Dear Colleagues,
You are receiving this communication because you currently have an active Department of Energy (DOE) award, or you have submitted a DOE proposal within the last two years.
DOE Mandatory Research Security Training
Effective May 1, 2025, all “Covered Individuals” (e.g. PI, PD, Co-PI, Co-PD, Project Manager, Senior/Key Person) included in a DOE proposal must complete research security training prior to proposal submission. The UC Office of the President has created a forty-minute Research Security Training that meets the DOE requirements and is available in the UC Learning Center at this link Research Security at the University of California. DOE forms for Current & Pending Support disclosures will include a certification that research security training has been taken. The training must be completed annually.
While the DOE is among the first to implement this requirement, all federal funding agencies will soon require Research Security Training. We are currently awaiting further guidance from other federal funding agencies.
DOE Proposed Change in F&A Rate to 15%
On Friday, April 11, 2025, DOE issued a “Policy Flash” that instructed DOE contracting offices and grants offices to implement a 15% F&A rate for institutions of higher education. DOE indicated that it would terminate all existing awards that do not accept the new 15% F&A rate. However, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) was issued that prevents the DOE from implementing the changes in the “Policy Flash” until further notice from the courts.
For now, all active DOE awards to UCLA will continue to apply the F&A rate shown on the Notice of Grant Award, and all proposals to DOE must use the appropriate negotiated rate from our current federal Rate Agreement. Please direct questions to your OCGA representative.
Sincerely,
Roger M. Wakimoto
Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activities