Freedom of Information Act Office
IC Directors' Meeting Highlights
October 31, 2011
| To: | IC Directors |
| Subject: | IC Directors' Meeting Highlights — July 14, 2011 |
Guidance on awards for FY 2011 and FY 2012: Colleen Barros and Chris Major
A joint OPM and OMB memo was issued on awards in June. This memo places strict restrictions on awards/incentives on performance and individual cash awards, group awards, QSIs, and time-off awards. The memo also places restrictions on recruitment, retention, and relocation incentives (3Rs).
For Title 42 and SES employees NIH is directed to limit individual performance and cash awards to 5% of FY2011 salaries and must demonstrate progress in reducing total awards. For all other employees this limit is directed to 1% of FY2011 salaries. Currently NIH is close to FY2010 baseline for performance and cash awards and OHR is currently validation this limit with OFM to ensure we limit aligns with OPM and OMB guidance.
For the 3Rs incentive agencies are required to limit spending to CY2010 levels for both 2011 and 2012. Requests for 3Rs incentives must be approved by the NIH Deputy Director and ICs will be asked to prioritize its incentives going forward in to CY2011.
Policy change proposals update from OLAW: Sally Rockey
The Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare oversees the welfare of research animal subjects in PHS-funded activities. Oversight is designed to support biomedical research and the Institutional Animal Care and Use (IACUC) staff is responsible for compliance. Assured institutions base their programs of animal care and use on the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals this current revision is eighth update.
NIH participated as a funding agency for the 8th Edition Guide and requested public comments on the Guide as to whether NIH should adopt and implement. The comment period closed in May and comments are currently under analysis. Once completed NIH will issue position statements and will again request a public comment period for feedback regarding the understanding of the position statements. All comments will be posted on the OLAW website for review.
Myriad gene patent litigation: Mark Freeman, Assistant to the Solicitor General, USDOJ
Special guest speaker Mark Freeman addressed the IC Directors on the pending litigation of the Myriad gene patent case. Mr. Freeman is presently on detail from his position as an appellate attorney with the Department of Justice's Civil Division.
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