Practice Test Questions Flashcards
Dr. Smith has a full appointment with XYZ University and just received an NSF award that allows them to purchase needed equipment in year 1. Dr. Smith decides to purchase this equipment from the small business they own. Which of the below best describes the type of conflict described in this scenario?
a. Conflict of Conscience
b. Conflict of Interest
c. Conflict of Commitment
d. Significant Financial Interest
b. Conflict of Interest
Which of the below regulations required that institutions have a plan in place to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by the National Science Foundation to conduct research?
a. America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act of 2007 or America COMPETES Act
b. Human Research Protections Act of 2010
c. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (RECOVERY ACT)
d. Investing in Students the Future of America Act 2012
a. America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act of 2007 or America COMPETES Act
Which of the below scenarios meet the definition of research misconduct as defined by The Office of Research Integrity?
a. A researcher realizes that an error was made in data analysis which led to an incorrect conclusion. It was determine this error was an honest mistake.
b. A researcher knowingly and intentionally removed outlier values or replaced outliers with mean values to produce results that conform to predictions.
c. Collaborators on a research project have a difference of opinion regarding the outcomes of a research project.
d. A graduate student is unable to reproduce previously published research results.
b. A researcher knowingly and intentionally removed outlier values or replaced outliers with mean values to produce results that conform to predictions.
According to the 2011 Public Health Service Regulations titled Responsibility of Applicants for Promoting Objectivity in Research for which PHS funding is Sought 42 C.F.R. Part 50, Subpart F, which of the below activities require disclosure?
a. The investigator’s salary paid by the institution
b. Income from investments vehicles such as mutual funds where the investigator does not have direct control
c. Ownership interest in a non‐publicly traded entity that is reasonably related to the investigator’s institutional responsibilities
d. Serving as a peer review panelists for the National Science Foundation
c. Ownership interest in a non‐publicly traded entity that is reasonably related to the investigator’s institutional responsibilities
According to the 2011 Public Health Service Regulations titled Responsibility of Applicants for Promoting Objectivity in Research for which PHS funding is Sought 42 C.F.R. Part 50, Subpart F, when should an investigator disclose a significant financial interest to their institution?
a. No later than the time of proposal submission
b. After proposal submission but before the award
c. When the notice of award is received by the institution
d. After the PI has posted expenditures to the grant
a. No later than the time of proposal submission
The Public Health Service defines research misconduct as:
a. Fabrication, Falsification, and Formation
b. Plagiarism, Fabrication, and Falsification
c. Authorship, Duplicate Publication, and Translational
d. Theft, Bribery, and Forgery
b. Plagiarism, Fabrication, and Falsification
Which of the below is an offence that can lead to suspension or debarment?
a. Failing to submit a final report on time
b. Exceeding the grant budget
c. Conviction of fraud, embezzlement, theft, forgery, or bribery involving federal funds
d. Changing the scope of work
c. Conviction of fraud, embezzlement, theft, forgery, or bribery involving federal funds
What is the purpose of the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP)?
a. to reduce the administrative burdens associated with federally sponsored research.
b. to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.
c. to support “high‐risk, high pay‐off” ideas, novel collaborations and numerous projects that may seem like science fiction today, but which the public will take for granted tomorrow.
d. to provide a comprehensive array of support services for faculty and staff as they pursue and manage external funding projects.
a. to reduce the administrative burdens associated with federally sponsored research.
Which of the below best defines a proposal budget?
a. A budget should be reviewed for consistency with applicable sponsor and university policies.
b. Personnel costs are commonly a significant portion of the budget.
c. The budget is a financial expression of the research proposal.
d. The budget does not have to be consistent with the scope of work outlined in the proposal.
c. The budget is a financial expression of the research proposal.
