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UI & VA Joint Effort Memorandum of Understanding

MOU Template       MOU Example

Background

In accordance with NIH policy, investigators with joint appointments at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) and an affiliated university must have a valid Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the proposal stage of an NIH grant application that specifies (at both the university and the VAMC) the following:

  1. Title of the investigator’s appointment
  2. Distribution of compensation
  3. Responsibilities of proposed investigator
  4. Percentage of effort available for research at each institution

The MOU documents the effort between the VAMC and university activities.  The investigators’ primary department is responsible for creating and maintaining a copy of the current MOU.  The MOU will be effective for one year and must be updated prior to the expiration date, or if significant changes occur.  If significant changes occur during the calendar year (i.e., changes in VAMC appointment terms or significant changes in research commitments), then a revised MOU should be prepared at that time.

UI CCOM Policy Effective Date

This requirement will begin January 1, 2024.

Instructions for Completing MOU

  1. Enter the name of the investigator that has an appointment with University of Iowa (UI) and the Iowa City VAMC.
  2. Enter the title of the investigator and the department/division at UI.
  3. Enter the title of the investigator at the VAMC.
  4. Enter the start date of the MOU.
  5. Enter in the total investigator appointments for UI and VA (as an FTE).
  6. Enter the investigators current effort split at UI for Teaching, Clinical, Administration and all Research projects.  The effort is based on 100% effort at the UI, even if the UI appointment is less than 1 FTE.
  7. Enter the investigators current effort split at VAMC for Teaching, Clinical, Administration and all Research projects.  The % effort is based on 100% effort at the VAMC, even if the VAMC appointment is less than 1 FTE (8/8ths).
    • For example: If the investigator has a 3/8ths clinic appointment and 3/8ths research appointment, the total is 6/8ths appointment, .75 FTE (100%).  Of this, 50% represents the research component, and 50% is the clinical portion of the total 100% appointment.
  8. Enter the name of the investigator to certify the information is correct.
  9. Signatures
    • The MOU must be signed by the Investigator, Department Chair/DEO, college Dean (or delegate) of the CCOM at UI, and the Associate Chief of Staff at the VAMC. 
    • Signatures can be obtained via DocuSign or PDF.

NIH Proposal Submissions

NIH Proposal Routing Forms: All Carver College of Medicine investigators who also hold salaried VAMC appointments must complete an MOU prior to applying for NIH funding or submitting an NIH progress report.  A copy of the fully executed MOU should be uploaded as an internal attachment to the UI Proposal Routing Form prior to proposal submission.  This is required at the proposal stage in accordance with the NIH policy, that states “the signature of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on an application to NIH that includes a UI/VA arrangement certifies that the individual whose salary is included in the application serves under a joint appointment documented in a formal MOU between the university and the VA, and there is no possibility of dual compensation for the same work, or of an actual or apparent conflict of interest.”

NIH Proposal Budgets: A grant application from the university may request its share of an investigator’s salary in proportion to the effort devoted to the research project.  The institutional base salary as contained in the individual’s university appointment determines the base for computing that request.

NIH Proposal Budget Justifications: University investigators who hold VA salaried appointments may include a standard statement in the budget justification to disclose to NIH the basis for the effort percentage and salary request:

Dr. __________ is applying as part of a joint appointment specified by a formal Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Iowa and the Iowa City VA Medical Center.  As PHS policy is to treat a joint University/VA appointment as one full-time equivalent, it is certified there is no possibility of dual compensation for the same work, or of an actual or apparent conflict of interest regarding such work.  Dr. ___________’s Memorandum of Understanding is available upon request.

Resources

Council on Government Relations University and Veterans Joint Appointments

NIH Grants Policy Statement (Part II, Subpart B: Grants to Federal Institutions and Payments: VA-University Affiliations)

NIH Grants Policy Statement (Part II, Subpart B: Grants to Federal Institutions and Payments: Allowable and Unallowable Costs: Salary or Fringe Benefits)

Research