Award Management Services Procurement Outreach Training Level II - Module C Specialized Agreements

There are instances when a simple purchase order just won’t provide the detail and protection that an articulated agreement can provide. In these instances, there are a number of formats that will provide information for both parties, the RF and our vendor.

Types of Agreements Consultant Contract Data Use Agreements Expenditure Contract Honoraria Leases Maintenance Agreements Revenue Contracts Software Licenses Terms and Conditions

The Vendor Contract Revenue  Who  Are the parties to the contract?  What  Is the purpose of the contract?  When  Are the conditions expected to be met?  Where  Will the work take place?  Why  Is the Research Foundation engaged with this vendor?  How much  Does the Research Foundation expect to receive as a result of the contract and how will it be paid? Expenditure  Who  Are the parties to the contract?  What  Is the purpose of the contract?  When  Are the conditions expected to be met?  Where  Will the work take place?  Why  Is the Research Foundation engaged with this vendor?  How much  Does the Research Foundation expect to pay as a result of the contract and how will it be paid to the Vendor? Prior to entering into a contract, the following questions must for answered:

Consultant Contracts Consultant contracts are processed in Award Management Services. A consultant is an individual who, under written agreement signed by the authorized campus Assistant Vice President/Deputy Operations Manager for Sponsored Programs Administration in advance of the commencement of the obligation, performs a service(s) to a particular department or unit. Services provided are typically task oriented, specific in nature and of a limited, short duration. Remuneration for the accomplishment of the service(s) is typically established as a set fee, not an hourly rate and may not exceed levels established by the Foundation.

Data Use Agreement Data use agreements describe how data will be used and establishes who is permitted to receive or use the data. There are many regulations that are involved in this type of agreement, and with the guidance of counsel and the CIO, these agreements are carefully drafted and executed by the Assistant Vice President/Deputy Operations Manager for Sponsored Programs Administration. All agreements must first be reviewed by Award Management Services prior to the Assistant Vice President/Deputy Operations Manager for Sponsored Programs Administration’s signature.

Expenditure Contract This is an agreement between the Research Foundation and a vendor for compensation in exchange for services or commodities. Any dollar value threshold may require an expenditure contract. In addition to signatory and procurement requirements, the need is determined by (a) where the tasks performed by the contractor do not lend themselves to description on a regular purchase order; and (b) where the contractor imposes his/her contract on the Research Foundation. Contracts are initiated after the formal procurement process has been completed. All contracts should outline the following critical information:  Who are the parties to the contract?  What is the purpose of the contract?  When are the conditions expected to be met?  Where will the work take place?  Why is the Foundation engaged with this vendor?  How much does the Foundation expect to pay as a result of the contract and how will it be paid to the Vendor? Under no circumstances should work be authorized under a contract until the contract has been approved and signed by all appropriate parties.

Honoraria Lecturers, guest speakers, and performing artists providing up to $2,500 in services of a short duration may be paid through the honorarium process. The University Honorarium Request Form must be submitted to the Sponsored Funds Financial Management to initiate an honoraria payment.Request Form The following describes the rules that apply to honorarium payments made by the Research Foundation:  If the service provider is a…Then… SUNY academic or professional employeethe honorarium payment must comply with SUNY policy non-SUNY service providerqualifies for honorarium payment. Research Foundation employeean honorarium cannot be paid.

Leases The Research Foundation leases real property in multiple locations for various uses. The campus provides professional support in negotiating and executing lease agreements. The process is similar to any other procurement and all transaction threshold guidelines apply. The end user defines the need for space off-campus, requests support via the requisitioning process, and due diligence begins. Once the site is selected, negotiations between the Research Foundation and the Landlord begin, a contract is drafted, authorized signatures are obtained, and formal contract approval is obtained by all regulating agencies.

Maintenance Agreements Maintenance Agreements must be reviewed by the Award Management Services and signed by the Assistant Vice President/Deputy Operations Manager for Sponsored Programs Administration. Maintenance Agreements should only be purchased for the current Research Foundation account term and should not be expended for future year expenses. Any agreement must coincide with the ownership of the asset in question. You will be asked to provide that ownership information prior to the establishment of a maintenance contract. Keep in mind that computers and printers can be repaired on campus at the PC Service Center, Lecture Center SB 27.PC Service Center If a Maintenance Agreement is for a piece of equipment containing a hard drive, it will be important to ensure that the agreement contains language regarding the deletion of the data contained in the hard drive.

Revenue Contracts A revenue contract is an agreement where the Foundation agrees to perform a service in return for a fee. The components of the agreement should include who both parties are, a clearly defined scope of work with deliverables, when the service will be performed and completed, how much money is expected at the end of the term and when payments are to be made. Despite the idea that any income is good, the same reasonableness test must be applied to the value of the service that we are receiving income for. Agreements must be signed and should be notarized by the party from whom payment will be received, the Department Head or Dean, and the Assistant Vice President/Deputy Operations Manager for Sponsored Programs Administration.

Software Licenses Software license terms including those found on web sites requiring acceptance (clickable agreements) need to be reviewed by Award Management Services before signature and approval by the Assistant Vice President/Deputy Operations Manager for Sponsored Programs Administration. A large number of Software Licenses are available for purchase through the OGS catalog contract for software licenses. The campus can access multi-campus contracts negotiated by SUNY on behalf of all of the campuses.software licenses “Click and Accept” agreements can be tricky. Award Management Services negotiates all agreements, and provides guidance when requested.

Terms and Conditions Any agreement including those that are found on web sites that require an affirmation of acceptance are reviewed by Award Management Services to be sure that the terms are in compliance with the Research Foundation, sponsor and/or federal guidelines. A contractual obligation should not be made by an individual but must be reviewed by Award Management Services and executed by the Assistant Vice President/Deputy Operations Manager for Sponsored Programs Administration. Terms and conditions are most commonly found with maintenance agreements and software licenses in addition to standard expenditure contracts for goods and services.

In closing…. There are many levels of procurement, with unique requirements and regulations. Thank you for taking time to review this information.