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Sponsored Project Consulting Contractual Agreement

At the proposal stage, the Principal Investigator must make a case-by-case determination as to whether or not non-university individuals or entities contributing effort towards the project should be considered a Sub-recipient or a Contractor. When it is determined that the work to be done is primarily that of consultation or other professional services, the non-university individual or entity should be classified as a Contractor. The terms and conditions in the standard Sponsored Project Contractual Agreement is designed specifically for Contractors.

The chart below outlines the steps, the responsible office or person, and the time it takes to complete a Sponsored Project consulting contractual agreement (“Agreement”):

Steps Responsible Office or Person Timing

Send an email to the Department Business Administrator to initiate the process

Principal Investigator (PI)

At least 1 month before the start of the engagement

Complete the Contractual Agreement document 

Department BusinessAdministrator (DBA)

At least 1 month before the start of the engagement 

Route the agreement to the Principal Investigator and the Contractor for signatures 

Department Business Administrator  

15 days before the commencement date shown on the agreement 

Create the online PeopleSoft Requisition and route to Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) 

Department Business Administrator 

10 days before the commencement date on the agreement 

Review the agreement for allowability and sign.   

 

If the cost was not budgeted and approved in the award, prior approval form the sponsor is required to pay a contractor  

OCG Post Award Research Administrator 

 

Provost Office must sign Agreements over $50K 

2-3 days.  

 

Up to two weeks if prior approval is needed from sponsor 

Generate  Purchase Order (PO) for encumbering funds  

OCG Post Award Research Administrator 

After review/approval from sponsor 

Send a copy of the signed agreement and the PO cover sheet to the DBA for paying the contractor invoice 

OCG Post-Award Research Administrator  

Same day 

Submit deliveries and invoice to UH PI for inspection and approval  

Contractor  

During the life (or at the end) of the agreement per the agreement

Initiate PO voucher payment in PeopleSoft to pay Contractor  

Department Business Administrator 

During the life (or at the end) of the agreement per the sponsors’ terms and conditions 

Exceptions

When the other party involved in the contractual arrangement wishes to make changes to the template language of the Sponsored Project Contractual Agreement. The new language will have to be negotiated by a Research Contracting Officer. This may extend the timeline listed above.

Amendment to the Agreement

When there are administrative changes to the original agreement, such as a time extension or increase in work and payment amount, a written amendment to the agreement must be generated by the Department Business Administrator and processed using the same steps outlined above. The amendment must be accompanied by the original agreement.