Subawards Policy

Researchers at UC Santa Cruz often find that their research and other projects can be enhanced by partnering with other institutions on extramurally funded projects. When the partnering institution provides a significant portion of the programmatic effort and exercises independent responsibility for programmatic decisions, this partnership usually takes the form of a subaward.

An outgoing subaward is an agreement with a third-party organization performing a portion of a UCSC research project or program. The terms of the relationship (subgrant/subcontract) are influenced by the prime agreement, detailing the award to the University. A subrecipient works collaboratively with the prime award recipient to carry out a portion of the prime award’s scope of work.

Just because another entity is involved in carrying out a sponsored project does not mean that a true subrecipient relationship exists. Since it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between a subrecipient and a vendor, it may be easy to confuse the two.   This can lead to problems managing a sponsored project so it is important to ascertain if the work to be carried out meets the definition of a “subaward” at the proposal stage.  Please see the helpful information included in OSP’s Subaward vs. Vendor guidance page

If a vendor relationship is required remember that indirect costs will need to be charged on the entire amount of the transaction. Indirects are applied to only the first 25k of each subaward’s costs.

  • Subrecipient Commitment Form (Note:  If the subrecipient is another UC Campus the Multiple Campus Award Commitment form must be completed instead of the UCSC Subrecipient Commitment form)
  • Subrecipient’s SOW, including a clear and detailed description of the work to be performed, the proposed timelines, and deliverables.
  • Subrecipient’s Budget and Budget Justification, including the subrecipient’s direct and indirect costs, calculated in accordance with sponsor guidelines using the subrecipient’s approved F&A and fringe benefit rates, and verifying any committed cost sharing.
  • Any additional elements that may be required by UCSC’s sponsor for inclusion in the proposal

Subaward/Multi-Campus Award Forms