The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Fall 2025: Issue 45

News & Updates

Update on Research Security Training Requirement

UNC has implemented a Research Security Training Program for scientific personnel on federally-funded projects. 


Guidance and Resources for Federal Shutdown

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) has issued guidance on the current federal government shutdown and its impact on federally-funded projects. 
 

Independent Contractor (IC) Questionnaire Form Updated

The IC and External Key Personnel Questionnaire (also known as the FCOI Form) has been revised and now has a version date of 10/30/2025. This form must be completed before funding any IC/contractor on a sponsored project. For more details on this process, refer to the OSP Independent Contractor Guidance.


SAM.gov Renewal

UNC's System for Award Management (SAM.gov) registration has been renewed. The new expiration is 10/29/2026. The OSP Information Sheet has also been updated. 

Federal Updates & OVCR Resources

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) offers resources and guidance on swiftly changing Federal guidelines and requirements.

Decorative ImageOffice Hours Sessions

Stay up to date on the latest Federal developments via OVCR Office Hours sessions. Events occur monthly and registration is announced in the Carolina Investigator. For questions, contact OVCROfficeHours@unc.edu.

Stay Updated

Research Spotlight

Rooted: Kelly Dockham Photo of Kelly Dockham

Kelly Dockham, Director of the Office of Federal Affairs, has been contributing to research at UNC-Chapel Hill for ten years. Read her story.

Discover more about breakthrough research and innovative investigators in UNC Research Stories and subscribe to the newsletter.

Training Opportunities

Tango/Greenphire Office Hours and Webinar

Session will provide details and answer questions on the Tango and Greenphire participant payment systems. In addition, the upcoming Tango transition to RASR will be covered in the webinar. Registration is not required for any session.
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Office Hours

Tango and Greenphire Updates Webinar

Resources & Contacts

Panel Discussion on Paying Postdoc Trainees

OSP is hosting a follow-up to the 2025 Symposium session on Managing Stipend Payments for Postdoctoral Trainees and Fellows. Registration is not required.

This working session is designed to give training grant administrators a chance to engage and ask questions of subject matter experts from the Office of Sponsored Programs, Payroll, and Commitment Accounting.

  • November 18 from 11:30 - 12:30 PM  |  Event Link

Panelists

  • Walter Miller – Director of Payroll Services
  • Chris Lawless – Business Systems Analyst, ITS
  • Robin Burke –  Business Systems Analyst, ITS
  • J.R. Pike – OSP Sr. Cost Accounting/Central Effort Manager

Carolina RAPiDs

Carolina RAPiDs Foundations Core courses are now available in Carolina Talent! Visit our RAPiDs page for more information on how to enroll. 


CITI Training

The Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) is a web-based training package on issues relating to human subjects research.
 

NCURA Award Lifecycle Webinar Series

The NCURA Lifecycle of the Award webinar series offers training on several broad research administration topics relevant to research institutions. 

Ask OSP
Q: I am experiencing issues with eRA Commons. What should I do?
A: With the ongoing government shutdown, users may experience issues with eRA Commons communications. UNC Commons administrators are still able to create new accounts and send password reset links; however, users are not receiving confirmation emails to complete account set-up or resets. To help document and track these issues, please take the following steps:
  • Email OSPHelp@unc.edu
  • Include your eRA Commons username.
  • Provide a brief description of the issue and/or any error messages received.
  • Submit a Web Ticket through the eRA Commons Service Desk:
    • Include your username and a description of the issue.
    • Take a screenshot before and after submitting the ticket.
    • These screenshots will serve as proof of submission in case the system does not send a confirmation email.
Since eRA Commons emails are currently not being delivered, the screenshots are essential for confirming that your request was submitted and for record-keeping once government operations resume. OSP will send a follow-up message to eRA Commons to centrally document the issue as well. 

Q: Have other External Sponsor Portal requests?
A: To register for an external sponsor portal, please forward that email to OSPHelp@unc.edu. An OSP analyst will review it and determine whether an institutional account is sufficient or if a PI/individual account is also required.
Submit Questions to OSP

In Other News

New Website: Tariffs and Duty-Free Imports

Purchasing Services has published a Tariffs and Duty-Free Imports webpage to explain when import duties apply and how to request duty-free entry under the Florence Agreement (15 CFR Part 301).
 

NC TraCS Recruitment 101 Fall Webinar Series

The NC TraCS Recruitment & Retention Program will hold a Recruitment 101 Fall Series from October 27 - November 17. 
 

Training: Vital Signs Measurement Training for Research Personnel

Seats are still available for the November 7th training. Registration is required. 
 

IRB Analyst Office Hours

The Office of Human Research Ethics (OHRE) hosts weekly IRB Analyst Office Hours. Registration is required. Enter "IRB Office Hours" in the search bar.
 

Concur Support Webinars & Office Hours

Finance & Budget hosts a monthly webinar series to provide detailed training on specific topics in Concur and also weekly drop-in office hours for users to get help with Concur.

News & Updates Across UNC

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