• All PI Transfer requests will now be prepared and submitted in Research.gov.
• In-progress PI Transfer requests in FastLane as of June 23, 2023, were moved to Research.gov.
• All notifications and requests previously submitted in FastLane are accessible in Research.gov.
• Award recipients can access the notifications and requests module in Research.gov via the Notifications & Requests link under Awards & Reporting on the Research.gov homepage (formerly known as the Research.gov "My Desktop" page) after signing into Research.gov.
• Please see the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter VII, Research.gov About Notifications and Requests page, and FastLane System Decommissioning page for additional information.

• Friday, September 29, 2023 (5:00 PM submitter’s local time) is the last day to submit proposal file updates and budget revisions in FastLane, withdraw FastLane submitted proposals, and withdraw supplemental funding requests submitted in FastLane. Please see the FastLane System Decommissioning page for additional information.
• Friday, September 29, 2023 (11:00 PM Eastern Time) is the last day to access FastLane submitted and in-progress letters of intent, proposals, and supplemental funding requests.
• FastLane submitted and in-progress letters of intent, proposals, and supplemental funding requests will not be transferred to Research.gov; however, the reviews and summaries for proposals submitted in FastLane will remain available in Research.gov.
• Refer to the Instructions to Access and Download/Print FastLane Letters of Intent, Proposals and Supplemental Funding Requests.
• Friday, September 29, 2023 (11:00 PM Eastern Time) is the last day to access the FastLane Proposals, Awards and Status tab; Research Administration tab; and Honorary Awards tab on the FastLane homepage. These tabs will be removed from the FastLane homepage as of September 30, 2023, and the functionality will be decommissioned in FastLane.

• Friday, October 20, 2023 (5:00 PM submitter’s local time) is the last day to upload the NSF fillable PDF format for the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support.
• Proposers currently may prepare the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support using either SciENcv or the NSF fillable PDFs.
• The mandate to use SciENcv only for preparation of the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support will go into effect for new proposals submitted or due on or after October 23, 2023.
• Please see PAPPG Chapters II.D.2.h.(i). and II.D.2.h.(ii). as well as the NSF biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support websites for more information.

To: UMBC Researchers

From: Office of Research & Creative Achievement (ORCA) and Department of Information Technology (DoIT)

Re: Implementation of FAR 52.204-27

There has been a growing call for restrictions and regulations, on both the State and Federal levels, in regards to some social media and digital content applications, specifically (but not limited to) TikTok.  In some instances, restrictions on usage of TikTok and some of its affiliated/associated "apps" have, in fact, been implemented.

In December 2022, the No TikTok on Government Devices Act that was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 [Pub. L. No. 117-328] and addressed in Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-23-13 was passed and became federal law.

In June 2023, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council published an interim rule, effective as of June 2, 2023, that implemented a new FAR contract clause -- FAR 52.204-27. Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application[1]

The rule prohibits the use of TikTok or other applications by ByteDance on contractors' information technology, including employee-owned devices that are used as part of a bring-your-own-device (BYOD)program. The interim rule adds a new contract clause at FAR 52.204-27, Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application, which states: "The Contractor is prohibited from having or using a covered application on any information technology owned or managed by the Government, or on any information technology used or provided by the Contractor under this contract, including equipment provided by the Contractor's employees."

Thus far, there is NOT a state ban on using TikTok or ByteDance. There is an Executive Order (under then-Governor Larry Hogan) which bans their use that applies to State departments, but does not apply, per the State Attorney General and USM,  to institutions in the USM.

,

UMBC has not yet seen the new FAR clause incorporated into a federal contract. However, we highly expect to see that clause appear in contracts moving forward. Therefore, UMBC is advising and highly encouraging that anyone in a department/unit who handles sensitive material/information NOT install TikTok on UMBC/State-owned computers and machines.  If a researcher uses any personal devices for their research, UMBC also advises and highly encourages to NOT have TikTok or other noted program applications installed on those machines as well.

This regulation is very new. As such, there are indeed many open questions about the breadth of the restrictions.  Public comment on the clause can be made up until August 1, 2023 and thus changes to the clause could theoretically occur as well, as is the nature of an interim rule.  We certainly will know more as well once we see it incorporated into a new award or issued as part of an award modification.

Please see the list below on current companies (as of June 2023) whose programs and applications should not be installed on devices -University or personal- that are being used for UMBC research. Do note that TikTok is just one example and the list is far more extensive.  For example, ByteDance is a conglomerate of companies that operate a vast array of applications and websites.Beyond TikTok, the following are examples of the websites and applications operated by companies associated with ByteDance:

To: UMBC Researchers

From: Office of Research & Creative Achievement (ORCA) and Department of Information Technology (DoIT)

Re: Implementation of FAR 52.204-27

There has been a growing call for restrictions and regulations, on both the State and Federal levels, in regards to some social media and digital content applications, specifically (but not limited to) TikTok.  In some instances, restrictions on usage of TikTok and some of its affiliated/associated "apps" have, in fact, been implemented.

In December 2022, the No TikTok on Government Devices Act that was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 [Pub. L. No. 117-328] and addressed in Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-23-13 was passed and became federal law.

