The Department of Contracts and Grants is pleased to announce the release of the Summer 2025 USC Guide to Sponsored Research. This guide remains your essential resource for sponsored projects and research compliance at USC. Principal Investigators and research administrators should review the updated guide to ensure alignment with the latest policies and best practices.
What’s New in the 2025 Guide?
- PI Eligibility Clarifications
The updated guide clarifies that retired faculty may be recalled to serve as Principal Investigators under Chapter 9-C of the Faculty Handbook and formalizes that PIs on a prime award cannot simultaneously serve as PIs on incoming or outgoing subcontracts for the same project, strengthening internal oversight. - Heightened Foreign Engagement Oversight
New language emphasizes risk management and compliance expectations around research collaborations with entities or individuals in “Foreign Countries of Concern” (China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran) as defined in the CHIPS Act. Investigators must consult the Office of Culture, Ethics and Compliance before pursuing such engagements. - Conflict of Interest and SFI Requirements
Enhanced guidance reinforces that all HHS- and Department of Energy–funded investigators must update their significant financial interest (SFI) disclosures annually each summer, and that proposals cannot proceed without current disclosures and training. - New Training Modules in Research Security, Insider Threat Awareness, and CUI
Reflecting evolving federal requirements, the 2025 guide introduces new training expectations in Research Security, Insider Threat Awareness, and Restricted Research at USC: Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). - Proposal Routing Updates
The 2025 guide reaffirms the requirement that all clinical trials with billable items must route through OnCore for coverage analysis, regardless of sponsor, to ensure consistent review and compliance. - Other Updates
You’ll also find clarifications around intellectual property assignments, program income monitoring, and expanded details on cost-sharing approvals, along with updated links and contact resources.
Access the Guide
The 2025 USC Guide to Sponsored Research is available online here. Please bookmark this vital resource and share it with your research teams.