DEPARTMENTAL REGULATION
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Number: 2401-001 |
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SUBJECT
USDA
Intramural Research Misconduct Policies and Guidelines |
DATE: June
18, 2008 |
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OPI: |
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1.
BACKGROUND
On December 6, 2000, the National Science
and Technology Council, Office of Science and Technology Policy of the
Executive Office of the President (OSTP) published in the Federal Register (65
FR 76260) the Federal Policy on Research Misconduct (OSTP Policy) as a final,
government-wide policy addressing research misconduct. The purpose of the policy was to establish:
(1) uniformity among the Federal agencies’ definition of research misconduct,
and (2) consistency in their processes for responding to allegations of
research misconduct. The OSTP Policy
defines research misconduct and establishes basic Federal guidelines for the
conduct of fair and timely investigations of alleged or suspected infractions, and provides
instruction on agency administrative actions when research misconduct is
found. The OSTP Policy covers both
intramural and extramural research.
2. PURPOSE
This Departmental Regulation (DR) sets
forth U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA or the Department) policy for
implementation of the OSTP Policy applicable to intramural research, such that
the Department and all its agencies will comply with OSTP Policy
requirements. The Department has a separate
rule, 7 CFR Part 3022, on research misconduct related to extramural research.
The OSTP Policy
defines “research misconduct” as “fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in
proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research
results”. USDA hereby accepts and endorses OSTP’s definition of research
misconduct.
3. APPLICABILITY
AND SCOPE
This DR applies to:
a. The USDA and any and all agencies thereof
that engage in research, as defined in Appendix A (hereafter referred to as
“USDA Agencies”).
b. All allegations of research misconduct by employees
of the USDA who are performers or reviewers of research as well as research
managers.
4. DEFINITIONS
Adjudication. The stage in response to an allegation of
research misconduct when the outcome of the investigation is reviewed, and
appropriate corrective actions, if any, are determined. Corrective actions generally will be
administrative in nature, such as termination of an award, debarment,
discipline, award restrictions, recovery of funds, or correction of the research
record. However, if there is an indication
of violation of civil or criminal statutes, civil or criminal sanctions may be
pursued.
Agency Research Integrity Officer (ARIO). The individual appointed by a USDA Agency
that conducts research and who is responsible for overseeing Agency responsibilities
and activities related to research misconduct.
Allegation. A disclosure of possible research misconduct
through any means of communication. The
disclosure may be by written or oral statement, or by other means of
communication to an institutional or USDA official.
Assistant Inspector General for Investigations. The individual in the Office of Inspector General (OIG) that carries out the OIG's domestic and foreign investigative operations through a headquarters office and the seven regional offices.
Extramural research. Research conducted by any research
institution other than the Federal
Agency to which the funds supporting the research were appropriated. Research institutions conducting extramural
research may include Federal research facilities.
Fabrication. Making up data or results and recording or
reporting them.
Falsification. Manipulating research materials, equipment,
or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is
not accurately represented in the research record.
Finding of research misconduct. The conclusion, proven by a preponderance of
the evidence, that research misconduct occurred, that such research misconduct
represented a significant departure from accepted practices of the relevant
research community, and that such research misconduct was committed
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly.
Inquiry.
The stage in the response to an allegation of research misconduct when
an assessment is made to determine whether the allegation has substance and
whether an investigation is warranted.
Intramural Research. Research conducted by a Federal Agency, to
which funds were appropriated for the purpose of conducting research.
Intramural Research Institution. All USDA organizations, including intramural
Federal research laboratories, conducting research.
Investigation. The stage in the response to an allegation of
research misconduct when the factual record is formally developed and examined
to determine whether to dismiss the case, recommend a finding of research
misconduct, and/or take other appropriate remedies.
OIG.
The Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of
Agriculture.
OSTP.
The Office of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive Office of
the President.
Plagiarism. The appropriation of another person’s ideas,
processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.
Preponderance of the evidence. Proof by information that, compared with
that opposing it, leads to the conclusion that the fact at issue is more
probably true than not.
Research. All basic, applied, and demonstration
research in all fields of science, engineering, and mathematics. This includes, but is not limited to,
research in economics, education, linguistics, medicine, psychology, social
sciences, statistics, and research involving human subjects or animals
regardless of the funding mechanism used to support it.
