ACUO Develops New Process for Collecting USDA Annual Report Data

In an effort to streamline reporting and minimize administrative burden on Study Teams, the Animal Care & Use Office (ACUO) has developed a new process to collect data for the U-M’s annual report to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Laboratories whose work involves at least one USDA-regulated species (e.g., all live or dead warm-blooded animals except rats of the genus Rattus and mice of the genus Mus bred for research) will now receive an information request from the ACUO to complete a brief eRAM form verifying their protocol activities.

The request will be sent via email as an Action Item for the PI/Laboratory Personnel to complete in eRAM. These USDA Information Requests are sent on an annual basis for the first two years of the protocol.

Each Information Request/Action Item must be completed in eRAM by the protocol’s anniversary date.

For example, if your laboratory has an active USDA protocol with an approval date of March 1, 2022, you will be prompted to complete a USDA Information Request in eRAM by March 1, 2023, and March 1, 2024.

Notifications are sent at the beginning of the protocol anniversary month, and weekly reminder emails will be sent for any Action Items that remain open past the assigned deadline.

Completing the Action Item should only take a few minutes, and Study Teams will have the option to add comments or questions for the ACUO and/or other Laboratory Personnel from within the eRAM Protocol Workspace.

Questions?

Questions about this revised process should be directed to Dawn O’Connor, Assistant Director – Research Compliance in the Animal Care & Use Office, at oconnord@umich.edu.

Your prompt attention to these matters is greatly appreciated.