[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 45, Volume 3]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 45CFR680.11]



[Page 247-248]

 

                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE

 

                 CHAPTER VI--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

 

PART 680_NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RULES OF PRACTICE AND STATUTORY 

CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST EXEMPTIONS--Table of Contents

 

     Subpart A_Rules of Practice for the National Science Foundation

 

Sec. 680.11  Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards.



    (a)(1) Many scientists, engineers, and educators interrupt active 

research and teaching careers to spend a year or two at NSF and then 

return to research and teaching, usually at the same institution from 

which they came. Many such visiting scientists, engineers, and educators 

(and a few permanent employees) who have been principal investigators 

under NSF awards before coming to NSF, retain some interest or 

association with the work. If an individual is a principal investigator 

under an NSF award, the individual is not precluded from retaining ties 

to the work after becoming an NSF employee. The employee may stay in 

contact with those who are continuing the work in the employee's 

laboratory or on his or her project. The employee may continue to 

supervise graduate students. And the employee may visit and work in the 

laboratory on his or her own time for these and related purposes.

    (2) Before a prospective employee comes to NSF, the prospective 

employee and the grantee institution must designate, subject to NSF 

approval, a ``substitute principal investigator''--i.e., another 

scientist who will be responsible for the work and equipment and will 

represent the institution in any dealings with NSF officials while the 

prospective employee is at NSF.

    (3) Appointment of a substitute principal investigator is 

unnecessary if all work under an award is to be completely suspended 

while the employee is at NSF. If the work is to be suspended, the 

employee and the grantee institution must inform the NSF in writing 

before the employee's employment begins. Work under the award may be 

resumed when the employee completes his or her NSF employment, and its 

term may be extended to account for the time lost during the employee's 

NSF employment.

    (b)(1) NSF will entertain no proposal on which a current NSF 

employee would be a senior investigator or equivalent, unless it is a 

proposal for continuation or extension of support for work on which the 

employee served in that capacity before coming to NSF. Any proposal for 

continuation of NSF support at essentially the same level (with 

reasonable allowance for inflation) will normally be considered a 

proposal for continuation or extension if it would support the work of 

the same investigator and his or her laboratory or group (if any) in the 

same general field of science, engineering, or education, 

notwithstanding that the focus of the work may change in response to 

research opportunities or educational needs.

    (2) Someone other than the current NSF employee must submit any such 

proposal for continuation or extension of work NSF previously supported 

and handle all negotiations with NSF, but the capacity in which the 

current NSF employee will serve should be clearly spelled out in the 

proposal.

    (c) In accordance with 5 CFR 5301.103(a)(1), an NSF employee may not 

receive, directly or indirectly, any



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salary, consulting fee, honorarium, or other form of compensation for 

services, or reimbursement of expenses, from an NSF award.