Standard Sponsored Project Agreement

The Standard Sponsored Project Agreement should be used for all sponsored projects unless the project meets the special criteria outlined for the Limited Services/Testing Agreements or the Short Form Sponsored Project Agreement.  

Short Form Sponsored Project Agreement

The Short Form Sponsored Project Agreement is appropriate for low-risk, short-term projects or Limited Services Agreement (LSA) projects with Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry or Mathematics content. A project using the Short Form Sponsored Project Agreement must meet ALL of the following criteria: 

• Duration ≤ 12 months 
• Amount ≤$50,000 
• Fixed-price agreement 
• Full F&A rate is applied 

This form should NOT be used for projects with export control concerns with the following exceptions: 

• A project involving Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry or Mathematics content may be executed using the Short Form Agreement if ALL LSA criteria are met. 

Limited Services Agreement (LSA)

An LSA is appropriate for low-risk, short term service projects that meet ALL of the following criteria: 

• Routine services 
• Duration ≤ 9 months 
• Amount ≤$25,000 
• Fixed-price agreement 

All funds are disbursed in 1 (general approach) or 2 installments (if a school district or non-profit) and overhead costs are kept low allowing for a reduced IDC (lower limit 20%).  However, if the project is eligible for the negotiated off campus rate and/or the sponsor has a published reduced F&A policy that applies to all projects of less than 20%, then then those rates are followed.  

An LSA is appropriate only for short term projects in which BGSU is providing technical services, teaching, workshops, and/or a public service to the sponsor. In such cases, the sponsor determines the work to be performed with little or no input from BGSU, except in cases where simple modification of existing methodologies are involved. Such activities are typically routine in nature and have no potential for the development of intellectual property. Financial support may, or may not, be associated with these types of agreements.   

This form should NOT be used for multi-phasic or renewable projects, for projects involving Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry or Mathematics content, or for projects which may have export control concerns 

Supplemental compensation must be pre-approved and is only available for faculty when they are performing additional services beyond their assigned duties/responsibilities for non-grant related work. Thus, these types of services fall outside the departmental promotion, tenure, and merit processes. Individuals can be rewarded through the submission and approval of the Form for Supplemental Payment when services are performed in compliance with the Academic Charter. 

Limited Testing Agreement (LTA)

An LTA is appropriate for low-risk, short term testing projects that meet ALL of the following criteria: 

• Routine tests 
• Duration ≤ 9 months 
• Amount ≤$25,000 
• Fixed-price agreement 

All funds are disbursed in 1 (general approach) or 2 installments (if a non-profit) and overhead costs are kept low allowing for a reduced IDC (lower limit 20%).  However, if the project is eligible for the negotiated off campus rate and/or the sponsor has a published reduced IDC policy that applies to all projects of less than 20%, then then those rates are followed.  

An LTA is appropriate only for short term testing projects which involve the performance of routine tests and/or measurements to produce information specific to the test being performed or the item being studied. Such projects do not involve the extensive development of new methods or protocols to perform the work, and it is not a goal to produce generalizable knowledge. 

This form should NOT be used for multi-phasic or renewable projects or for projects which may have export control concerns.  

Supplemental compensation must be pre-approved and is only available for faculty when they are performing additional services beyond their assigned duties/responsibilities for non-grant related work. Thus, these types of services fall outside the departmental promotion, tenure, and merit processes. Individuals can be rewarded through the submission and approval of the Form for Supplemental Payment when services are performed in compliance with the Academic Charter.

Student Project Agreement

Student Project Agreements are used when a BGSU faculty member engages students in a class project (individually or as teams) with an external entity under the faculty member’s guidance.  Financial support may, or may not, be associated with these types of agreements. 

The following must be considered when developing and executing a Student Project Agreement: 

• No confidential or proprietary information or solutions will be shared with BGSU;  
• The Student Project Agreement must fully describe the project and its associated expectations.  A standard template agreement developed by RTTS may be used or, if needed, RTTS will develop a new one particular to the project in question; 
• The agreement must be approved by OSPR, RTTS (and OGC, as appropriate) before submission to External Partner; 
• The signed agreement must be filed with RTTS.