Today’s Topics

Today’s Topics
• Overview of OSRS
• Process for finalizing contracts
• Issues that might delay contracts
• Various types of contracts

Office of Sponsored
Research Services
The Texas A&M University System Office of
Sponsored Research Services (OSRS) is a
consortium of Texas A&M System members that
brings together talents, expertise, and best
practices to enhance research administration.
The office is located in Valley Park Center at 400
Harvey Mitchell Parkway South.

Office of Sponsored Research Services
Overview
We provide contracts and grants research
administration services to:
•System members based in Brazos County
•Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
•Texas A&M University at Galveston
•Texas A&M University at Qatar
•Prairie View A&M University

Office of Sponsored Research Services
• Contracts & Grants teams assigned to
each System member
• Currently establishing best practices and
procedures
• Coordinating closely with all System
Members
• Directors for all teams coordinating
their efforts

OSRS Contracts & Grants Directors
Prairie View A&M University
‣ Michele Lacey
Texas AgriLife Extension
‣ Jane Zuber
Texas AgriLife Research
‣ Diane Gilliland
Texas A&M Health Science
Center
‣ Jane Zuber
Texas A&M University
‣ Katherine Kissmann
‣ Michele Lacey
Texas A&M University
System
‣ Michele Lacey
Texas A&M University at
Corpus Christi
‣ Michele Lacey
Texas Engineering
Experiment Station
‣ David Hollingsworth
Texas Transportation
Institute
‣ Michele Lacey

OSRS Directors for Texas A&M
Katherine Kissmann
979.847.7635
kkissmann@tamus.edu
• Texas A&M University at Galveston
• Texas A&M University at Qatar
• College of Architecture
(Including CHUD)
• Mays Business School
• Bush School of Government and
Public Service
• College of Education and Human
Development
• Dwight Look College of Engineering
• College of Science
• Welch Foundation
Michele Lacey
979.862.4444
mlacey@tamus.edu
• College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences
• College of Geosciences
• College of Liberal Arts
• College of Veterinary Medicine and
Biomedical Sciences
• Texas Sea Grant Program
• Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical
Studies

Contract Negotiators for Texas A&M
Marcie Avery
Academy for Advanced Telecommunications
mavery@tamus.edu
College of Architecture (except CHUD)
979-862-6451 Bush School of Government & Public Service
Dwight Look College of Engineering
Mays Business School
Beth Milam
Center for Housing & Urban Development (CHUD)
bmilam@tamus.edu
College of Education & Human Development
979-845-4904 Qatar
Other (International Programs, Library, Scholarships
& Financial Aid, Art Galleries, Provost's Office, etc.)
Jim Roth
jroth@tamus.edu
979- 845-4138
College of Geosciences
College of Liberal Arts
Susan Wilganowski
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
swilganowski@tamus.edu College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
979- 458-4397 Texas Institute of Preclinical Studies
Texas Sea Grant
Travis Young
Cyclotron
tyoung@tamus.edu
Institute for Scientific Computation
979-845-0206 College of Science
TAMUG

Coordination
• OSRS works closely with Texas A&M’s Division of
Research to coordinate the efforts of OSRS for Texas
A&M University
• Attorneys from the Office of General Counsel housed
in the OSRS offices
• Consultation with the Office of Technology
Commercialization regarding System intellectual
property rights and licenses.

Contract Review
Why?

Negotiation Objectives
To determine the correct agreement type for the proposed
activity
To set a positive tone for an on-going institution/sponsor
relationship.
To achieve a framework that facilitates the scope of work.
To arrive at a mutually-acceptable agreement.
To negotiate an agreement that is consistent with Texas
A&M’s policies and procedures and applicable state laws.

Items needed for Successful Contract Review
• Scope of Work – Needed to determine the appropriate
terms for the contract
• Budget – Should be the same as the budget from the
proposal
• Compliance certifications – Is the research going to
incur significant risk?

Contract Review Process
Award Received
by OSRS
Yes
Approved
Proposal
Previously
Submitted?
Review/Negotiate
terms of award
No
Route Internal
Proposal
Request Approval of Terms by
PI, Dept Head, Dean, VPR
Sign Agreement
Establish Account

Review Process: Exceptions
Agreement needs
Additional Approvals
if:
>$50,000/new terms
Intellectual Property
Nonstandard Terms
Office of General
Counsel
Consultation with
Office of Tech.
Commercialization
& TAMU Approval
Office of General
Counsel

Review Process: Exceptions
Agreement needs additional approvals if:
Recombinant
DNA/Biohazard
Human Research
Export Control
Animal Research
IBC Approval
IRB Approval
License or
Technology
Control Plan
IACUC Approval

Contract Review Obstacles!
‣No Proposal previously routed for approval.
‣Difficulty contacting sponsor or university
personnel
‣Terms in Awards which typically require
additional review/approvals:
• Indemnity/Liability provisions
• Insurance provisions
• Intellectual Property Rights to Sponsor
• Publication restrictions
• Unusual sponsor compliance requirements
• Nonstandard Payment provisions/invoicing

Compliance Approvals may be needed
before beginning work!
0 Office of Research Compliance and Biosafety
http://rcb.tamu.edu/
0 Biohazards - Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
0 Human Subjects Research – Institutional Review
Board(IRB)
0 Animal Research – Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committees (IACUC)
0 Export Controls

Sponsored Funding Agreement
A mutually binding agreement between
parties that provides funding for sponsored
research or other sponsored activity.
May include:
0 Grants
0 Contracts
0 Research Agreements
0 Intrasystem Agreements
0 Task Orders
0 Service Agreements
0 Testing Agreements

Non-Disclosure Agreement
0Used when researchers will discuss
confidential information with outside
people or entities.
0Often used in the initial stages of
establishing a formal research
agreement.

Material Transfer Agreement
• MTAs come in two major types:
Outgoing: TAMU PI is sending materials to a company or
institution
0 Recipient PI should fill out Material Request Form and send it
to mta@tamu.edu
0 Office of Technology Development will process if licensing
issues are involved
Incoming: TAMU PI is receiving materials from a company or
institution.
0 TAMU PI should fill out a Material Transfer Agreement In form
and forward to the appropriate OSRS negotiator along with
Material Transfer Agreement from outside institution

Subawards
These awards involve TAMU issuing an award to a Subrecipient
under a Prime Agreement
Subrecipient – Legal entity to which a subaward is made. The
subrecipient is accountable to the recipient, the entity to which
the prime award is made.
Here is what is needed:
0 Letter of intent
0 Contacts (technical/administrative)
0 Statement of work
0 Budget and Justification
0 Prime award
Information is needed as soon as possible to avoid holding up issuing a Subaward!

For More Information
The Texas A&M University System
Office of Sponsored Research Services
400 Harvey Mitchell Parkway South
Suite 300
College Station, TX 77845-4375
http://www.tamus.edu/offices/cro/osrs/
For questions about proposals, contact:
proposals@tamus.edu