Universities Sue US Science Agency Over Research Costs Cap (1)

The National Science Foundation unlawfully put a cap on indirect cost rates for government-funded research, according to a new lawsuit in federal district court from a group of universities.

The cap “violates the governing statutes in myriad respects” and regulations and doesn’t satisfy reasoned decision-making requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act, the Association of American Universities and other plaintiffs said in their complaint filed Monday in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

The court should vacate the rate cap policy and permanently bar the government from implementing and maintaining it, the plaintiffs say.

In addition to the ...