USDA will use the Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv) platform, managed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). SciENcv offers a streamlined solution to reduce the burden on stakeholders in adopting standardized disclosure forms across the U.S. government and ensure consistency across the USDA.
USDA is adopting the Biographical Sketch Common Form and the Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form (herein common forms) as per the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) memorandum on Policy Regarding Use of Common Disclosure Forms. These common forms aim to standardize disclosure requirements and processes across federal research agencies, with the goal of reducing the time and effort researchers spend providing disclosure information to federal funders and ensuring integrity throughout the research process. These Common Forms allow researchers to disclose the relevant experience, achievements, and resources that demonstrate their qualifications (Biographical Sketch) and capacity (Current and Pending (Other) Support) to conduct proposed research. This information will help USDA to be informed and better assess potential scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap when making funding decisions. In the context of foreign interference concerns, the purpose of the common forms is to require researchers to transparently disclose their affiliations, funding sources, and research activities, including any potential connections to foreign governments or entities, thereby allowing funding agencies to assess potential conflicts of interest and risks related to foreign influence on research projects.