Title
Office of Sponsored Programs - 500.12 - Consultants
Purpose
This operating standard assists faculty and staff in ensuring that independent contractors conduct their portions of research projects in compliance with applicable regulations and that their expenses are reasonable and allowable.
Policy Statement
Consultant costs are permitted by the Federal government if budgeted in advance and supported by documentation as to the essential nature of the service. Also, the application must show such services will be obtained from the most qualified person at reasonable and normal rates.
It is essential to budget services and justify them in the proposal budget, as prior approval by the sponsoring agency is required before actual work can begin.
The University is exempt from requiring certain North Carolina approvals and State of North Carolina purchasing policies when expending contract and grant funds for instructional services, curriculum development, or academically oriented research. However, additional University policies and procedures regarding contractual services and purchasing still apply.
Department Administrators (DAs) are responsible for monitoring expenditures and collecting invoices from consultants for payment. Principal Investigators (PIs) should review each invoice before submitting the invoice for reimbursement.
Consultant Travel Reimbursements
Consultants traveling on behalf of a research project are subject to University and State travel subsistence allowance limitations. Professional fees and travel expenses may be combined in one payment to consultants, as long as the sponsor permits it, and travel and associated allowances can be reasonably estimated.
However, separation of consultant travel allowances is necessary on the request for payment of an independent contractor to substantiate compliance with award limitations or guidelines for consulting fees.
Exclusions
As independent contractors unaffiliated with the University, consultants are hired to provide specifically defined services on a given sponsored research project for a limited period. University employees are not eligible to receive compensation as a "consultant" to a sponsored project conducted on behalf of the University.
Consultants differ from Service Agreements, which are agreements around products or services that indirectly support sponsored research without affecting its components.
Related Requirements
Contact Information
For questions regarding this operating standard and its related procedure, please contact SponsoredPrograms@unc.edu.
For questions regarding Pre-Award management or Post-Award administration, please contact the assigned Sponsored Projects Specialist (SPS).
For invoicing, reporting and other financial matters, please contact the assigned Sponsored Projects Accountant. OSP Staff assignments are found in RAMSeS or on the OSP website.
History
History Table
| Date |
Description |
| 07/01/2022 |
Revised to reflect new office name. |
| 12/16/2019 |
Removed P.I. signature requirement on invoices and removed separate agreement requirement. |
| 05/15/2018 |
Revised to coincide with the release of the new OSP Website. |
The operating standards in the
Office of Sponsored Programs Operating Standards & Procedures Manual supersede any OSP operating standards, procedures and appendices previously included in the
University Business Manual, a publication of UNC-Chapel Hill’s
Division of Finance.