Financial Disclosure Form

A financial disclosure form is the mechanism in which investigators at Mississippi State University disclose their Significant Financial Interests (SFIs) so that the University can determine if a financial conflict of interest exists.

Transition to Cayuse for Disclosure Forms

Beginning January 5, 2026, the University has transitioned to Cayuse for all grant lifecycle activities. As part of this change, all Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) disclosure forms will be submitted through the Cayuse platform. The previous FCOI disclosure eForm has been retired and is no longer available.

Instructions

• How to complete an Annual Disclosure in Cayuse
• How to complete a Research Based Disclosure in Cayuse

About Cayuse Disclosure Forms

Cayuse uses two types of disclosure forms. These are the Annual Disclosure and the Research Based Disclosure.

1. Annual Disclosure

This is a blanket disclosure form that is not tied to a specific project. This form is required for 1) any investigator who is involved in the design, conduct, or reporting of a federally funded research program, or 2) anyone who has an SFI in an entity that overlaps with their external funding, regardless of if it is federal or not.

Annual Disclosures must be renewed each year while the investigator continues to meet either of the requirements above. Once an Annual Disclosure is on file, the investigator must update it annually and within thirty (30) days of acquiring a new SFI.

2. Research Based Disclosure (RBD)

This form is tied to a specific project and is required at both the proposal review stage and the award review stage. When a PI/Department is ready to begin the university proposal review process, they select the “Route for Review” button in the Cayuse Proposal form. This action automatically sends an email to all individuals listed as key personnel on the project, notifying them that a RBD is required. The email includes a direct link to the RBD for that specific project. All key personnel must have an approved RBD on file with ORC&S before the proposal can be submitted to the sponsor.

At the award stage, the same process applies. When the award is routed for review in Cayuse, an automatic email is sent to all individuals listed as key personnel on the project, notifying them that an RBD is required. All key personnel must have an approved RBD on file with ORC&S before the award can be fully set up.

What to Expect When Completing a Disclosure

The Annual Disclosure and the RBD contain the same information fields. The only difference is that the RBD includes one additional question (how the SFIs you’ve disclosed are related to that particular project).

Cayuse stores your responses, so future disclosures will be prepopulated. Therefore, the next time you are prompted to complete an Annual Disclosure or RBD, you will simply review what is already on file and make updates as needed.

Questions

If you have additional questions about the disclosure form process, please view our FAQ section below or contact Jenny Davis at jdavis@orc.msstate.edu or 5-4174.

Cayuse Disclosure Form FAQs

What is the difference between an Annual Disclosure and an RBD?

• An Annual Disclosure is a blanket disclosure form that is not tied to any specific project. It requires the investigator to report all SFIs related to their institutional responsibilities. Annual Disclosures must be updated each year and within 30 days of acquiring a new SFI.
• An RBD is tied to a specific project. It must be completed by all key personnel listed on the project. RBDs are required at the proposal routing stage and again at the award routing stage. The Annual Disclosure and the RBD collect nearly the same information, but the RBD includes one additional question (how the SFIs you’ve disclosed are related to that particular project).

Who is required to complete an Annual Disclosure and when should this form be completed?

• An Annual Disclosure form is required for 1) any investigator who is involved in the design, conduct, or reporting of a federally funded research program, or 2) anyone who has an SFI in an entity that overlaps with their external funding, regardless of if it is federal or not. Once an investigator has an Annual Disclosure on file, he/she should update it annually and within thirty (30) days of acquiring a new SFI.

Who is required to complete an RBD and when should this form be completed?

• An RBD form is required for anyone listed as key personnel on a proposal or an award. This form is tied to a specific project and is completed by all key personnel listed as key personnel on the project at the proposal review stage and the award review stage.

How do I access and complete an Annual Disclosure?

• Investigators complete their Annual Disclosure in Cayuse. Instructions on how to access and complete this form can be found HERE.

How do I access and complete an RBD?

• Investigators complete RBDs in Cayuse. Instructions on how to access and complete this form can be found HERE.

Do the Annual Disclosure and RBD forms save my prior disclosure information?

• Yes. Once you submit a disclosure, Cayuse retains your information and will auto populate it in future disclosures. You can review the information and make any necessary updates before submitting.

Can I complete an RBD before having an Annual Disclosure on file?

• Yes. During the University’s transition to the Cayuse system, there may be many instances where an investigator’s first disclosure in Cayuse will be an RBD.

What happens after I submit my disclosure?

• After you submit your disclosure, it will enter a queue for ORC&S to review and approve. Our office monitors this queue regularly throughout the day. Because Cayuse updates overnight, the approval status may not be visible to you of staff in the Office of Sponsored Programs until the following day.

Where can I view the status of my disclosure form?

• Investigators can view all of their disclosures and check the status of each on their COI Disclosure page in Cayuse. The status of a disclosure will be listed as “Unsubmitted,” “Under Review,” or “Disclosure Complete.” To access your COI Disclosure page:
  • Log in to Cayuse at https://msstate.app.cayuse.com/
  • Click on your name in the upper right corner, then select “My Profile”
  • Once on your My Profile page, select “COI Disclosures” under the tab on the lefthand side
  • Once on your COI Disclosures page, you will be able to view all disclosures that you have completed through the Cayuse system

What do the disclosure statuses mean?

• After your disclosure is reviewed by ORC&S, it will be assigned a resolution status. Each disclosure falls into one of the following three categories: 
  • COI determined and managed - means that you reported a significant financial interest (SFI) on your disclosure form. After review, ORC&S determined that either no conflict of interest exists or that any potential conflict can be appropriately managed through an approved management plan. 
  • COI determined and unmanageable - means that you reported an SFI on your disclosure form and, after review, ORC&S determined that the potential conflict cannot be managed at this time. Additional review, restrictions, or institutional action may be required before the related research activity can proceed. 
  • No COI determined - means that no SFIs relevant to your institutional responsibilities or research activities were identified in your disclosure. 

If I have an active FCOI Disclosure eForm on file, do I need to complete an Annual Disclosure in Cayuse?

• No. ORC&S will not require you to complete an Annual Disclosure in Cayuse until your FCOI eForm expires. Approximately one month before the expiration date, ORC&S will send you a reminder email notifying you that your form is nearing expiration. That email will prompt you to complete the Annual Disclosure in Cayuse and will contain instructions on how to do so. One exception applies. If you are listed as key personnel on a proposal or award that is being routed for review, you will be required to complete an RBD in Cayuse for that specific project.

How do I view my old FCOI Disclosure eForms?

• To view your previously submitted disclosure forms in eForms:
  • Log in to your myState account at https://my.msstate.edu/
  • Under the Apps & Services menu on the lefthand side, select “eForms”
  • In the upper lefthand corner, click the “eForms Search” button
  • In the search fields, set the date range you need and choose the Document Types as Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) Disclosure Form, then click “Search”
  • Your submitted disclosure forms (for the dates you selected) will appear in the results