After proposal submission but before award, sponsors may conduct a site visit at the university for what purpose?
a. to ensure that the university has the capacity to carry out the proposed research
b. to build a relationship with the university
c. to ask for researchers to review the proposal
d. to review IRB documents
a. to ensure that the university has the capacity to carry out the proposed research
Which of the below online interfaces will replace the National Science Foundation’s online proposal system FastLane and become NSF’s grant management system that provides easy access to research related information and grants management service in one location?
a. Grants.gov
b. Grantforward.com
c. Research.gov
d. NSF.gov
c. Research.gov
The U.S. Small Business Administration defines a small business as
a. Is organized as a for profit
b. Has a place of business in the U.S.
c. Company size limited to 500 employees
d. All of the above
d. All of the above
for more info see: https://www.sba.gov/
In December 26, 2014, what is the title of the new federal guidance that eliminated the OBM Circulars A‐21, A‐110, and A‐133?
a. A‐81, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
b. A‐21, Requirements for Research Administration of Costs
c. A‐100, Administrative Requirements for Federal Awards
d. A‐101, Basic Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
a. A‐81, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
OMB A‐81 outlines 6 elements required in a notice of Federal funding. Please identify the 6 elements.
a. Principal investigator scope of work, budget, collaborators, consultants, internal forms, and Grants.gov
b. Full program description, federal award information, specific eligibility, application preparation and submission, review criteria, and federal award administration
c. Acronyms and definitions, Appendices, Conference Expenses, Participant Support Costs, Computing Devices, Publication Costs
d. Administrative and Clerical Salaries, Conflict of Interest Requirements, Facilities and Administrative Costs, Entertainment Costs, Compliance Checks, Institutional Approvals
b. Full program description, federal award information, specific eligibility, application preparation and submission, review criteria, and federal award administration
What is a key distinction between an RFP and a BAA?
a. A BAA is usually a fixed price contract and a RFP is usually a cost reimbursable contract.
b. BAAs are broad in their subject matter and focus on advancing science rather than acquiring specific products.
c. A RFP requires you to follow the sponsor guidelines closely while a BAA does not.
d. BAA opportunities are always limited submissions while RFPs are not limited.
b. BAAs are broad in their subject matter and focus on advancing science rather than acquiring specific products.
According to Uniform Guidance which of the below costs are generally allowed?
a. Entertainment costs
b. Lobbying costs
c. Dependent Care
d. American Health Care Act
c. Dependent Care
According to Uniform Guidance 200.205, the Federal awarding agency may conduct a risk review posed by applicants that includes which of the below?
a. Applicant’s institutional size
b. Applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory or other requirements
c. Applicant’s participant support costs
d. None of the above
b. Applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory or other requirements
Which of the below processes is intended to prevent waste, fraud and abuse in Federal procurement and non‐procurement actions and would exclude a company or individual from doing business with the Federal Government?
a. Termination for Cause
b. Non‐delinquency on Federal Debt
c. Debarment and Suspension
d. Federal Procurement Integrity Act
c. Debarment and Suspension
Universities are required to comply with the Office of Management and Budget Circular Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and ______ for Federal Awards (“Uniform Guidance”) as well as other federal requirements for certifying effort expended on sponsored awards.
What is the best answer?
a. Budget requirements
b. Audit requirements
c. Cost share requirements
d. Staff requirements
d. Staff requirements
To uncover new knowledge that will lead to better health for everyone. The federal medical research agency works toward that mission by: conducting research in its own laboratories; supporting the research of non‐Federal scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country and abroad; helping in the training of research investigators; and fostering communication of medical and health sciences information.
