Consultancy FAQs

Q. Can College faculty and staff serve as consultants on sponsored agreements?

A. Yes, providing that the services being provided are across departmental lines and the appropriate forms have been completed and approvals obtained.

Q. Does my grant get assessed fringe benefit charges for consultant payments?

A. No, only employees, that are charges to any of the Salary and Wage budget categories, get assessed fringe benefits.

Q. What if I want to hand the consultant/lecturer his payment on the day of the event?

A. Research Foundation policy precludes us from paying for services before they are rendered. However, you can arrange with RFSOP Purchasing to process the payment before the services are rendered, bring the check to campus, and give to you in advance of the services being performed. You can then pay the consultant/lecturer at the end of the day when the services have been concluded.

Q. Can I set up a regular payment schedule for a consultancy?

A. Payments to independent contractors on a regular basis (such as biweekly or monthly) are discouraged because true incidental consultant services tend to be event driven. Setting up payment schedules, especially on a regular basis tend to make the relationship appear to be more like that of an employee. It is appropriate however, to set up monthly payment schedules as part of a formal subcontract or independent contractor agreement.