Predictors of negotiated NIH indirect rates at US institutions

The United States (US) Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Naval Research negotiate institutional rates for payments of overhead costs associated with administration and space usage, commonly known as indirect rates. Such payments account for a large proportion of spending by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Little has been published about differences in rates and their predictors.

Negotiated indirect rates for on-campus research grants were requested from the Council on Governmental Relations for the 100 institutions with greatest NIH funding in 2010. NIH funding, cost of living (ACCRA Index for 2008), public vs. private status, negotiating governmental organization (Department of Health and Human Services or Office of Naval Research), US Census Region, and year were assessed as predictors of institutional indirect rates using generalized estimating equations with all variables included in the model.

Overall, 72 institutions participated, with 207 reported indirect rates for the years 2006, 2008, and 2010. Indirect rates ranged from 36.3% to 78%, with an average of 54.5%. Mean rates increased from 53.6% in 2006 to 55.4% in 2010 (p<0.001). In multivariable models, private institutions had 6.2% (95% CI 3.7%-8.7%; p<0.001) higher indirect rates than public institutions. Rates in the Northeast were highest (Midwest 4.0% lower; West 4.9% lower; South 5.2% lower). Greater NIH funding (p = 0.025) and cost of living (p = 0.034) also predicted indirect rates while negotiating governmental organization did not (p = 0.414).

Negotiated indirect rates for governmental research grants to academic centers vary widely. Although the association between indirect rates and cost of living may be justified, the cause of variation in rates by region, public-private status, and NIH funding levels is unclear.