This is the mission statement to which federal agency?
a. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
b. National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
c. National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
d. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
d. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Which of the following is NOT a standard proposal element?
a. Project goals and objectives
b. Plan of action
c. Introduction
d. Editorial page
d. Editorial page
Which of the following IS a characteristic of a Cooperative Agreement?
a. Sponsor initiated
b. Length of time is greater than five years
c. Requires multiple signatures for execution
d. No involvement from sponsor.
a. Sponsor initiated
Which of the following provides local review and oversight of research utilizing recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules?
a. Institutional Review Board
b. Institutional Biosecurity Committee
c. Institutional Biohazard Committee
d. Institutional Biosafety Committee
d. Institutional Biosafety Committee
How many NIH Institutes and Centers award extramural research funding?
a. 21
b. 27
c. 24
d. 19
c. 24
How many NIH Institutes are there?
a. 21
b. 27
c. 24
d. 19
a. 21
How many NIH Centers are there?
a. 4
b. 5
c. 6
d. 7
c. 6
Which of the below are ways in which university personnel can “export” in violation of EAR?
a. Physical Export
b. Transmitting export controlled information or software electronically or digitally to a foreign country or foreign person
c. Use of export controlled technology on behalf or for the benefit of a foreign person or foreign country (Defense Service)
d. All of the above
d. All of the above
______ constitutes acceptance of award for NSF.
a. Drawdown of funds
b. Sending an invoice directly to NSF for expenses paid to support the grant.
c. AOR signing the award terms and conditions
d. Signed letter from PI
a. Drawdown of funds
Is not anchored to any single category of information or technology. Rather it requires a case by case assessment of the special risk that an individual can be identified. Which of the following terms best describes the information above?
a. Personally identifiable information (PII)
b. Non‐personally identifiable information (non‐PII)
c. Protected Personally identifiable information (Protected PII)
d. Research information
a. Personally identifiable information (PII)
Which of the below oversees the possession, use and transfer of biological select agents and toxins, which have the potential to pose a severe threat to public, animal or plant health or to animal or plant products?
a. Institutional Review Board
b. Institutional Biosafety Committee
c. Federal Select Agents Program
d. Federal Emergency Management Agency
c. Federal Select Agents Program
The field of biosafety is primarily dedicated to which of the following?
a. Preventing the loss of valuable research materials and limiting access to infectious material by individuals who would use them for harmful purposes
b. Regulating the possession, use, and transfer of agents with high adverse public health and/or agricultural consequences
c. Issuing permits for infectious agents of livestock and biological materials containing animal material
d. Protection of workers and the environment from exposures to infectious materials
d. Protection of workers and the environment from exposures to infectious materials
Dual use research (DUR) refers to which of the following?
a. Research that generates data and proprietary information for which the rights are shared by both the sponsor and grantee
b. Research that has significant potential for advancement in both the medical and technology industries
c. Research conducted for legitimate purposes that generated knowledge, information, technologies, and/or products that can be utilized for both benevolent and harmful purposes
d. Research resulting from joint funding initiatives of both the NIH and CDC
c. Research conducted for legitimate purposes that generated knowledge, information, technologies, and/or products that can be utilized for both benevolent and harmful purposes
Which of the following best describes NIH’s Just‐in‐Time (JIT) procedures?
a. Allows a first time PI the option to extend the application due date up to two days for his/her first K‐program application
b. Requires the applicant to determine that key personnel(s) visas will allow them to remain in the country long enough for them to be productive on the research project
c. When an applicant has had no prior Federal grants or cost‐reimbursement contracts, allows NIH to review the applicant’s financial management and other management systems before award, or within a reasonable time after award, to determine their adequacy and acceptability
d. Allows certain elements of an application to be submitted later in the application process, after review, when the application is under consideration for funding
d. Allows certain elements of an application to be submitted later in the application process, after review, when the application is under consideration for funding
Which of the following is NOT a common feature of the Notice of Award (NOA) document?
a. PI’s active and pending research support
b. Applicable terms and condition
c. Any restriction on the use of funds
d. CFDA Number and Program Name
a. PI’s active and pending research support
Which of the following reports summarizes progress made toward the achievement of scientific aims and identifies significant outcomes?
a. Research Performance Progress Report
b. Final Invention Statement and Certificates
c. Project Outcomes Report for the General Public
d. Federal Financial Report
a. Research Performance Progress Report
Which of the following is a characteristic of NIH’s R15, Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Program?
