You may have received an "NSF – OVERDUE: Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program Annual Certification.” email recently. This email is related to an NSF policy change that requires all PIs and co-PIs named on an NSF award made on or after May 20, 2024, to certify in Research.gov that they are not party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program (MFTRP) on an annual basis.
This is an annual certification that must be completed within 30 days of the anniversary of the relevant award start date. If you are a PI or co-PI who received this email, please log into your Research.gov account and follow the prompts. Read more here.
If you are a research administrator who received this email, please check to see if the named individual is a PI in your Unit. If so, please ensure they take the immediate steps stated above.
As a reminder, all Penn State senior/key personnel are required to not participate in any MFTRP in accordance with Policy RA20. If you would like to refamiliarize yourself with the NSF requirements, they can be found here: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter II.D.1.e(ii) and Important Notice No. 149: Updates to NSF Research Security Policies,
What else do you need to know about completing the required MFTRP certification in Research.gov?
- The certification requirement is for PIs and co-PIs.
- There is no institutional certification requirement.
- PIs and co-PIs with more than one active award made on or after May 20, 2024, are only required to certify once, annually. These reminders are likely starting to come from the NSF due to the annual nature of the requirement.
- Once completed, PIs and co-PIs can view their MFTRP certification response under the Academic/Professional Information section of their profile.
- Frequently Asked Questions and MFTRP contract examples are available on the MFTRP section of the Office of the Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy website.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Clint Schmidt at research-security-orp@psu.edu