Research Compliance Updates and News

July 8, 2026

NSF Dear Colleague Letter: Prohibitions on Collaborations with Restricted Entities

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued updated guidance regarding prohibited collaborations with entities designated as U.S. Prohibited Parties. Researchers should review this notice to ensure all current and future NSF‑funded activities comply with federal restrictions. You can access the full NSF announcement here. Please take a moment to review the guidance and confirm that your research teams, partnerships, and subaward arrangements align with these requirements. If you have questions about compliance implications, contact the Office of Research Compliance research.compliance@morgan.edu.

August 17, 2026

New DOE Requirements: Research Security and Conflict of Interest/Commitment

The Office of Research Compliance would like to make researchers with current or pending U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awards aware of new federal research security and conflict of interest requirements effective August 17, 2026.  These requirements apply to individuals meaningfully involved in DOE-supported projects and include: Conflict of Interest (COI) and Conflict of Commitment (COC): Actual, potential, and apparent conflicts must be disclosed; Annual updates: Disclosures must be renewed annually and updated within 15 days of identifying a new conflict; Mandatory training: COI/COC training is required within 12 months of applying for DOE funding and every two years thereafter; Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs (MFTRP): Individuals participating in an MFTRP are prohibited from participating in applicable DOE-funded projects and may be required to certify their status. Legitimate international collaborations, publications, and scholarly activities are not prohibited; Institutional requirements: Morgan State University is updating its processes to ensure compliance with DOE requirements, including requirements applicable to personnel and subrecipients.

If you currently have a DOE award or are preparing a DOE proposal, please ensure that you and all individuals meaningfully involved in the project are aware of these requirements. The Office of Research Compliance will provide additional guidance and training as implementation requirements evolve. Questions may be directed to research.compliance@morgan.edu. References and Additional Information:

• DOE: Prohibition on Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program Participation
• DOE: Financial Assistance Regulations—Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment Policy Requirements
• DOE: Interim Conflict of Interest Policy Requirements for Financial Assistance