Research Misconduct. Fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in
proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research
results. Research misconduct does not
include honest error or differences of opinion.
Research Record. The record of data or results that embody the
facts resulting from scientific inquiry, and includes, but is not limited to,
research proposals, laboratory records, both physical and
USDA.
The United States Department of Agriculture.
USDA Research Integrity Officer (USDA
5.
POLICY
Consistent with
the objective of the OSTP Policy to ensure public trust in USDA-conducted
research and USDA Agencies’ support for research, all USDA Agencies that
conduct intramural research shall either:
a. Establish procedures to respond to
allegations of research misconduct and remedy findings of research misconduct,
consistent with applicable laws, regulations, the OSTP Policy, and the
guidelines established by this DR;
OR
b. Initiate and sign a standing Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between the agency and the Office of the Under Secretary of
Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics to have another USDA agency
act on its behalf in lieu of developing its own research misconduct procedures.
6. ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES
a. Responsibilities of the Office of the Under
Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics (hereafter REE):
(1) Delegation: REE is hereby delegated
oversight authority for research misconduct proceedings within the Department. REE will oversee and monitor USDA agencies’
implementation of this policy. REE must:
(a) Ensure that procedures are developed by USDA
Agencies to address research misconduct, that these procedures are consistent
with the guidelines established by this DR and that USDA Agencies adhere to
their procedures when processing allegations of research misconduct;
(b) Ensure allegations of research misconduct
that are reported through the USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline
complaint system are assigned to the appropriate USDA agency; and
(c) Maintain a status report of research
misconduct cases across USDA as a means of monitoring the progress toward
resolution.
(2) Assignment of Coordinating Person or Group: REE
will designate a USDA Research Integrity Officer (RIO). This USDA RIO will be responsible for:
(a) Overseeing USDA agency responses to
allegations of research misconduct;
(b) Ensuring that USDA Agencies comply with this
DR by developing research misconduct procedures consistent with the guidelines
set forth in this DR; or signing standing MOUs, if more appropriate, to permit
the USDA RIO to assign research misconduct proceedings to an appropriate USDA
agency;
(c) Ensuring that USDA Agencies comply with their
own implementation procedures and process allegations of research misconduct
promptly and fairly. Instances of any
intramural research institution failing to comply with this DR shall be
referred for resolution to the USDA RIO.
(d) Receiving and assigning allegations of research
misconduct reported by the public or through OIG;
(e) Developing Memoranda of Understanding with USDA
Agencies that elect not to develop their own research misconduct procedures;
(f)
Monitoring the progress of all research
misconduct cases and reporting such progress to OIG; and
(g) Notifying the
Assistant Inspector General for Investigations of all allegations of research
misconduct reported to the USDA RIO.
(h) Criminal or potentially criminal
behavior: If at any point the research
misconduct proceedings reveal any criminal or potentially criminal behavior
involving USDA conducted research, the USDA RIO shall immediately report the
potentially criminal behavior to OIG and coordinate with the appropriate USDA
agency to ensure that all records, documents or other materials relating to the
research misconduct allegation are provided to OIG. If OIG accepts the case for criminal
investigation, it will assume responsibility for conducting the criminal
investigation into the allegation.
In situations where there is an ongoing
criminal investigation, USDA RIO shall cooperate with the criminal
investigation.
(i) The USDA Research Integrity Officer will
provide a copy of the report to the Chief Financial Officer if the misconduct
includes fraud, a breach in internal controls, or a management override of
financial or program policy.
(3) Providing
Contact Information: REE shall
provide contact information for the USDA RIO on its website and any other
appropriate medium. The USDA RIO may be
reached at:
USDA Research Integrity Officer
214W
Telephone:
202-720-5923
Email: researchintegrity@usda.gov.
b. Responsibilities
of USDA Agencies Conducting Research
(1) Reporting of Allegations: USDA
Agencies conducting research shall report all allegations of research
misconduct reported to them to the OIG, using any of the methods described in subsection
7(1), and to the USDA RIO. The USDA
agency will provide all records, documents and other materials relating to a
research misconduct allegation to OIG when requested. A USDA agency responding to allegations of
research misconduct will provide status reports to the USDA RIO during each of
the separate phases (i.e., inquiry, investigation, and adjudication, as defined
in Appendix A) of its response to the allegation.
