COUNCIL ON GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS 1200 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 750, Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 289-6655/(202) 289-6698 (FAX)
October 4, 2006
AGENDA
MEETING OF THE COUNCIL ON GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
WASHINGTON MARRIOTT HOTEL
October 26 and 27, 2006
Planning information for the upcoming meeting of the Council on Governmental Relations was sent to the COGR Listserve in early September. Those planning to attend should make hotel reservations at the Washington Marriott Hotel at 1221 22nd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. and should send registration notices along with registration fees to the COGR office. Those planning to attend will want to make their travel and hotel reservations. There is a block of rooms reserved for COGR participants. After this block fills, reservations will be accepted only on a space and rate available basis.
The hotel has established October 10, 2006 as the cut-off date for receipt of reservations. Changes should be made by telephone to the hotel (202-872-1500) and by FAX to the COGR office (202-289- 6698). Cancellations must be received in writing, via fax or mail, no later than Thursday, October 19, 2006 to receive a refund of the registration fee.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
8:30 a.m. Registration
10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. – Discussion Groups
Three concurrent sessions will be offered on Thursday morning:
Effort Reporting and Related Topics - A Survey of Compensation, Commitment, and Certification Policies. A COGR Working Group has spent the past six months completing a draft addressing effort reporting and related topics. The result is a paper that surveys a number of significant policy and practice areas. Panelists will include: Robert Kenney, Partner, Hogan & Hartson LLP; Susan Camber, Assistant Vice President of Research Accounting, University of Washington; and Jerry Fife, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Research Finance, Vanderbilt University Members on the panel will present their perspectives on the most important areas of focus, and a question and answer session will follow. (Note: If you will be attending the COGR meeting and would like a draft version of the paper to read in advance, please contact David Kennedy at [email protected]). Ready or Not - Readiness for Grants.gov Reviewed. Gunta Liders, Associate Vice President, Research Administration, University of Rochester, and Nancy Wray, Director, Sponsored Projects, Dartmouth College, will present the results and lead a discussion of the findings of the COGR/FDP Grants.gov Proposal Submission Readiness Survey. We’ll check in with the Universities of Maryland, Michigan and Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio on their progress implementing the plans they described at the February 2006 COGR meeting. We hope to provide an update on the recently reported change in vendor and planned enhancements to Grants.gov.
Trends in University—Industry Agreements. Reports from COGR members indicate that universities are encountering troubling new forms of agreements from industry sponsors, for example, “gift” agreements that include prescriptive terms and conditions relating to intellectual property and other matters. Such agreements with industry may proliferate especially given the anticipated declines in NIH research funding. Experiences and perspectives on trends in university—industry agreements will be discussed by the panel, moderated by John Ritter, Director, Technology Licensing and Intellectual Property, Princeton University including Cathy Innes, Director, Technology Development, University of North Carolina. Audience participation is invited. An update also will be provided on the status of the University—Industry Demonstration Project (UIDP) of the NAS Government-University- Industry Research Roundtable (GUIRR) by Merrilea Mayo, Director.
12:00 Noon – 1:00 p.m. – Buffet Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Keynote Speaker - Our guest speaker will be Dr. John H. Marburger, III, Science Adviser to the President and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Marburger will discuss the Federal S&T budget for FY2007 and beyond, including American Competitiveness Initiatives and other research and education initiatives. He will also address the impact of national security issues as potential impediments on collaborations with industry, access of foreign nationals, and international collaboration.
2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. - Break
2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. – Federal Forum - Addressing Regulatory Burden -- An Evolution of Ideas. COGR did a 2002 study on the cost of research compliance, and is doing a 2006 follow- up survey. The FDP recently released results of their faculty burden survey. Federal agencies recognize the complexities of the issue. However, in a “revenue neutral” budget environment, implementing effective strategies are a challenge. Andrea Trice will review the results of the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) 2006 Faculty Burden Survey and members on the panel will present their perspectives, and discuss the pros and cons of proposed ideas and solutions. Panelist include: Norka Ruiz Bravo, NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research and co-chair of the OSTP Research Business Models (RBM) Subcommittee; Geoff Grant, staff director of the OSTP Research Business Models Subcommittee; Paul Nacon, former Director of the HHS Division of Cost Allocation (DCA); Gilbert Tran, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of Management and Budget; and Albert Horvath, Executive Vice President Finance, Columbia University.
3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Break 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – University Forum - Managing Federal Compliance, Oversight, and Audit Activities - Call them what you will – audits, reviews, compliance site visits (not-for- cause or otherwise), investigations – the frequency and scope of such activity by federal funding agencies, Inspectors General staff, and the Government Accountability Office has greatly expanded in the past few years. And while the reviews include the traditional financial issues, such as effort reporting, cost sharing and cost transfers, they are increasingly focused on non-financial subjects such as export controls, conflicts of interest, select agent management and security, invention reporting and licensing practices. Michelle Fortnam, Senior Associate Director and University Compliance Officer, Stanford University, and Tim Fournier, Associate Vice President for Research Integrity, Northwestern University will lead this discussion. A panel of university compliance and audit representatives will lead a discussion of how, or if it’s even possible, to manage this heightened audit activity, and whether the terms “cognizant audit agency” and “Single Audit” have become oxymorons.
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Reception
6:30 p.m. – Dinner
Friday, October 27, 2006
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 - Buffet Breakfast
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – COGR Committee Reports
Contracts and Intellectual Property NIH Genome-Wide Association Studies Army Contractor Manpower Reporting Requirements Export Control Developments Materials Transfer Agreements (MTAs) Issues
Costing Policies Summary of meeting with Bob Aaronson and Darryl Mayes, DHHS Division of Cost Allocation Status of DHHS “Negotiator Review Guide” Recent Facilities and Administrative Rate Negotiations Status of COGR Effort Paper and possible release date
Research Compliance and Administration Federal Chief Financial Officers’ Grants Policy Public Hearing USDA Inspection Service Discussions Grants.gov Readiness & Response
10:00 – 10:15 – Break
10:15 – 10:45 – Association Report – Association of American Medical Colleges
10:45 – Noon – Continue Committee Reports 12:00 Noon – Adjournment
Attendance at COGR meetings is limited to employees of member universities, their governing boards and research foundations, affiliated hospitals and affiliated research institutes.