Category Archives: Sponsored Programs

NSF Email and Possible Impacts from Required Email Configuration

Domain-based Messaging and Reporting Compliance (DMARC) was implemented at NSF in October 2018. DMARC is a series of email authentication and reporting checks that improve email security within Federal agencies by improving email fraud defenses.

This Department of Homeland Security (DHS) required protocol may result in some external email recipients not receiving some NSF email if organization email is not configured to meet DMARC requirements or if people are auto-forwarding email to another account, such as a personal email account.

DMARC enables organizations like NSF to verify that email was sent from a trusted source rather than from bad actors such as spammers, hackers or phishers. Since NSF’s implementation of DMARC, NSF has observed that some external organizations use email routing practices such as email auto-forwarding from organization to personal email accounts or using third-party email distribution services (e.g., Constant Contact, GovDelivery, Amazon SES) that cause messages to be blocked from distribution because they are flagged as potentially fraudulent by DMARC security checks. This means some recipients of NSF email may not be receiving some important NSF communications related to research funding actions, deadlines, and/or other important messages.

NSF, as all other federal agencies, is required to implement this standard. In response, some universities communicated to their staff about DMARC and specifically about not auto-forwarding email. (Just a few of the examples include the University of Illinois, Northwestern University, Cornell University and the University of Minnesota. Click on the name of the organization to view their public communications.)

If you are hearing about or believe you or researchers at your organization are experiencing email delivery issues with NSF email, please contact your organization’s IT division. After contacting them, if you still have questions, please contact NSF’s IT Help Central. IT Help Central (ITHC) can be contacted by phone at 703-292-HELP (x4357) or 800-711-8084. ITHC hours of operation are 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., ET. You may also contact ITHC by email at ITHelpCentral@nsf.gov.

More information about NSF’s experience with DMARC can be found on NSF’s website at https://www.nsf.gov/policies/dmarc.jsp. More information about Binding Operational Directive 18-01 can be found athttps://cyber.dhs.gov/bod/18-01/

Updated Tables for Estimating GRA Stipends and Tuition

The Vice President for Research Office has updated the graduate student tables for budgeting stipends and tuition. These rates are to be used immediately in proposal budgets to external sponsors.

The tuition rates per credit differ between Non-Engineering/Computer Science and the Engineering/Computer Science disciplines. Remember to take this into account when budgeting for one (1) credit.

The updated stipend and tuition tables can be found on the VPR forms page at:

GRA Stipend Rates

GRA Tuition Rates

Plan Ahead for Proposal Preparation and Submission Services

During the holidays, the Research Development and Sponsored Programs offices will hold the following office hours:

Closed on Monday, December 24 and Tuesday, December 25

Open 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 26 through Friday, December 28

Closed on Monday, December 31 and Tuesday, January 1

Open 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 2 through Friday, January 4

Please plan accordingly for your proposal preparation and submission service needs during this time. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, January 7.

New NSF policy – Notification Requirements Regarding Sexual Harassment and Assault

On October 22, 2018, the National Science Foundation (NSF) implemented a new policy to ensure the research and learning environments it supports are free from harassment by publishing a term and condition that requires awardee organizations to report findings and determinations of sexual harassment. After October 22, all new NSF awards and funding amendments to existing awards will be subject to the new term and condition, entitled “Notification Requirements Regarding Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Harassment, or Sexual Assault”.

When incorporated into an NSF award, awardee organizations will be required to notify NSF of any findings/determinations of sexual harassment, other forms of harassment or sexual assault regarding an NSF funded Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI, or of the placement of the PI or co-PI on administrative leave or the imposition of any administrative action relating to harassment or sexual assault finding or investigation. Training is required for all PIs and co-PIs; a notice will be sent to all individuals currently required to complete the training.

A revised set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the NSF’s award term and condition has been posted to the NSF Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s harassment website. These revised FAQS are dated December 4, 2018, and include more than 30 questions and responses. A Michigan Tech website with more information is forthcoming.

Any additional questions regarding the term and condition should be submitted to sexualharassmenttandc@nsf.gov. The Michigan Tech contact is Joanne Polzien, jpolzien@mtu.edu.

Training Session: Review of Export Controls on Awards

The Vice President for Research Office will host an educational session, “Review of Export Controls on Awards” from noon to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 24th. The session will be in the Memorial Union Ballroom B. Registration begins today and ends on October 23rd.

This session will help faculty and staff understand and address Export Controls considerations when conducting research. Topics covered will include: managing technical data, intellectual property and proprietary materials; defining and working with foreign nationals, publishing and teaching; and exporting and licensing considerations.

