Overview of OSTP Guidelines for Research Security Programs at Covered Institutions

The Guidelines state that the overarching purpose of federal research security efforts “is to make sure that institutions of higher education (IHE) and other research institutions recognize the altered global landscape and fulfill their responsibilities as the first line of defense against improper or illicit activity.” They also note that actions that researchers were encouraged to take a decade. [...] Applicability of the Guidelines: Unlike the draft version, the Guidelines provide specific references for institutions to use in determining whether they meet the $50 million financial threshold for the establishment of a security program. [...] F&D enterprise as reported in the most recent version of the Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions;1 or (2) the three-year average of federal R&D obligations to FFRDCs as provided in the most recent versions of the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development.2 Additionally, federal research funding agencies are “encouraged. [...] The Guidance goes on to note that training modules provided by federal research agencies constitute such a “resource,” and that NSF, NIH, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Department of State are coordinating through the NSTC Subcommittee on Research Security to contract for the production of a foreign travel security training module. [...] Additional Principles that Federal Research Funding Agency are Instructed to Follow in Implementing the Guidelines: The Guidelines call for research funding agencies to follow the broad principles set forth below in implementing the Guidelines; however, the Guidelines do not provide much in the way of specific instructions or examples for their implementation: • Prohibit discrimination, stigmatiza.