Which of the following is commonly associated with the direct cost of federally funded research?

In the context of federally funded research, travel expenses are commonly considered a direct cost because they can be directly attributed to the research project itself. Direct costs are costs that can be traced back to a specific project or activity, which includes expenses such as salaries, equipment, supplies, and travel.

Travel expenses incurred when researchers or project staff travel to conduct experiments, attend conferences, or collaborate with other institutions directly relate to the execution of the funded research. Given that these expenses are essential for the completion of the research objectives and can be allocated specifically to the project, they fall under the category of direct costs.

On the other hand, indirect costs relate to expenses that cannot be directly tied to a specific project, such as utilities or administrative support, while administrative expenses often consist of overhead necessary for the overall operation of the research institution, not project-specific activities. Subcontractor fees could be direct if they can be specifically allocated to the project; however, they are not as universally recognized as direct costs as travel might be in this context.