Grant & Contract Negotiating
When a sponsoring entity has decided to provide support for a proposed effort, several types of award documents may be used between sponsors and recipients. Depending on the mission of the sponsor and the type of effort to be accomplished, the sponsor may determine any of the following types of awards to be appropriate:
- Contract (Fixed-Price, Cost-Reimbursement, etc.)
- Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Purchase Order
- Letter Contract
- Check (Advance Payment)
In all but the last method, some level of negotiation may be required to determine:
- The activity being supported or procured
- The period of performance
- The amount of money or value to be provided
- The terms and conditions that will govern the sponsored effort
Most routine negotiations are handled quickly and require little strategy or planning, but the Principal Investigator is always a team member during all stages of the negotiation process.
The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is the responsible agent within the University for negotiation with external sponsors. Sponsored project awards are generally awarded to the institution, not the individual responsible for the technical aspects of the project.
The University goal for a good sponsored agreement promotes negotiation of an award that:
- Supports a successful project
- Minimizes risk
- Provides for problem resolution
For more information regarding grant and contract negotiation, please contact your Project Administrator.