Research Administration

List all positions and scientific appointments both domestic and foreign held by senior/key personnel that are relevant to an application including affiliations with foreign entities or governments. This includes titled academic, professional, or institutional appointments regardless of compensation or benefit status, including adjunct, visiting, or honorary positions.

Report all resources and other support for all individuals designated in an application as senior/key personnel – including for the program director/principal investigator (PD/PI) and for other individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they request salaries or compensation. Information must be provided about all current support for ongoing projects, irrespective of whether such support is provided through the applicant organization, through another domestic or foreign organization, or is provided directly to an individual that supports the senior/key personnel’s research efforts. 

Report all current projects and activities that involve senior/key personnel, even if the support received is only in-kind (e.g. office/laboratory space, equipment, supplies, employees). All research resources including, but not limited to, foreign financial support, research or laboratory personnel, lab space, scientific materials, selection to a foreign “talents” or similar-type program, or other foreign or domestic support must be reported. 

Provide the total award amount for the entire award period covered (including facilities and administrative costs), as well as the number of person-months (or partial person-months) per year to be devoted to the project by the senior/key personnel involved. 

All pending support at the time of application submission and prior to award must be reported using “Just-in-Time Procedures” by providing all information indicated above. Applicants are responsible for promptly notifying NIH of any substantive changes to previously submitted Just-in-Time information up to the time of award, including “Other Support” changes that must be assessed for budgetary or scientific overlap. Further, if other support, as described as above, is obtained after the initial NIH award period, from any source either through the institution or directly to senior/key personnel, the details must be disclosed in the annual research performance progress report (RPPR). Post-award, recipients must address any substantive changes by submitting a prior approval request to NIH in accordance with the NIHGPS section on “Administrative Requirements—Changes in Project and Budget—NIH Standard Terms of Award.” 

NIH requires senior/ key personnel to certify that they are not a party to a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program (MFTRP). This requirement applies to Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) and certain submissions on or after January 25, 2026.

Who Must Complete the Certification

• All individuals designated as Senior/Key Personnel on an NIH award
• Includes Senior/Key Personnel at subrecipient institutions
• Certification is individual, not project-level

What You Are Certifying

By signing the form, you are confirming that at the time of submission, you are not participating in a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program, as defined by federal law and NIH policy. If you are unsure whether an appointment, agreement, or activity could be considered an MFTRP, contact OSP before signing.

Required Certification Language

NIH requires the exact wording below. The language may not be altered:

“I [insert name] certify that, at the time of submission, I am not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.”

There is no official NIH template, but UTMB has provided a template to use.

How to Complete the Certification

1. Prepare the Statement

• Add your full name and date
• Sign electronically

2. Save

• Save the document as a flattened PDF (signature must not be editable)
• Use the required file name format: MFTRPcert_[LastNameFirstName].pdf (Example: MFTRPcert_JaneDoe.pdf)

3. Submit Your Form

• Provide the signed PDF to your department/ OSP or upload the file to RPPR Section G.1 – Special Notice of Award and FOA Reporting Requirements

When This Is Required

• Each RPPR submission
• Certification must reflect your status at the time the RPPR is submitted, not earlier or later.