Principal Investigators Guide
Award Management
Subcontractors and Consultants
If a substantive portion of the project is being performed by an organization (subcontractor) or individual (consultant), a sub-award may be issued to that organization or individual. First check with ORSP for what is allowable, if initially not budgeted or requested.
A Request for Subaward Agreement needs to be completed for each subcontractor or consultant. The agreement should be requested and issued by ORSP prior to the subcontractor/consultant beginning work on your project. If the proposed consultant is a DU employee, the individual must be paid through payroll, rather than through a consulting agreement.
Request for Subaward Agreement:
1. Answer all questions on form and include a detailed statement of work.
2. Attach subcontractor proposal to form, including budget.
3. PI signature is required where indicated at the bottom of form.
4. Forward the completed form to the ORSP Project Administrator.
Sub-Agreement Process:
- Once the Request for Sub-Agreement is received by the ORSP Project Administrator, the formal sub-agreement is prepared and ORSP obtains authorized signature on behalf of the University of Denver.
- Two copies of the completed sub-agreement are forwarded to the subcontractor/consultant.
- Subcontractor/Consultant returns one copy of the signed agreement to ORSP and keeps one copy for their records. The fully signed copy is kept in the ORSP sub-agreement file.
- When invoices are submitted, the subcontractor/consultant name on the invoice must match the subcontractor/consultant name listed on the Request for Subaward Agreement.
- The invoice must also include the agreement number and the DU purchase order number.
- The PI must sign the invoice. This signature indicates that work is progressing satisfactorily and payment is authorized. The invoice is forwarded to ORSP for approval. Upon ORSP approval, DU Accounts Payable will process the payment.
A vendor agreement can be utilized if the service or product is considered “work for hire” and is NOT substantive to the overall project.
Vendor agreements are handled by the department as either a Purchase Order for any amount over $300 or a direct pay if it is less than $300. The department will be responsible for setting up the purchase orders and processing invoices for these types of agreements.
Interpret Terms & Conditions
ORSP is responsible to ensure that all grant funds are administered according to sponsor terms and conditions. Most sponsors provide these terms and conditions with the award letter so it is important to read the grant award notification letter thoroughly. If the PI has questions about these terms and conditions or questions that are not addressed by the terms and conditions, his/her Project Administrator will contact the sponsor directly for clarification.
Sponsor Contact / Modifications
There are several major changes that must be requested and approved by the sponsor.
1. Change in the Scope of Work - Sponsors award funding to complete a specific project according to the scope of work that the PI has proposed. If there is any significant change to the scope of work (e.g., cannot complete the proposed project, results indicate a different direction of focus is needed, etc.), the sponsor must approve such change by formal notice. The PI should contact his/her Project Administrator for assistance with this process.
2. Change of PI - The PI must contact ORSP and the Project Administrators will contact the sponsor for approval.
3. Budget Revision - The PI must complete a revised budget on a sponsor budget form and provide this budget to their Project Administrator. The Project Administrator will look over the budget for accuracy and compliance with University policies before submitting the budget to the sponsor.
4. Extending the Period of Performance - The PI must request a no-cost extension before the end of the project period with an explanation of why funding has not been fully utilized. No-cost extensions cannot be granted solely because there is funding left to be spent out of the grant. Some sponsors allow ORSP to grant a 12 month no-cost extension to the PI, however most sponsors require that the request be sent to them before it is officially approved.
