Who may sign as the Signatory Official on a Federalwide Assurance (FWA)?
The FWA Signatory Official should be a high-level institutional official who has the authority to represent the institution named in the Federalwide Assurance (FWA), as well as all the institutional components listed in the FWA. Entities that the Signatory Official is not authorized to represent may not be covered under the FWA. This person is usually the President, Chancellor, Director General, Chief Executive Officer, or Chief Operating Officer. The intent in requiring that the Signatory Official be a high-level individual is two-fold. First, OHRP encourages institutions to promote a culture of conscience for the ethical conduct of human subjects research at the highest level within the institution. Second, the Signatory Official should be at a level of responsibility that would allow authorization of necessary administrative or legal action should that be required. OHRP recommends that the Signatory Official not be the chair or member of any IRB designated under the FWA.