In June 2023, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council published an interim rule, effective as of June 2, 2023, that implemented a new FAR contract clause -- FAR 52.204-27. Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application[1]

The rule prohibits the use of TikTok or other applications by ByteDance on contractors' information technology, including employee-owned devices that are used as part of a bring-your-own-device (BYOD)program. The interim rule adds a new contract clause at FAR 52.204-27, Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application, which states: "The Contractor is prohibited from having or using a covered application on any information technology owned or managed by the Government, or on any information technology used or provided by the Contractor under this contract, including equipment provided by the Contractor's employees."

Thus far, there is NOT a state ban on using TikTok or ByteDance. There is an Executive Order (under then-Governor Larry Hogan) which bans their use that applies to State departments, but does not apply, per the State Attorney General and USM,  to institutions in the USM.

,

UMBC has not yet seen the new FAR clause incorporated into a federal contract. However, we highly expect to see that clause appear in contracts moving forward. Therefore, UMBC is advising and highly encouraging that anyone in a department/unit who handles sensitive material/information NOT install TikTok on UMBC/State-owned computers and machines.  If a researcher uses any personal devices for their research, UMBC also advises and highly encourages to NOT have TikTok or other noted program applications installed on those machines as well.

This regulation is very new. As such, there are indeed many open questions about the breadth of the restrictions.  Public comment on the clause can be made up until August 1, 2023 and thus changes to the clause could theoretically occur as well, as is the nature of an interim rule.  We certainly will know more as well once we see it incorporated into a new award or issued as part of an award modification.

Please see the list below on current companies (as of June 2023) whose programs and applications should not be installed on devices -University or personal- that are being used for UMBC research. Do note that TikTok is just one example and the list is far more extensive.  For example, ByteDanceis aconglomerateofcompaniesthatoperateavastarray of applications and websites.Beyond TikTok, the following are examples of the websitesandapplicationsoperatedbycompaniesassociatedwithByteDance:

On this episode, our host, Dr. Ian Anson, speaks with Dr. Michelle Scott, Professor of History and Affiliate Faculty in Gender and Women's Studies, Language, Literacy and Culture, and Africana Studies at UMBC, about her recent book:  T.O.B.A. Time: Black Vaudeville and the Theater Owners' Booking Association in Jazz-Age America

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon!

About The Series

Student Wage Guidelines - Effective July 1, 2023

The Office of Research and Creative Achievement (ORCA) is once again offering to cover the costs of a UMBC research administrator to attend the 65^th Annual NCURA National Meeting in Washington D.C. from August 6^th - 9^th, 2023.  These covered costs will include a one (1) year membership to NCURA as well!

Please click on the following link for full details about the National conference:https://www.ncura.edu/annualmeeting/Home.aspx

But that's not all folks!  ORCA is also going to cover the costs for a fellow Retriever to attend the NCURA Regional Meeting, and the virtual Departmental Research Administration DRA Workshop!  The NCURA Region II Meeting is convening from November 12^th - 15^th, 2023 in Annapolis, Maryland.  The DRA virtual Workshop is being held from June 26^th - 29^th, 2023.

Please click on the following link for the most up-to-date details about the Region II conference: https://www.ncuraregion2.org/regional-meeting

Please click on the following link for the most up-t0-date details about the Virtual DRA Workshop: https://www.ncura.edu/travelingworkshops/DRA.aspx

See below for instructions and directions to qualify for this exciting opportunity!

To Qualify:

With the exception of ESRA and OCAM staff members, ORCA staff are not eligible to be included in this contest.  

 The individual must be relatively new -- a novice -- to the Research Administration field and should not have attended an NCURA National Meeting, Regional Meeting or DRA Workshop in the past. 

 Please submit a short (half page at most) justification of why you want to attend and should be chosen to attend one of these conferences. Please include your conference of choice in this justification.

 The winning entrant must also agree to summarize what they learned and/or summarize a session they attended at these meetings at a future Expanded Research Administrators Group meeting (Expanded RAG).

 Please submit this short narrative to Associate Vice President of Research (AVPR) Dean Drake (ddrake@umbc.edu) by Friday June 9^th.

 Congratulations again to our 2022 winner, Emma Wheatley from CAHSS. 

Registration:

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)is once again coordinating Early Bird and Bulk Registration payments for the  NCURA National Meeting in August.    

Bulk registration discounts offered in increments of 5 and 10 attendees. 

Early Bird registration ends on June 26, 2023.

There were thirteen (13) UMBC Research Administrators who attended NCURA's National Meeting in 2022. If we obtain similar numbers/attendees this year, significant savings are available through bulk registration (well over $1,100.00)!

If you are interested in attending, please contact OSP Director Michael Walsh (mwalsh3@umbc.edu) by COB Tuesday June 20^th.

Links to Meetings/Conferences:

NCURA 65^th National Annual Meeting August 6-9, 2023-- In Washington DC.

NCURA Region II Meeting Nov 12-15, 2023-- In Annapolis MD.

DRA Workshop:  June 26-29, 2023 -- Virtual

On this episode, our host, Dr. Ian Anson, speaks with Dr. Pamela Bennett, Professor, UMBC's School of Public Policy, about her recent co-authored book:  Parenting in Privilege or Peril: How Social Inequality Enables or Derails the American Dream.

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon!

About The Series