I seem to remember a move to entitle all of that stuff “subawards”. Doesn’t seem to have stuck. Now I see “consortium/contractual” all over the guidelines.

Even though you lump those costs together on the big budget form, there still seems to be a distinction between consortium participants and contractual participants in the Guidelines. “Consortium arrangements may involve personnel costs, supplies, and other allowable costs, including Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs. Contractual costs for support services, such as the laboratory testing of biological materials, clinical services, or data processing, are occasionally sufficiently high to warrant a similar categorical breakdown of costs.”

I don’t understand all of the fiscal pieces in some of the Circulars. But there seem to be some fairly substantial differences delineated in the 2003 NIH Grants & Policy statement. (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm#gps ). Page 36 starts the section, with a big table starting on page 39. Requirements/objectives differ depending on whether the participating organization is the Grantee, a Consortium participant, or a “Contractor under Grant (routine services/goods).” What a mouthful! You can see how that last stiff little term morphed into “subcontractor”.

I’ve had subaward modules completed by consortium participants (or done it myself), but not for/by subcontractors. Has anyone else?

HC Crain, RN, PhD, Research Programs Manager
Werley Center for Nursing Research and Evaluation
College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
P.O. Box 413; Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413
NET: xxxxxx@uwm.edu PHN: 414.229.5465 FAX: 414.229.3989

From: Elin Martin [mailto:xxxxxx@U.WASHINGTON.EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 3:34 PM
Subject: Re: Is there any difference between a consortium and a subcontract

Yes, and sometimes consortium entities are funded directly (individually) by the sponsor (such as DOD), rather than a primary award going to one collaborator who then executes subcontracts with the others.

Elin M. Martin
Grants Manager, Dept. of Rehabilitation Medicine

University of Washington

Office: NJB 1471, 908 Jefferson St

Mail: Box 359612, 325 Ninth Ave, Seattle WA 98104

Ph. 206-685-8166
Fax 206-897-4881
http://rehab.washington.edu/

From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On Behalf Of Jane L Halpin
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 9:25 AM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Is there any difference between a consortium and a subcontract

My understanding is that "consortium" is a descriptive moniker of a group of institutions working collaboratively on a project, while the subcontract(s) is/are the legal document(s) binding these institutions together.

Jane Halpin, CRA
Sr. Sponsored Research Specialist
Office of Research Affairs
School of Nursing
Duke University
DUMC 3322
311 Trent Drive
Durham, NC 27710
919-684-0348
919-681-1755 (fax)

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"Mokry, Gloria" <xxxxxx@RESEARCH.USF.EDU>
Sent by: Research Administration List <xxxxxx@hrinet.org>

02/24/2010 12:21 PM

Please respond to
Research Administration Discussion List <xxxxxx@hrinet.org>

To	xxxxxx@hrinet.org
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Subject	Re: [RESADM-L] Is there any difference between a consortium and a subcontract

The terms have been used interchangeably in my experience as well

From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On Behalf Of Lesley Zajac
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 11:58 AM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Is there any difference between a consortium and a subcontract

We also use the term interchangeably as far as NIH is concerned

Lesley S. Zajac
Director, Research Administration
Jaeb Center for Health Research
15310 Amberly Drive, Ste 350
Tampa, FL 33647
Tel: 813.975.8690
Fax: 813.975.8761
email: xxxxxx@jaeb.org

From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On Behalf Of Donahue, Sherie (LLU)
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 11:50 AM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Is there any difference between a consortium and a subcontract

Susan,

I know when we plan to have subs on an NIH proposal, there is a ‘Statement of Intent to Establish a Consortium Agreement’ signed. In these cases, if the award is made, a subcontract would be generated and therefore subcontract = a consortium agreement. If you are talking about a different scenario, then perhaps someone else can speak to that.

Sincerely,

Sherie Donahue, MS
Electronic Research Specialist
Office of the Vice President for Research Affairs
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA 92350
(909)651-5098 or (909)558-1000, x83911
909/558-0244 (fax)

The difficult we do immediately. The impossible takes a little longer. -- motto of the US Army Corps of Engineers during WWII
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. -- Albert Einstein

From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On Behalf Of Brassfield, Susan
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 7:39 AM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: [RESADM-L] Is there any difference between a consortium and a subcontract

I was recently hired as the Grant Specialist of Midwestern University and a question was raised if there is a distinction between a consortium and a subcontract. I checked OMB circulars and I didn’t find in their glossary the definition of either of these terms. I did however, find in the glossary of terms on the NIH website the definition for a consortium agreement but not for a subcontract. I believe entering into a consortium and entering into a subcontract mean one and the same. I just would like to verify with someone that there aren’t separate rules or regulations, or for that matter, indirect costs aren’t handled differently because someone entered into a subcontract rather than a consortium.

Thanks for your help.

Susan Brassfield, M.B.A.
Grant Specialist
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Midwestern University
555 31st Street
Downers Grove, Illinois 60515

Phone: 630-515-6395
Fax: 630-515-6430
E-mail: xxxxxx@midwestern.edu

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