AIBS joined over 250 organizations in signing a community letter urging congressional appropriators to support the Joint Associations Group on Indirect Costs (JAG) and its work to create a more transparent system for funding essential research expenses. The groups back the proposed Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) model, which aims to modernize how āindirectā or facilities and administrative (F&A) costsāsuch as lab operations, utilities, security, and complianceāare funded without reducing overall research support.
The letter asks Congress to include language in FY 2026 spending bills endorsing the JAG effort and the FAIR model; prevent the Office of Management and Budget from imposing arbitrary caps or changes to negotiated F&A rates; provide at least a two-year transition period for implementation; and maintain current funding levels until the new model is fully in place.
The letter emphasizes that underfunding these essential costs would weaken U.S. research capacity and global leadership in science, while the FAIR model would improve accountability and sustainability across all research institutions.
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