Are you planning to collaborate with an entity or individual outside the university? To ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations, parties you collaborate or transact business with should be screened against federal restricted parties’ lists before any collaboration or transaction is conducted.

You may conduct a screening yourself or by submitting the screening request form at the bottom of this page.

Why Are Screenings Important?

Federal law prohibits US citizens, permanent residents and protected individuals from doing business with or providing services (whether funds are exchanged or not) to restricted foreign or domestic individuals or entities.

How do I conduct a screening? 

You have two options to conduct a screening. The option you select is at your discretion. If you have questions about which option is best for your situation, contact the Export Control Officer at zach.scott@mso.umt.edu or 406-243-4755.  

1. Conduct your own screening using the Department of Commerce's Consolidated Screening List. This list gives a snapshot result at the time of the screening. These screenings should be repeated for every transaction, even if a previous search was conducted, because the list is constantly updated. Save a copy of all research results for documentation purposes. 
   (example: screening a vendor or subcontractor before issuing payment)
2. Request a screening by the Export Control Office by completing the request form at the bottom of this page. This option is recommended for situations where it is beneficial to have continual monitoring of an individual or entity (such as an employee or entity the university regularly transacts business with). The Export Control Office uses a proprietary system that only requires a name to be searched one time. Once a name is entered in the system, it is regularly checked against any changes made to the various restricted lists. If the name is later added to a restricted list, the export control office receives a notification.

Screenings Should Be Done Before the Following Interactions With Third Parties:

• discussing plans to engage in sponsored projects or draft a proposal for sponsored research
• considering sponsored research collaborations or appointments
• exchanging personnel, materials, data, confidential information or money with foreign persons, academic institutions, governments, companies or other foreign entities
• entering contracts with foreign or domestic parties
• shipping anything to an international individual or entity
• hosting visitors to the university

Some Units Within the University Have These Checks Built into Their Processes

• Contracts and Purchasing Services
• Central Accounting Services
• Office of Sponsored Programs
• International Programs J-1 Visa requests
• Export Controls: checks individuals paid on federal grants, J-1 visa researchers,
• Office of Technology Transfer