This workshop is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research. Desserts and beverages will be provided, please bring your own lunch.

If you have questions, please contact Ramona Englund at 487-2654 or rlenglun@mtu.edu.

Two-Tier Internal Deadline Implemented For All Federal Opportunities

The Sponsored Programs Office will expand the two-tier internal deadline structure for all federal opportunities with a due date on or after November 1, 2018.

As a reminder, all final internal documents and the application package are due to the Sponsored Programs Office no later than 7:00 a.m., 1 week (7 calendar days) prior to the sponsor deadline. If applicable, the application package must be completed in the appropriate submission system (Fastlane, Research.gov, NIH ASSIST, or Grants.gov Workspace). Not all of the science documents in the application package, however, need to be final and the application package does not need to include the completed budget forms. Once the Sponsored Programs Office receives the internal documents and the application package, personnel in the Sponsored Programs Office will enter the approved budget into the applicable submission system….the PI/researcher will not need to complete this task.

All final science related documents are due via e-mail to the Sponsored Programs Office no later than 7:00 a.m. the day of the sponsor deadline. Once received, personnel in the Sponsored Programs Office will upload the final documents into the application package. This later deadline will provide valuable time for the PI/researcher to focus on the science aspects of the proposal.

The specific science related documents for the application package will be identified and communicated to the respective Principal Investigator once the intent to submit is known.

Feel free to contact the Sponsored Programs Office at 487-2226 if you have any questions.

Updated Tables for Estimating GRA Stipends and Tuition

The Vice President for Research Office has updated the graduate student tables for budgeting stipends and tuition. These rates are to be used immediately in proposal budgets to external sponsors.

The tuition rates per credit differ between Non-Engineering/Computer Science and the Engineering/Computer Science disciplines. Remember to take this into account when budgeting for one (1) credit. Budgeting for research mode is now an option at the proposal stage; those rates are also included in the table.

The updated stipend and tuition tables can be found on the VPR forms page at:

GRA Stipend Rates

GRA Tuition Rates

New Fringe Benefit Rates Effective July 1, 2018

The Office of Naval Research has recently approved a Fringe Benefit rate for Michigan Tech. These newly approved rates should be used immediately on all Sponsored Programs proposal budgets, and will be applied to all funds; including active sponsored projects.

In accordance with the Fiscal Year 2019 Fringe Benefit rate agreement, the rates effective July 1, 2018 are as follows:

Regular non-student rate: 37.4%
Summer/additional rate: 20.5%
Graduate student rate: 8.6%
Temporary employee rate: 10%
Undergraduate rate: 0%

The current fringe rate agreement can be found on the Research Facts and Figures page of the Sponsored Programs website.

Two-Tier Internal Deadline Implemented for all NSF Opportunities

Two-Tier Internal Deadline Implemented

For all NSF Opportunities

Due to the success of the two-tier internal deadline pilot, and in addition to its implementation to all NIH proposals, the Sponsored Programs Office will expand and permanently implement the two-tier internal deadline structure for all proposals due to the NSF on or after July 1, 2018.

As a reminder, all final internal documents and the application package are due to the Sponsored Programs Office no later than 7:00 a.m., 1 week (7 calendar days) prior to the sponsor deadline. The application package must be completed in the appropriate submission system (Fastlane, Research.gov, NIH ASSIST, or Grants.gov Workspace). Not all of the science documents in the application package, however, need to be final and the application package does not need to include the completed budget forms. Once the Sponsored Programs Office receives the internal documents and the application package, personnel in the Sponsored Programs Office will enter the approved budget into the applicable application package….the PI/researcher will not need to complete this task.

The specific science related documents for the application package will be identified and communicated to the respective Principal Investigator once the intent to submit is known.

Feel free to contact the Sponsored Programs Office at 487-2226 if you have any questions.

Review of Foreign National Restrictions on Awards – Education Session

The Vice President for Research Office will host an educational session, “Review of Foreign National Restrictions on Awards” from noon to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 9th. The session will be in the Memorial Union Alumni Lounge. Registration begins today and ends on May 8.

This session will help faculty and staff understand and address foreign national restrictions considerations when conducting research. Topics covered will include: managing technical data, intellectual property and proprietary materials; defining and working with foreign nationals, publishing and teaching; and exporting and licensing considerations.

This workshop is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research. There will be desserts and beverages provided, please bring your own lunch.

If you have questions, please contact Ramona Englund at 487-2654 or rlenglun@mtu.edu.