Building Next-Generation Research Support at CMU

Strengthening systems and services to keep CMU at the forefront of research and innovation

Carnegie Mellon University is launching a strategic initiative to modernize our research infrastructure: the university-wide systems, processes, structures and resources that enable our research and commercialization enterprise. This will reduce administrative burden and improve service delivery throughout the entire research lifecycle for everyone engaged in supporting and conducting research at CMU. 

The steps that we are taking are guided by the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Board on Enterprise Creation, Entrepreneurship, and Industry Engagement and are in line with the input we received from CMU faculty, staff and alumni. 

The changes we make will help us respond faster and more effectively to opportunities, ensure compliance obligations are met, improve data-driven decision-making and better support interdisciplinary collaboration. 

What We’re Doing

Over the last year, in collaboration with our schools and colleges, we conducted a thorough review of our current enterprise research systems and services. Additionally, we built out expertise on our university-level research support teams and selected vendors for two new enterprise software solutions for sponsored research and technology transfer:

Moving to a next-generation research system

  • We are making a significant investment to implement a new cloud-based \ research software solution, based on Huron Research Suite, to streamline the research administration process. This will replace SPARCS and involve a reconfiguration of the entire grant management process – offering a single system to manage proposals, awards, regulatory and compliance activities.
  • Over the next three months, we will be working to develop a comprehensive technology roadmap to inform our implementation strategy.
  • The first set of tools will go live in 2026, with new functionality to support proposals, awards and agreements - and more to follow in 2027.

Upgrading our intellectual property management system

  • We are upgrading to a new, comprehensive intellectual property (IP) management system.
  • The new system, based on the Inteum Minuet platform, will provide enhanced capabilities to more effectively manage and leverage CMU’s significant IP assets.
  • Testing is underway, and we anticipate a launch of the new system by the end of the calendar year.

Enhancing our research support services

  • Launching a new enterprise research software solution will require adapting processes and procedures and ensuring that our campus-wide research support teams are positioned and prepared appropriately to administer the new workflows.
  • Developing these new workflows requires a full understanding of current operations now, as well as our future vision for CMU research infrastructure.
  • During September and October, members of our research community will have opportunities to share their insights and perspectives on our research support processes, procedures and operations. 

Why Change is Needed

At the federal level, the landscape is shifting quickly. Funding agencies are revisiting their priorities and new political dynamics are reshaping the contours of research investment and regulation. 

To retain our edge in this rapidly evolving environment, President Jahanian convened a Presidential Advisory Board (PAB) on Enterprise Creation, Entrepreneurship and Industry Engagement. That group’s recommendations propose strategies that will allow us to better support discovery, translation and a broader impact.

The changes outlined in the message from Vice President of Research Theresa Mayer and Chief Financial Officer Angela Blanton will better position us to adapt to changes at the federal level, even more rapidly than our peers.

External Drivers

  • Changing federal funding priorities
  • Threat of federal 15% F&A (Facilities and Administrative) rate cap - see President Jahanian’s Aug. 20 message
  • Advancement of the FAIR (Financial Accountability for Institutional Research) model
  • Potential cuts to federal science funding
  • Evolving expectations for working with federal and industry partners

Internal Drivers

What This Means for You

  • Unified access: Log into a single system to manage proposals, awards and regulatory and compliance activities
  • Less administrative burden
  • Transparent workflows and single system approvals, reducing delays
  • Faster response to funding opportunities
  • Improved compliance and data-driven decision-making
  • Better support for interdisciplinary collaboration

Our Path Forward

  • 2025: Roadmap development, input sessions
  • 2026: Limited system launch (proposals, awards, agreements)
  • 2027: Expanded functionality

Frequently Asked Questions

Federal Context & F&A

Federal Facility and Administrative (F&A) costs, also known as indirect costs, are the essential expenses that sustain the infrastructure and operations required for research, such as labs, IT systems, utilities and administrative support. Without sufficient reimbursement for these expenses, universities must find alternate funding to cover these costs.

As President Jahanian mentioned in his Aug. 20 message, a cap at 15% would create a $40 million annual shortfall for CMU.

The FAIR (Financial Accountability for Institutional Research) model, has been developed by the Joint Associations Group (including the AAU) as an alternative to a F&A rate capped at 15%. If adopted by OMB, it would bring greater transparency and accountability to the true costs of research. Implementing a model such as FAIR would require significant changes to university systems, processes and structures — but it would allow universities to recover the essential expenses associated with research and strengthen the long-term federal-university partnership.

Systems and Technology

Our current tools are fragmented, outdated and create unnecessary administrative burden. A new cloud-based enterprise software solution will modernize the entire grant management process from pre-award, including planning and proposal, through post award accounting and compliance.

The system will streamline proposal submissions, award management, as well as regulatory and compliance activities such as IACUC, Export Control and IRB, and reporting, all in one place.

Structure, processes and procedures

Launching this research support system will require us to adapt processes and procedures and ensure that our university-wide research support team is positioned and prepared to administer the new workflows.

We need the involvement of our campus-wide research community to ensure that the systems, services and structures we put into place meet our needs in a rapidly evolving research environment.

Every proposal, award and compliance process depends on the expertise and dedication of our research support teams. In the coming weeks, we aim to gain a clearer understanding of current processes and procedures so that we can invest in the right tools, streamline processes and provide the structures and training that will make that work easier and more effective.

To fully understand the resources, roles and responsibilities as they exist today, staff members whose work includes research support activity will be invited to complete a survey about their work. Select employees performing research support activities will be invited to participate in interviews or focus groups.

The information from survey responses, interview and focus group input, and research portfolio workflow analysis will help us identify what is working well and where we can improve.

Your insights and experiences are vital to the success of this initiative. By participating in these activities, you will help shape the future of research support at CMU and ensure that our services are well positioned to meet the university’s evolving needs. The Deans and Associate Deans of all schools and colleges have been involved in initial discussion regarding this work and are informed and supportive of your participation in interviews, focus groups and surveys.

For general questions regarding this initiative or the activities listed above, please reach out to nextgenrs@andrew.cmu.edu.