2024 Federal Updates

System Enhancements to Support the NSF PAPPG (NSF 24-1):

A new Foreign Financial Disclosure Report (FFDR) portal has been deployed in Research.gov to support post-award FFDR requirements applicable to Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) that receive an award or funding amendment to an existing award made on or after May 20, 2024. Refer to (PAPPG) Chapter VII.D.3 for policy guidance.
A new FFDR Preparer role has been added in Research.gov Account Management for the preparation and submission of the required reports. NSF has assigned this new role to all individuals with an existing Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) role as of May 20, 2024, to assist the research community with the first reporting period for the new FFDR requirement. Organizational Administrators can add or remove the FFDR role for individuals within their organizations at any time.
A Research.gov FFDR demo site is available for use through Friday, June 28th in order to permit FFDR preparers an opportunity to become acquainted with the new functionality prior to the opening of the first reporting period on July 1, 2024.

The demo site has the same functionality as the actual reporting site. However, system-generated emails and report submission functions are disabled in the demo site.
Only individuals with the FFDR Preparer role can access the demo site. After signing into Research.gov, individuals with the FFDR Preparer role will select the Foreign Financial Disclosure Report (FFDR) link under "Manage Financials" on the Research.gov homepage.
All FFDR test data entered on the demo site from May 20, 2024, until the demo site closes at 8:00 PM ET on June 28, 2024, will be deleted.
NSF will not be able to recover any FFDR test data entered while the demo site is open and deleted by NSF after the demo site closes.
Information entered on the demo site cannot be submitted to NSF.
Information entered on the demo site cannot be transferred to the actual FFDR portal.

Visit the new Research.gov About Foreign Financial Disclosure Report page for training resources including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and a how-to guide with step-by-step instructions and associated screenshots.
Save the dates for upcoming FFDR outreach opportunities. Registration will be available in June.

NSF implemented the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)-approved Common Forms for the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support for individuals identified as senior/key personnel.
The revised formats are in SciENcv and must be used for proposals submitted or due on or after May 20, 2024. The Research.gov Project Reporting System will also enforce use of the revised current and pending (other) support format when uploaded in annual and final annual project reports.
Research.gov and Grants.gov will generate a compliance error message if a proposer or awardee attempts to upload a prior version of either the biographical sketch or the current and pending (other) support format or a PDF not generated in SciENcv.
Research.gov and Grants.gov will no longer enforce a page limitation for the biographical sketch per PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.h.(i).
Refer to the following resources for more information:

The Synergistic Activities section has been removed from the Biographical Sketch. This information must now be uploaded as a separate one-page document by individuals designated as senior/key persons as part of the required senior/key personnel documents in Research.gov and Grants.gov.
This document is not created in SciENcv.
See PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.h(iv) for additional information.

Individuals identified as senior/key personnel must certify that they are not a party to a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program per PAPPG Chapter II.D.1.e(ii). This new certification is included on both the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support forms in SciENcv.
AORs must certify upon proposal submission in Research.gov and Grants.gov that all senior/key personnel have been made aware of and complied with the requirement that they are not a party to a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program in accordance with PAPPG Chapter II.D.1.d(ix).

The Mentoring Plan requirement has been expanded to include graduate students. Research.gov and Grants.gov will enforce that a Mentoring Plan not to exceed one page is uploaded for proposals when there is funding for graduate students and/or postdoctoral scholars. Refer to PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.i(i).
A new proposal type for Research Opportunity Awards for Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (ROA-PUI) has been enabled in the Research.gov Supplemental Funding Request Submission System. See PAPPG Chapter II.F.14.
A new Tribal Nations checkbox has been added on the proposal Cover Sheet to indicate if there are “Potential Impacts on Tribal Nations." If this box is checked, Research.gov and Grants.gov will enforce that up to two documents are uploaded. Please see PAPPG Chapter II.E.10. for documentation requirements.
Three new products have been enabled in annual and final annual project reports in Research.gov: Interventions (e.g. clinical or educational), New Business Creations, and Training and Professional Development Materials or Courses.
A new Individual Development Plan certification has been added as part of the annual reporting process to certify that each graduate student or postdoctoral scholar has an Individual Development Plan. This certification is completed by the Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI in Research.gov.

For IT system-related or technical questions, please contact the NSF IT Service Desk (7:00 AM – 9:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday except for federal holidays):

For FFDR non-technical questions, please contact the Office of the Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy at FFDR@nsf.gov
For NIH SciENcv technical questions, please contact the NIH Help Desk (7:30 AM – 5:30 PM ET, Monday through Friday except for federal holidays):