Training

Training in Financial Conflicts of Interest (FCOIs), Outside Activities (OAs), and organizational conflict of interest (OCOI) is built into the disclosure process in SPARCS. The training pages will appear automatically when first disclosing in SPARCS, and every two years thereafter. SEI staff members, and other faculty/staff/students who collaborate with the SEI on research, will see the training pages every year to comply with the SEI’s contractual requirements. 

PHS agencies and the DOE require specific investigator training.  The training built in to the SPARCS system meets this training requirement; Investigators who are up to date with their SPARCS training requirementare also up to date with their sponsor-required training for PHS and DOE.

In the event it is determined that an Investigator has failed to comply with CMU's FCOI and OA disclosure  requirements, additional training may be required.

Subcontractors and consultants on PHS-funded research must complete training as well, unless their institution is certified as PHS-compliant in the FDP Clearinghouse.  Training documentation from their home institution may be sufficient; this is reviewed on a case by case basis.  If no other acceptable training documentation is provided, such collaborators will be required to complete the NIH's FCOI training module and provide a completion certificate.

Subcontractors and consultants on DOE-funded research must complete training as well, unless they provide documentation that their home institution has a DOE-compliant COI policy.  CITI COI training is acceptable. Other training documentation from their home institution may be sufficient; this is reviewed on a case by case basis.  If no other acceptable training documentation is provided, such collaborators will be provided with training by CMU.