a. Not limited in funding amount request
b. Limited to two years of funding
c. Grants are not renewable
d. Limited to $300,000 in direct costs
d. Limited to $300,000 in direct costs
NIH generally requires grantees to retain financial and programmatic records, records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records that are required by the terms of a grant for a period of:
a. 3 years from the project period end date
b. 3 years from the submission of Just in Time (JIT) information
c. 3 years from the date the Final Federal Financial Report (FFR) is submitted
d. The period required by the grantee’s internal record retention policy
c. 3 years from the date the Final Federal Financial Report (FFR) is submitted
Which of the following is characteristic of a successful proposal?
a. Persuades and justifies the need for the PI
b. Budget consistent with the scope of work
c. Discusses what will be done, why and how
d. Discusses what will be done, how and by whom
b. Budget consistent with the scope of work
Which of the following is not a true statement about negotiation?
a. Submission of a proposal is not yet a legal offer that could be accepted by the government
b. Negotiation begins upon proposal submission
c. Must be consistent with institution’s policies and procedures
d. None of the above
a. Submission of a proposal is not yet a legal offer that could be accepted by the government
Which of the following would serve the purpose of inviting proposals and specifying the general terms and conditions under which the relevant award can be made?
a. RFQ
b. BAA
c. RFP
d. None of the above
c. RFP
A request for proposal (referred to as RFP) is an invitation for suppliers to submit a proposal on a specific commodity or service.
The ethical principle that demands a research subject enter into a study voluntarily and with an adequate information is known as:
a. Beneficence
b. Respect for Persons
c. Justice
d. Informed Consent
b. Respect for Persons
Respect for persons requires that individuals are treated as agents who are capable of making judgments based on personal goals and acting based on considered deliberation. It also requires that those with diminished autonomy are protected.
Which of the following United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs provides capacity funding for colleges and universities?
a. Hatch Act
b. Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)
c. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
d. Conservation Innovation Grants
a. Hatch Act
Note: answer choices B-D are all competitive programs for USDA, not capacity
Which of the following statements is the best description of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) rules in funding foreign organizations?
a. NASA cannot directly fund foreign organizations, but foreign organizations can work on projects in a no-exchange-of-funds-basis
b. NASA can fund foreign organizations, except ones that are Chinese-owned.
c. NASA cannot directly fund foreign organizations, and foreign organizations cannot work on projects in any way.
d. NASA cannot directly fund foreign organizations, but any foreign organizations that are not Chinese-owned can work on projects in a no-exchange-of-funds basis.
d. NASA cannot directly fund foreign organizations, but any foreign organizations that are not Chinese-owned can work on projects in a no-exchange-of-funds basis.
In this clinical trial phase, an intervention is given to a large group of people and researchers monitor effectiveness particularly when compared to current treatments, and side effects. What phase is this statement referring to?
a. Phase III
b. Phase IV
c. Phase I
d. Phase II
a. Phase III
A Principal Investigator (PI) for X University wants to transfer radioactive materials that were shipped to their office to their lab for testing as part of a Department of Energy (DoE) award. Which group should the PI work with to ensure the transfer is authorized and moved properly:
a. Radiation Safety Committee
b. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
c. Institutional Review Board (IRB)
d. Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
a. Radiation Safety Committee
Which of the following changes in general does not require prior approval during post-award stage for a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) award?
a. PI and Co-PI disengagement from the project for more than 3 months or 25% reduction in time.
b. Changes in scope or objective of the project
c. Directly charging capital expenditures for building and land use to the project
d. Initiating a one-time no-cost-extension of the period of performance by up to 12 months.
d. Initiating a one-time no-cost-extension of the period of performance by up to 12 months.
Per 2 CFR 200.204, which of the following is required to be included in notice of funding opportunity?
a. The Federal Agency’s Unique Entity Identifier
b. The amount of value added tax allowable on the budget
c. The allowable capitalization cost for equipment
d. Applicable terms and conditions for resulting awards.
d. Applicable terms and conditions for resulting awards.
