Policies and Procedures
OSP staff, located in Scharbauer Hall, Suite 1016, can assist in proposal development and identification of possible funding sources. Annual registers of grant support, newsletters, funding sources and alert systems, agency directories, contracts and grants policy manuals, as well as an online sponsor search service are available for use by faculty and staff.
Conflict of Interest (COI) and Foreign Influence
Texas Christian University’s (TCU) position is that research, either proposed or funded, should not be biased by a COI or undue influence. TCU is committed to supporting our investigators in their research endeavors and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit while maintaining objectivity, integrity and compliance with sponsor regulations. TCU supports and encourages international collaborative research and highly regards our partnerships with universities and other organizations worldwide for the strength those partnerships bring to TCU’s investigators, research programs and students. Through transparency and disclosure, it is possible for interaction between industry, international collaborators and TCU investigators to take place in a manner that is consistent with the highest traditions of research.
TCU complies with the Public Health Service (PHS) 2011 revised Federal regulation on Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) Promoting Objectivity in Research, 42 CFR Part 50 Subpart F through our Research Financial Conflict of Interest Policy. TCU’s policy prescribes a FCOI program intended to promote objectivity of research through a process of disclosure, review, mitigation, and monitoring that will comply with the conflict of interest requirements of our sponsoring agencies.
In order to support research and continued collaborations, it is important that TCU investigators understand the concerns being raised by our federal sponsors and how we address them through transparency. Federal sponsors, Congress, federal agencies, and the White House have all issued some form of communication, guidance, new regulations or clarified policies related to dealing with the issue of undue foreign influences on research integrity. For TCU investigators, comprehensive disclosure ensures transparency and bolsters credibility. Failing to disclose, can invite undue scrutiny, jeopardize funding or career opportunities, and could even result in legal prosecution.
In response to both the prescribed FCOI compliance requirements and recent federal notices, TCU is bringing awareness to the concerns regarding foreign influence. Therefore, in addition to our FCOI disclosure, TCU requires disclosure of any support an investigator receives that reasonably appears to be related to your institutional responsibilities including any activity related to your research that may occur over summer months or at other US or foreign institutions or laboratories. These disclosures should occur annually or ad hoc within 30 days upon discovering or acquiring a FCOI or new other support. The institutional disclosure is completed by submitting the Research Financial Conflict of Interest and Other Support Disclosure Form. The form, along with all external research that reasonably appears to be related to your institutional responsibilities should be processed through the TCU Office of Sponsored Programs
Research Financial Conflict of Interest Policy
Research Financial Conflict of Interest and Other Support Disclosure Form
Federal and State Grant Procurement
Federal regulations issued by the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) under the “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards,” (UG) define procurement requirements for purchases with federal funds. In response, Texas Christian University (“TCU”) adopted this policy to comply with the Uniform Guidance Procurement Standards set out at 2CFR 200.317-326.