(2) Development
of Implementation Procedures: USDA
Agencies that conduct research shall:
(a) Develop implementation procedures to comply
with the OSTP Federal Research Misconduct Policy and this DR. Implementation procedures shall include, at a
minimum, the requirements listed in Sections 8 and 9 of this DR. Once adopted, each USDA agency will handle
reported research misconduct allegations according to its implementation
procedures;
OR
(b) In lieu of developing its own implementation
procedures to comply with the OSTP policy, a USDA agency may initiate a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with REE.
Under the MOU, the USDA RIO shall assign another USDA agency to act on
behalf of the USDA agency that has not developed an OSTP-compliant policy, with
respect to research misconduct.
(3) Department-wide
Consistency of Implementation Procedures:
USDA Agencies electing to adopt implementing procedures shall consult
with the USDA RIO while drafting implementation procedures to ensure that
procedures are consistent with this DR and with other USDA Agencies that elect
to adopt implementing procedures. The
USDA RIO must concur with individual USDA Agencies’ implementing procedures
prior to final adoption. A copy of the
procedures shall be provided to REE.
(4) Adherence to Procedures/MOU: Each
USDA agency will handle reported research misconduct allegations in accordance
with its own USDA RIO-approved implementation procedures or through a MOU with
REE to have another agency act on its behalf.
(5)
Other Resources: The USDA Agencies may use any available
resources to respond to allegations of misconduct, including the Office of the
Inspector General (OIG), Office of General Counsel (OGC), the Office of Ethics
(OE) and expert consultants. To ensure a
consistent and appropriate response to allegations of research misconduct by
USDA intramural research institutions, the USDA agency must first notify the
USDA RIO of its intent to consult OIG, OGC, OE or other outside parties.
(6) Notice of Procedures/MOU: Upon completion of its implementation
procedures or completion of its MOU with REE, a USDA agency must publish its
implementation procedures or MOU on its website (intranet, internet, or both,
as appropriate), and make reasonable efforts to notify any and all interested
parties and relevant stakeholders of the agency’s procedures for handling
allegations of research misconduct.
(7) Reporting Research Misconduct: An intramural research institution shall
announce and make available the name and contact information of the Agency
Research Integrity Officer (ARIO) and the appropriate contacts at OIG. Intramural research institutions shall also
announce that research misconduct should be reported to OIG (see subsection
7(1)). Intramural research institutions
shall make the preceding announcements through standard agency communication
channels.
(8) Referral to REE: If an allegation does not
involve the agency to which it was reported, a USDA agency shall refer the
allegation to REE for reassignment.
(9) Designation of Agency Research Integrity
Officer: Each USDA agency shall appoint an ARIO in their implementation
procedures, and shall name an ARIO within 30 days of completing its
procedures.
(a) Responsibilities
of ARIO in USDA Agencies with Implementation Procedures:
1
Receive and process allegations of research
misconduct as assigned by the USDA RIO;
2
Inform the OIG and the USDA RIO of allegations
of research misconduct reported to the USDA agency;
3
Ensure that any records, documents and other
materials relating to a research misconduct allegation are provided to OIG when
requested;
4
Oversee proceedings to address allegations of
research misconduct at intramural research institutions.
5
Determine which level of the USDA agency is
capable of conducting an independent, unbiased, and equitable process, assign
responsibilities for research misconduct proceedings to the appropriate
individuals or office within the agency, and ensure that the individuals
assigned such responsibilities are capable of carrying out an inquiry,
investigation, and adjudication in an independent, unbiased, and equitable
process;
6
Immediately notify OIG and the USDA RIO if
behavior that is or may be criminal in nature is discovered at any point during
the inquiry, investigation, or adjudication phases of the research misconduct
proceedings;
7
Document the dismissal of the allegation, and
ensure that the name of the accused individual and/or institution is cleared (this
includes making the information public through available and appropriate means)if
an allegation of research misconduct is dismissed at any point during the
inquiry or investigation phase of the proceedings; and
8
Other duties relating to research misconduct
proceedings as assigned, including additional duties of the ARIO with respect
to extramural research.