“Our mission is to plan, deliver, operate and maintain a transportation system that is safe, enables easy movement of people and goods, enhances the economy and improves our quality of life.”
This is the mission statement to which federal agency?
a. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
b. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
c. Department of Education (DoEd)
d. Department of Transportation (DOT)
d. Department of Transportation (DOT)
Which of the following U.S Governmental agencies require personnel salaries to be capped at the current Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Executive Level II rate on grant budgets?
a. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
b. National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
c. National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
d. All of the Above
d. All of the Above
According to the Animal Welfare Act, which of the following is required to be a member of the Institutional Animal Care Use and Committee (IACUC)?
a. A scientist with animal research experience
b. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) with training/experience in lab animal science and medicine
c. A nonscientist who is affiliated with the organization
d. None of the above
b. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) with training/experience in lab animal science and medicine
Los Alamos National Lab is Federally Funded National Research and Development Center (FFRDC) for the Department of Energy (DOE). Which of the following best describes how it is owned and operated?
a. Government-Operated Contractor-Owned
b. Government Owned Contractor-Operated
c. Government Created Contractor Bought
d. Government Managed Contractor Retained
b. Government Owned Contractor-Operated
Which type of intellectual property (IP) agreement would you write to transfer tangible research material to a recipient that intends to use it for their own research?
a. Material Transfer Agreement
b. Trade Secret Agreement
c. Patent Licensing Agreement
d. Non-disclosure agreement
a. Material Transfer Agreement
Over the past 3 years, an institute of higher education (IHE) received most of its funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) based on reports from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Based on this information, who will be the IHE’s cognizant agency for indirect cost negotiation for the next 5 years?
a. National Science Foundation (NSF)
b. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
c. Office of Naval Research (ONR)
d. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
c. Office of Naval Research (ONR)
Which of the following government publications serves as a comprehensive handbook of current federal government funding programs?
a. Federal Yellow Book
b. Annual Register of Grant Support
c. Guide to Funding in Higher Education
d. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
d. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Which of the following is NOT a recognized indicator that a college or university has an audit management system which evidences that the institution is well managed?
a. Financial objectives, goals, and control procedures that are established and maintained
b. Systems of controls that adequately safeguard and account for the assets of the college or university
c. Systems of controls that adequately measure and ensure that resources are used economically and efficiently
d. A process to confirm that appropriate purchased insurance and bonding provisions are incorporated into grant and contract documents
d. A process to confirm that appropriate purchased insurance and bonding provisions are incorporated into grant and contract documents
If a grant includes items of equipment which came to the grantee institution as part of the award, the grantee institution
a. has legal responsibility for the equipment.
b. is not entitled to use, retain, or dispose of the equipment.
c. must transfer equipment if principal investigator leaves grantee institution.
d. is required to have a maintenance contract.
a. has legal responsibility for the equipment.
A research administrator (RA) serves as a primary liaison between the administrator’s organization and which of the following?
a. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director
b. Program Officer
c. Grants Management Specialist
d. Director of the Office of Extramural Awards
c. Grants Management Specialist
Which of the following is most closely responsible, on a day-to-day basis, for enforcement of the Federal Animal Welfare Act?
a. Office of Human Research Protection
b. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
c. Department of Health and Human Services
d. American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care
b. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
When can administrative costs be charged as direct costs on a Federal award?
a. Administrative costs can always be charged as direct costs with no justification needed
b. When an entity does not have a negotiated F&A rate
c. When services are integral to the project and are included in the budget or have sponsor approval and are not recovered as F&A
d. Administrative costs can never be charged as direct costs on federal awards
c. When services are integral to the project and are included in the budget or have sponsor approval and are not recovered as F&A
Which portal can be used to submit proposals to the National Institutes of Health?
a. Grants.gov
b. Fastlane.gov
c. Research.gov
d. SAM.gov
a. Grants.gov