Frequently Asked Questions

These FAQs can help you navigate the submission and approval process for your project. You will find requirements and useful terms defined, as well as an overview of the process.

Any Minority Serving Institution (MSI) of higher education as classified by the Department of Education. Non-MSI schools and private industry partners are encouraged to join the Consortium as partners.

All Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai staff and The Mount Sinai Hospital employees are already considered private partners as per the Collaborator Agreement.

MSRDC's Cooperative Agreement (or the "CA") is eligible for use at any federal agency in the United States government.

The Collaborator Agreement (CA) states that members are eligible for basic, applied and advanced research as well as advanced technology development.

There is no fee for members to use the Cooperative Agreement.

A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, or CRADA, does not allow the transfer of money from the government to the university. 

No, Mount Sinai bills the MSI University or College for services rendered and they invoice MSRDC for all services performed. The funding comes from the government agencies to MSRDC.

Yes, the university’s indirect rate is included in the total proposed research project budget. The MSRDC administrative fee is an additional percentage of the total proposed budget.

It is important to add your name and capabilities to the MSRDC database. Please click the links below to register to the databases.

If a submitter has not received a follow-up in two weeks, please reach out to Anthony Smalls, who will schedule a meeting with MSRDC’s Assistant Directors of Research Development, Mr. Ahsan Choudary and Dr. Charlotte Germain-Aubrey.

There is no database of potential projects. Rather, projects are developed based on the capabilities of the members and collaborative partners.

MSRDC does not have a list of specific projects waiting. MSRDC and members have the unique ability to create directly negotiated awards based on relationships with Program Managers (PMs) at federal agencies.

If the member has an existing relationship with a PM who wants to fund a project, then the PM initiates the funding process through MSRDC. Consortium members and MSRDC can initiate the funding process themselves with white papers and quad charts. If a PM has already been identified, this can expedite the funding process.

The process should go as follows:

  • Step 1: Contact MSRDC to discuss your ideas and how to get support
  • Step 2: Create a relationship with the federal Program Manager
  • Step 3: Identify the problem(s) that need to be addressed
  • Step 4: Build a strong collaborative team between Mount Sinai and an MSI(s) to address the problem
  • Step 5: The federal Program Manager writes a Statement of Work (SOW)
  • Step 6: Government issues a Request for Proposal
  • Step 7: Submit an innovative technical solution in the proposal format
  • Step 8: The government issues a Delivery Order
  • Step 9: The collaborative team begins the research project

MSRDC is always in conversations with several agencies. The mailing list will broadcast updates for Consortium members and private partners. Click here to join the MSRDC mailing list.

Of course, please feel free to use their contact information below:

MSI STEM Research & Development Consortium (MSRCD)
Mailing Address: 1050 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 684-7953
Hours of Operation: 9:00am to 5:00pm EST

For questions about working with MSRDC member institutions and/or partners:
Business Development: busdev@msrdconsortium.org

For questions about an existing research award:
Awarded Researchers: awards@msrdconsortium.org