§19037 Research Security and Integrity Information Sharing Analysis Organization

Summary

The Director must contract with an independent group to create a Research Security and Integrity Information Sharing Analysis Organization (RSI-ISAO). The RSI-ISAO will collect and share information about research security. It will help researchers spot improper or illegal attempts by foreign actors to get results, know-how, materials, or intellectual property. It will make risk assessment tools and best practices, share threat reports and lessons learned, give timely situational reports, offer training (like webinars) for faculty and staff, standardize how incidents are reported and stored, analyze patterns to find bad actors, and take other steps to improve research security. The Foundation can give startup money, but the RSI-ISAO must move to cover costs with yearly membership fees based on R&D spending as soon as practicable. Members will include colleges, nonprofit research centers, and small and medium businesses. The RSI-ISAO can have a board with diverse research stakeholders. The Director must engage the research community by holding workshops or publishing the planned services and membership rules and allowing at least 60 days for public comment.