on the NASA Grant Policy and Compliance website. There is no page limit to the biographical sketch form, and it is the Senior/key person’s responsibility to include all required information on the form. For guidance on what to include, see the disclosure table.

Biographical Sketch forms must be submitted for all Covered Individuals, which NASA designates as:

• PI (regardless of level of effort), any CoPI (regardless of level of effort), and only Co-Is proposing to spend ten percent or more of their time in any given year on a NASA-funded award.
• NASA funding organizations may designate additional personnel categories as covered individuals on a project-by-project basis, and these designations will be explicitly stated in all Notice of Funding Opportunities.

The certification language on the Biographical Sketch form is as follows:

I certify that the information provided is current, accurate, and complete. This includes but is not limited to information related to domestic and foreign appointments and positions.

 

I also certify that, at the time of submission, I am not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.

Misrepresentations and/or omissions may be subject to prosecution and liability pursuant to, but not limited to, 18 U.S.C. §§ 287, 1001, 1031 and 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733 and 3802.

 

Signature:

Date:

Persistent Identifiers: Individuals completing the form have the option to provide a persistent identifier. A commonly used identifier is ORCID iD. We recommend individuals use their ORCID iD, or this field may also be left blank.

Digital Signatures: Senior/key persons will need to include a digital signature on their biographical sketch. Note that a printed copy of a submitted proposal in NSPIRES will not contain the digital signature. Units are responsible for making sure digital signatures are kept on file. OSP would highly recommend that biographical sketches and current and pending documents with digital signatures are attached to the proposal in KR for record keeping purposes. To be acceptable to NASA, the date of the signature must be within the past 12 months from when the document is submitted to NASA

While Research Security Training for Covered Individuals (including subawardees and non-MSU collaborators) is not yet required, we expect to receive more information soon. We will update this information as soon as it is available.