(b) Responsibilities
of ARIO of USDA Agencies with MOU:
1
Inform the OIG and the USDA RIO of allegations
of research misconduct reported to the USDA agency;
2
Provide any records, documents, and other
materials relating to a research misconduct allegation to the agency assuming
responsibility for processing the allegation.
3
Ensure that any records, documents and other materials
relating to a research misconduct allegation are provided to OIG when
requested;
4
Immediately notify OIG and the USDA RIO if
behavior that is or may be criminal in nature is discovered at any point during
the inquiry, investigation, or adjudication phases of the research misconduct
proceedings;
5
Document the dismissal of the allegation, and
ensure that the name of the accused individual and/or institution is cleared if
an allegation of research misconduct is dismissed at any point during the inquiry
or investigation phase of the proceedings;
6
Other duties relating to research misconduct
proceedings as assigned, including additional duties of the ARIO with respect
to extramural research.
7. REPORTING
ALLEGATIONS OF RESEARCH MISCONDUCT
a. Contact Information: Anyone who suspects that intramural researchers
or intramural research institutions performing research may have engaged in
research misconduct is encouraged to make a formal allegation of research
misconduct to OIG. Suspected research misconduct
may be reported to OIG using any of the following methods:
Via the OIG
Hotline:
Telephone: (202) 690-1622
(800) 424-9121
(202) 690-1202
(TDD)
E-mail: usda_hotline@oig.usda.gov.
Office of Inspector General
b. Required Information when Making an
Allegation: To the extent known, the
following details should be included in any formal allegations made to the OIG:
(1)
The names of involved individuals
and research projects,
(2)
Sources of funding;
(3)
Important dates;
(4)
Any documentation that bears
upon the allegation; and
(5)
Any other potentially relevant
information.
c. Reporting
Chain: Should a member of the public
make a formal allegation of research misconduct to a USDA ARIO or the USDA RIO,
the following process shall apply:
(1)
All allegations of research misconduct received
by the ARIO must be reported to the USDA RIO and the OIG. The ARIO will then proceed according to the
USDA agency’s research misconduct procedures.
(2)
All allegations of research misconduct received
by the USDA RIO must be reported to the Assistant Inspector General for
Investigations, and assigned by the USDA RIO to the appropriate ARIO to handle
the allegation. The ARIO will then
proceed according to the USDA agency’s research misconduct procedures.
Usually, allegations of research
misconduct received by the OIG will be forwarded to the USDA RIO. The USDA RIO will then assign it to the
appropriate USDA ARIO to handle the allegation.
8. PROCEDURES
a. Minimum
requirements for USDA Agencies Conducting Intramural Research: USDA Agencies’
implementation procedures for intramural research institutions shall include:
(1) Inter-agency
Procedures. When a USDA Agency provides
funding for research conducted at another Federal Agency (within or outside
USDA) or a USDA research institution conducts research funded in whole or in
part by another Agency (within or outside USDA) ordinarily the research
institution where the research misconduct is alleged to have occurred bears
primary responsibility for inquiry, investigation, and adjudication of the
research misconduct allegation.
(a) Two
or more Agencies within USDA. If an
allegation of research misconduct is made regarding research conducted at a
USDA research facility and that research is funded in whole or in part by a
different USDA agency, the research institution will ordinarily be responsible
for inquiry, investigation, and adjudication of the allegation or research misconduct. The process for determining which USDA Agency
should conduct the research misconduct proceedings should permit the ARIO of
the Agency conducting the research and the ARIO of the Agency funding the
research to confer to determine which Agency will conduct the inquiry,
investigation, and adjudication of the allegation of research misconduct. If the relevant ARIOs cannot agree on which
Agency shall conduct research misconduct proceedings, then the allegation shall
be referred to the USDA RIO. The USDA
RIO shall then assign the allegation to one of the relevant Agencies, and shall
determine the level of the Agency at which the research misconduct allegation
shall conduct inquiry, investigation, and adjudication.
