Tip of the Week
Know What the Contracts Services Team Reviews Before Negotiations Begin
Before the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) Contracts Services Team begins negotiating any research agreement, several key...
NIH Prior Approval Requests
NIH Prior Approval Requests: Use the eRA Commons Prior Approval Module
A reminder that since February 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) require all...
Do I Need an NDA?
A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), sometimes called a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA), should be in place before you share or receive any non-public information with an...
Writing a Clear and Strong Scope for Research Agreements
The Scope of Work (SOW) defines what Pitt will do under a research agreement. A clear SOW reduces delays during negotiation and helps prevent disputes once work is underway.
A strong SOW...
FDP FCOI Clearinghouse vs. FDP Expanded Clearinghouse
The Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP), of which Pitt is a member, maintains two distinct clearinghouses that serve different compliance functions.
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New NIH Requirements Effective 05/25/26
New Data Management and Share Plan Format
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a new...
Tips and Resources for New NIH PF5 Proposals
The National Institutes of Health (NIH)...
Office of Sponsored Programs Internal Proposal Deadline
As a reminder, complete and final proposals, including the PI Certification, are to be...
Completing your COI Annual Disclosure by April 15
The deadline for the 2026 annual Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosure filings is Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Annual COI disclosures must be completed and current prior to the...
NIH Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan
When submitting a National Institutes of Health (NIH) application with more than one Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI), a Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan is required...
Notifying OSP of PI Departures
Faculty planning to depart the University (ex: retirement or other employment) should work with their department research administrators to review each of their active awards, nonfinancial...
REMINDER: PI Effort on Sponsored Awards
In accordance with Pitt Policy RI 09 Sponsored Projects – Effort Reporting/Certification, Principal...
Required Federal Certifications
Federal funding agencies continue to implement new certification requirements under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022...
Federal Award Instrument Types
Federal research funding comes in several forms, each with distinct characteristics and requirements. The chart below outlines key differences among these award mechanisms. Always review your...
Trainees as PIs
When a trainee or fellow serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) on a research proposal, the following items/actions are important to keep in mind to ensure a smooth and successful proposal...