Effective August 17, 2026, the Department of Energy (DOE) has issued new conflict of interest (COI) regulations applicable to DOE grants awarded on or after this date. The regulations continue to address COI while adding conflict of commitment (COC) and organizational conflict of interest (OCI) requirements. Additionally, DOE now requires the University to review conflicts before a proposal is submitted rather than at award.
To allow time for OSP to obtain the required COI review, please submit DOE proposals as early as possible and follow OSP's standard Internal Submission Deadline.
Before submission, confirm the following for all covered individuals [Principal Investigators (PIs), Co-PIs, project directors/managers, and anyone for whom a current-and-pending support form or biosketch is submitted]:
- Disclosures are current in MyDisclosures. New conflicts must now be reported within 15 days, down from 30 days.
- COI and COC training is complete. Pitt’s research security training satisfies this requirement.
- Relationships with foreign entities are disclosed in MyDisclosures. Any COI or COC involving foreign interests receives heightened scrutiny, and the University must report it to DOE at the proposal stage.
The COI Division will contact affected researchers with more information. In the meantime, please direct questions to coi@pitt.edu.
FEDERAL AGENCY ROUNDUP
Updates from federal agencies for the week of 08/10/2026
- NIH released NOT-OD-26-097: Recent Updates: Supporting a Safe and Respectful Workplace at Institutions that Receive NIH Funding.
- NIH released https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-26-098.html.
Stay up-to-date and informed by visiting the Pitt Research Executive Orders and Federal Funding website.