OMB Approves Final Foreign Gift and Contract Reporting Information Collection Request

April 20, 2020

​​​​​The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has concluded its review and approved the Department of Education’s revised proposed expansion of foreign gift and contract reporting requirements under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, it was announced last week. The final version of the information collection request is essentially unchanged from the draft version it released in February, which ACE and other higher education associations believe exceeds the statutory authority set out in Section 117.As the groups said in comments to the department last month, colleges and universities take seriously the risk to our institutions from illicit technology transfer and undue foreign influence, and institutions are committed to complying with their obligations under Section 117. But the comments also noted that the interests of government and the higher education community are best served by a full-fledged regulatory notice and comment process, something that has never been provided.​