Subcontracting - from MSU to Collaborators

Many sponsor agencies are now encouraging collaboration in research.  If a grant is issued to MSU and work is to be performed at another institution, a subcontract may need to be issued.  The Subcontract Manager in the Office of Sponsored Programs is responsible for the processing and monitoring of all subcontracts issued from MSU to collaborative researchers. 

Subaward FAQs

Forms

New Agreements:

Subcontract Request Form

Internal Memorandum of Understanding Request Form

Modify Existing Agreements:

Modification Request Form

Subaward, Subcontract, Consultant, Vendor: How to Tell Them Apart?

Grant Proposal Stage - Planning your subaward

Most sponsoring agencies required written approval before a subaward is issued. The determination of the potential need for collaboration is normally made at the grant proposal stage. Several things must be considered during the submission of a grant proposal to ensure that the sponsor is aware and approves of the scope of work and the budget of the collaborator. 

Issuance of Subaward

The subaward agreement issued by MSU is a completely separate legal and binding agreement from the prime award issued by the sponsor and must be managed separately.  However all of the terms and conditions from the prime agency are passed down to the subrecipient.  No work should be performed by the collaborator until a subaward agreement has been issued and executed.  Review the Subcontract Preparation chart for the process of issuing a subaward agreement and submit the Subaward Request Form to OSP.

Issuance of an Internal Memorandum of Understanding (IMOU) - Collaboration with another MSU PI:

If collaboration will be with another MSU PI, two options are available.

1. The collaborating PI can have their project expenses paid directly from the Prime grant. In this case, no additional agreement is negotiated.
2. The collaborating PI can be issued their own index (funded by the prime grant) with their project budget. In this case, an IMOU is negotiated between the two collaborators. The Prime grant PI submits an Internal Memorandum of Understanding Request form to OSP to initiate the process.

Management of Subaward

The Principle Investigator is responsible for the monitoring of the technical performance of the subrecipient as well as the approval of all expenses submitted for payment.  The subrecipient must submit the invoices to the PI or designated department representative for review, approval, and processing of the BPA’s. 

Modifications to the prime award do not automatically flow down to the subaward.  If a modification (i.e. changes in budget, cost sharing, scope of work, time period, etc) needs to be made to a subaward, the MSU PI needs to submit a Modification Request form to the OSP subcontract manager. 

Closing of Subaward

The MSU PI is responsible for the review of all technical information and determining if the scope of work and the required reporting have been completed prior to closing.

Return to regular view	Text-only	Updated: 8/7/08