How do I determine if my project should be classified as either “research”, subject to the Organized Research rate, or “testing”, subject to the Other Sponsored Activities rate?

Answer

A research project typically has the following attributes:

• The work involves original, creative research and is expected to produce new science or technology.
• There is substantial involvement of the principal investigator in defining the statement of work.
• University owns the results of the work.

A testing project typically has the following attributes:

• Research methods are pre-existing and of a primarily technical nature with no new science or technology being generated.
• Sponsor designed protocol with no significant input from the principal investigator.
• No analysis of project results.
• Sponsor maintains ownership of observational data and results of the testing.