(b) Research
conducted by USDA Agency and funded by Agency outside USDA. Ordinarily, the USDA Agency conducting the
research funded by a non-USDA Agency will initiate and carry out the inquiry,
investigation, and adjudication of research misconduct allegations at the USDA
Agency research facility, in accordance with the OSTP Policy. It is assumed that other, non-USDA Federal
Research Agencies will also have research misconduct procedures in place to
implement the OSTP Policy, and that these research misconduct procedures will
be similar to those implemented by the USDA Agency. When conducting the research funded by other,
non-USDA Federal Agencies, USDA Agencies shall adhere to the research
misconduct procedures, requirements, and/or procedures set by the funding
Agency, and any relevant terms and conditions of the grant, agreement, or
funding arrangement.
(c) Extramural
research conducted by non-USDA Federal Agency and funded by USDA Agency. It is presumed that all Federal research
Agencies will have research misconduct procedures in place to comply with the
OSTP Policy. A USDA Agency supporting
extramural research conducted by a non-USDA Federal research institution may
rely on the procedures in place at the other Federal research institution to
conduct inquiry, investigation, and adjudication of allegations of research
misconduct.
(2) Responsibilities
for handling each phase of the response to an allegation of research
misconduct: inquiry, investigation, and
adjudication. These responsibilities
shall be assigned to organizations and officials that
(a)
Understand the research and the
research environment;
(b)
Can ensure objectivity;
(c)
Can provide due process; and
(d)
Reach a timely resolution.
The responsibilities for adjudication
shall be separate from those for inquiry and investigation. Adjudication responsibilities may be assigned
to individuals at higher levels within the same research institution’s
organization, or to a part of the research institution other than that which
conducted the inquiry and investigation.
An individual involved in the investigation must be certified through
the training program offered by OIG and USDA Departmental Administration (i.e.,
a credentialed USDA investigator).
(3) The
circumstances, if any, under which the ARIO shall determine that the
headquarters level of the USDA agency should respond directly to an allegation. These may include, but are not limited to:
(a)
A determination that it is in the public
interest for the headquarters level of the USDA agency to conduct the inquiry
and investigation; or
(b)
A determination that the allegation involves a
small organization or an individual that cannot reasonably be expected to
respond.
(4) Responsibilities
for, and the form and timing of, notifying an individual that an allegation of
research misconduct involving him or her has been made and its disposition.
(5) A
requirement that the research institution immediately notify the ARIO and
provide an explanation of the circumstances if:
(a)
The public health or safety is at risk;
(b)
The research institution’s resources or
interests are threatened or at risk.
(c)
Research activities are to be suspended because
of the inquiry into or investigation of the allegation;
(d)
Action to protect the interests of those
involved in the inquiry into or investigation of the allegation is required
from the headquarters of the USDA agency;
(e)
A premature public disclosure of the inquiry
into or investigation of the allegation may compromise the process;
(f)
The research community or public should be
informed; or
(g)
There is a possible violation of civil or
criminal law. If research misconduct
proceedings reveal behavior that may be criminal in nature at any point during
the proceedings, the USDA RIO and the Assistant Inspector General for
Investigations must be notified immediately.
(6) Agency
implementation procedures shall allow the ARIO to reassign the research
misconduct proceedings. If information
revealed during research misconduct proceedings indicates that the
organization, group, or level of the intramural research institution or agency
to which research misconduct proceedings were originally assigned is not
capable of conducting an independent, unbiased, and equitable inquiry,
investigation, and adjudication process, then the ARIO shall reassign the
proceedings.
(7) A
requirement that the intramural research institution report the outcome of all
investigations to the ARIO after completing the investigation. Agency implementation procedures shall also
include a requirement that the research institution report to the ARIO the
outcome of the adjudication, if an investigation results in a finding of
research misconduct, and the ARIO delegates the authority to adjudicate the
finding of research misconduct to the research institution. This reporting of adjudication shall contain
the following, as available:
(a)
A copy of the evidentiary record;
(b)
The investigative report;
(c)
The outcome of the adjudication;
(d)
A summary of the findings;
(e)
Any action taken including disciplinary action;
and
(f)
Any other materials that bear on the allegation,
finding, or adjudication.
(8) Required
documentation for each phase of the response to an allegation of misconduct and
requirements related to document retention, storage, handling, and
dissemination. At a minimum, the
documentation should include the following:
(a)
The allegation;
(b)
Methods and procedures used to gather
information and evaluate the allegation during inquiry and investigation
stages;
(c)
Outcome of the investigation, to include the
findings and supporting evidence, if any; and
(d)
For findings of research misconduct, any
recommended or imposed institutional sanctions, and any recommended corrective
actions, including but not limited to recapture of funds, or disciplinary
actions.
