Opinion: Indirect research costs are complicated, wonky — and crucial to science
After two decades of work in biomedical research policy, there is no topic Carrie Wolinetz hates talking about more than indirect costs. She’s addressing them now because they are crucial.
I’ve spent more than two decades of work in biomedical research policy, and there is no issue I hate talking about more than indirect costs.
These costs, which are more correctly called facilities and administration (F&A) costs, are the expenses associated with research that are hard to assign to individual research projects, like utilities, physical laboratory buildings, or security needs, so they are charged using rates negotiated at the institutional level, between universities or research institutions, and the federal government.
