What ET Is Building
At the core of ET's contribution to the CRSP is a secure enclave environment, a purpose-built computing infrastructure designed to meet the stringent data security requirements imposed by federal sponsors including the Department of Defense (DoD), NASA, NIH, and others.
This secure enclave provides researchers with compliant systems for storing, processing, and transmitting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and other controlled data. This eliminates the need for individual research teams to independently build and certify their own secure environments.
The enclave is designed to meet or exceed federal compliance baselines, including NIST SP 800-171, DFARS, and CMMC, with built-in access controls, encryption, audit logging, vulnerability management, and continuous monitoring.
The goal is a research-ready environment that is both rigorous enough to satisfy sponsor requirements and streamlined enough that researchers can get to work without unnecessary delays.
Hands-On Support for Research Teams
ET's program is designed to be researcher-facing and operationally supportive, not just an infrastructure service. The CRSP provides:
Onboarding support to help research teams access secure environments efficiently while maintaining full compliance with sponsor requirements
Assistance preparing key compliance artifacts and documents that are frequently required by federal sponsors and unfamiliar territory for most research teams. This includes:
System Security Plans (SSPs)
Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms)
Technology Control Plans (TCPs)
SPRS Score Justification
Training and outreach for faculty, staff, and students working within controlled environments
A centralized register of active secure research environments, allowing the university to manage compliance obligations across all controlled projects consistently and proactively
Support during proposal development, so researchers can accurately describe UT Austin's controlled data infrastructure in funding applications before an award is made, a step that is increasingly expected by federal sponsors at the proposal stage
ET also liaises directly with federal agencies, sponsors, and auditors on controlled research compliance, and monitors regulatory updates across NIST 800-171, DFARS, CMMC, and ITAR/EAR to keep university stakeholders informed as requirements evolve.
Why This Matters for UT Austin
Federal sponsors are raising the bar on data security requirements, and compliance is not optional. Failure to meet these standards can delay or prevent award acceptance, restrict project activities, or jeopardize existing funding.
For a research institution of UT Austin's scale and ambition, the ability to credibly pursue DoD, NIH, and other federally sponsored work involving controlled data is a strategic imperative.
ET's role in the CRSP is to make compliance a capability rather than a barrier, giving investigators a trusted, institutionally managed infrastructure they can point to in proposals, rely on during project execution, and count on to stay current as federal frameworks continue to evolve.
For Researchers
If your current or prospective research involves controlled data requirements, contact the CRSP early, ideally during proposal development, before an award is made. ET and its partners can help you identify the right computing environment, budget for required controls, and plan your project timeline so that compliance requirements don't become an obstacle to your research.
Learn More and Get Started
The Controlled Research Support Program webpage provides practical tips for identifying projects that may involve controlled research, guidance on budgeting for security and compliance needs, and information on project onboarding and available institutional support.
Visit the Controlled Research Support program initiative page to learn more and stay updated on the initiative.
Please email the CRSP team as soon as you become aware of CUI requirements either at the proposal or award stage.