When research
misconduct is found, documentation shall also include evidence to support each
element of a “finding of research misconduct”; that is,
(e)
There is a significant departure from accepted
practices of the relevant research community;
(f)
The misconduct be committed intentionally, or
knowingly, or recklessly; and
(g)
Proof of the allegation by a preponderance of
the evidence.
The research
institution must retain the documents specified in this section for 3 years
following the final decision.
Disposition of the Agency’s records should follow the Agency’s Records Disposition
Schedule.
(9) Procedures
to protect the rights of those who make allegations of research misconduct to
promote a climate where the informant does not fear retribution. Protections for those alleging research
misconduct should include protection against retaliation or harm to their
positions or reputations, if the allegation was made in good faith.
(10) Fair
and objective procedures for the examination and resolution of allegations at
the research institutions.
(11) Procedures
to protect the rights of those who are alleged to have engaged in research
misconduct in order to instill confidence that the individuals shall be treated
in an impartial and professional manner.
Protections for subjects of allegations of research misconduct should
include the following, at a minimum:
(a)
Providing subjects a description of substantial
allegations made against them;
(b)
Giving subjects of allegations reasonable access
to data and other supporting evidence related to the allegation; and
(c)
Affording them the opportunity to respond to the
allegation.
(12) Procedures
intended to ensure confidentiality during the inquiry, investigation,
adjudication, and if necessary, administrative action processes. To the extent possible, consistent with a
fair and thorough investigation and as allowed by law, the procedures shall
limit knowledge about the identity of subjects and informants to those directly
involved with the inquiry, investigation, adjudication, or administrative
action, the ARIO and USDA RIO, and OIG.
The procedures shall be in compliance with the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act.
(13) Time
frames for completing each phase of the response to an allegation of research
misconduct: inquiry, investigation,
adjudication, and administrative action.
(14) The
authority to which an appeal of a finding of research misconduct may be made.
This must not be an office or individual directly involved in the inquiry,
investigation, or adjudication of an allegation of research misconduct. “Office” means that organizational component
with formal responsibility for one or more phases of the response to an
allegation of research misconduct. The
organizational level to which appeals may be made may be defined by the USDA agency,
as long as there is an adequate separation of responsibilities and there is no
appearance of bias, inequity, or conflict of interest. Agencies may utilize their currently-existing
appeals procedures to process appeals of findings of research misconduct.
b. Appeals: The USDA agency procedures must include
provisions for appealing findings of research misconduct. A USDA agency may use its existing
administrative appeals process to address findings of research misconduct
provided the process includes reasonable time limits. The administrative appeals process is to be separate
from the USDA administrative grievance system.
c. Remedies: USDA Agencies must identify within their
implementation procedures administrative actions that the agency may use to
remedy findings of research misconduct.
These administrative actions must include the recovery of funds as a
potential sanction from an intramural research institution or any research
institution conducting federally-funded research where a finding of research
misconduct has been made. USDA Agencies
may also include other administrative actions to remedy findings of research
misconduct, including correction of the research record, letters of reprimand, debarment
or suspension from non-procurement activities of the researcher(s) that engaged
in the research misconduct, proper attribution, or any other administrative action
that the USDA agency deems appropriate to remedy the instance(s) of research
misconduct.
In
determining the appropriate administrative action, the appropriate agency
should consider the seriousness of the misconduct, including, but not limited
to, the degree to which the misconduct was knowing, intentional, or reckless;
was an isolated event or part of a pattern; or had significant impact on the
research record, research subjects, other researchers, institutions, or the
public welfare.
d. Existing
Procedures: The USDA Agencies may use
their existing procedures for processing research misconduct allegations so
long as they comply with the minimum requirements of this DR. Nothing in this DR
is intended to supersede current USDA personnel management authorities.
9. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Research
covered under this DR that is also subject to requirements of other Agencies or
funding sources must be conducted in compliance with all applicable
requirements of this DR. USDA Agencies
may include in their implementation procedures a process for deferring to or
collaborating with other Agencies when a research institution receives funding
or support from multiple sources and would, therefore, be subject to multiple
research agencies’ research misconduct procedures.