Sponsored projects often involve individuals and organizations outside the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), including collaborators, consultants, subrecipients, and visiting scholars. Clearly defining each participant’s role during proposal development is essential for accurate budgeting, complete submissions, and compliance with sponsor and University requirements.
This page describes common project roles, how they differ, and what documentation may be required at the proposal stage.
Why Role Definition Matters in Proposal Development
Accurately defining roles at proposal submission helps:
- Ensure proposal budgets reflect appropriate effort and costs
- Meet sponsor requirements for personnel, biosketches, and disclosures
- Avoid delays during review or award negotiation
- Identify compliance considerations early, including international collaborations
Role decisions made during proposal development often determine the type of agreements and oversight required if an award is made.
Compliance note:
International collaborators and subrecipients may require additional disclosure, export control review, or sponsor approval. Identifying these relationships during proposal development helps avoid delays later in the award process.
Common Project Participants
Projects may involve one or more of the following participants:
- Collaborators – Individuals or organizations contributing to the scientific design or execution of the project.
- Subrecipients – External organizations responsible for carrying out a portion of the research.
- Consultants – Providers of expert advice or services for a fee.
- Vendors – Providers of routine goods or services.
- Visiting scholars and campus visitors – Individuals participating in limited or educational activities.
Each role has different proposal, budgeting, and documentation requirements.
| Topic | Collaborator | Other Significant Contributor | Consultant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contribution to project | Is "jointly involved" with UMB's principal investigator (PI) in the scientific development and/or execution of the proposed work. | Contributes to the scientific development or execution of the project but does not commit any measurable effort to the project. May be a UMB employee. | Provides expert advice or services but is not heavily involved in the design or execution of the project. May not be a UMB employee. **See below regarding UMCP, UMBC, and other system institution employees. |
| Responsibility | Bears responsibility for progress of some portion of the project. | Does not bear responsibility for the progress of the project. | Does not bear responsibility for the progress of the project. |
| Effort | Devotes a specific percent of effort to the project (within their 100 percent salaried effort). | Does not promise measurable effort for the project. Contributes scientifically as part of their professional activities. | Consults as an independent contractor, usually on a per-hour or per-day basis. For NIH grants, the consultant may be listed as Key Personnel, with measurable effort, or as an Other Significant Contributor. |
| Budget and costs | Include salaries of UMB collaborators in the budget Personnel section. Enter project costs for external collaborators (salaries, supplies, travel, and other costs including indirect costs) as subaward costs. SPA will issue a subaward if the project is funded. If the collaborating organization will bear its own project costs, a collaboration agreement is recommended to document the commitments of each party. | Not included in the budget. | Consulting fees and reimbursement for travel and subsistence costs for individuals from external organizations are budgeted as “consultant costs.” Consultants may be contracted as individuals or through a consulting business. Some sponsors limit the amount that consultants can be paid (refer to sponsor guidelines). Payment is made via consulting agreement. Submit requisition to Procurement Services. Have the signed agreement in place before a consultant begins work on the project. |
| Other proposal requirements | For external collaborators, a completed, signed Subrecipient Commitment Form is required. A description of the collaborator's scope of work is required, as well as a budget and budget justification. The sponsor may require other information including biosketches. | Biosketch is required (NIH) | A letter from each consultant is required. The letter should include a statement of the consultant's willingness to participate in the project if funded, a description of the consulting activities, deliverables, and/or services to be provided, and the consulting rate. |
**University of Maryland Collaborators
If the collaborator is a UMB employee, salary costs are included in the Personnel section of the budget. UMB faculty and staff may not be paid as consultants. As a general rule, collaborators from other USM institutions will be paid through a subaward or other agreement made between the institutions.
International Collaborations: Early Considerations
International collaborators and subrecipients can trigger additional sponsor and University requirements. Identifying these roles during proposal development allows time for:
- Disclosure review
- Export control screening
- Contract and subaward planning
Early consultation with University offices is strongly encouraged.
Campus Visitors and Short-Term Roles
Not all external participants should be listed as project personnel. Visiting scholars or short-term participants may require separate agreements and should be distinguished from collaborators or consultants during proposal preparation.
University System Collaborations
Collaborations with faculty or staff from other University System of Maryland institutions are generally handled through inter-institutional agreements rather than consulting arrangements. UMB employees may not be paid as consultants.