We are seeing the same
thing and our experience is mixed. Christian’s comments are well taken.
I will add that we are also being required (or at least they are trying to
require) us to work on a T&M basis. The typical request if for us to
fit our PI and researcher salaries into their negotiated labor rate list (this
does not work well…). So far we have pushed back pretty
successfully. IDIQs are OK but terms have to be university friendly and
each task order has to be on our normal financial
terms.
One other thing to look
for – all these big Schedule or IDIQ contracts tend to pass down very broad SOW
requirements and have very broad Organizational Conflict of Interest clauses –
typically the SOW and OCI language is directly from their prime without
tailoring for the tasks they really want the university to do. Watch
closely for this. It is a good idea to ask your PI to narrow down their
expected subcontract scope of work to very specific areas within their expertise
in order to avoid any inadvertent conflicts of interest problems later
on.
Kathy
Kathleen Reneau
Lorenzi, CPCM
Office of Sponsored
Projects
The
Phone:
512-471-2335
FAX 512-471-6564
Email:
xxxxxx@austin.utexas.edu
From: Research
Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On Behalf Of Christian Hess
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 7:21
AM
To:
xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject:
Re: [RESADM-L] Federal dollars passed through private
contractor
We have seen situations where gov
program managers prefer to use contractors that have either a GSA schedule
contract or an IDIQ with the particular agency so they don't have to bid the
requirement. If there is no solicitation out for this research, chances
are this is what is happening.
Particular pitfalls: Make sure the
clauses in your subcontract are appropriate. Many times contractors will
flow down the same clauses as their prime award, which apply to for profit
corporations. Watch out for added indemnification, rights in data,
etc. Same things you normally do with private
agreements.
Christian Hess
Project Development
Officer
(724) 357-1344 [office]
(724) 357-7697 [fax]
(724)
464-4954 [wireless]
xxxxxx@iup.edu