What is the difference between a grant and a research contract?
What are some common types of research contracts?
When should I contact ORS about a possible research contract?
Whom do I contact?
What information do I need to provide when submitting a new research contract?
How do I know when I need to provide a FAAF?
How can I get the forms I need to complete?
When do I need to provide the required information/documents?
What is the process once I have submitted all the required information to ORS?
How long will it take for my contract to be ready for signature?
How can I track the progress of my research contract?
Who is authorized to sign research contracts on behalf of the University of Manitoba?
What happens after the research contract is fully executed?
How do I access funds, if money is involved?
What do I do if a change needs to be made to my research contract after the contract is executed?
What do I do if my research contract involves new intellectual property?
Why are original signatures required in some cases and scanned copies of signatures allowed in other cases?
Does the University of Manitoba have pre-approved templates that do not have to be reviewed by the Office of Legal Counsel?
What about Technical Service Contracts?
What is the difference between a grant and a research contract?
A grant is unrestricted funds. A contract is a legally enforceable agreement containing contractual terms and obligations between the University and a sponsor or provider of materials with respect to the performance of research and research related activities or the use of material.
What are some common types of research contracts?
- Sponsored research contracts
- Material transfer contracts
- Collaborative research contracts
- Clinical trial contracts
- Technical services contract
- Data use/access contracts
When should I contact ORS about a possible research contract?
Please contact ORS as soon as you think you may need to put a research contract in place or as soon as the third party/sponsor with whom you are entering the contract has contacted you.
If you are submitting a new contract, please email researchcontracts@umanitoba.ca. If you have a question about an existing contract please, contact the appropriate Contracts Team Member.
What information do I need to provide when submitting a new research contract?
The below documents need to accompany any new research contract submission:
- The completed PI questionnaire or MTA questionnaire, or Subrecipient questionnaire, whichever is applicable - click here for templates.
- A copy of the contract if coming from a third party/sponsor
- A FAAF with all signatures and a copy of the proposal if you will be receiving funds from the sponsor/third party
- Ethics approvals, if applicable
- Scope of work/protocol
- Budget, if applicable
- A copy of the award letter, if applicable
How do I know when I need to provide a FAAF?
A FAAF is required if funds are coming to the University.
How can I get the forms I need to complete?
The forms can be obtain here.
When do I need to provide the required information/documents?
Please provide all the information, where applicable, as soon as possible. A research contract cannot be processed until all the required documents (listed above) have been received by ORS (with the exception of Ethics).
What is the process once I have submitted all the required information to ORS?
ORS reviews the research contract and addresses researchers’ concerns and business issues. ORS consults with the Office of Legal Counsel as required. Review and execution of research contracts are done in accordance with the Signing of Agreements Policy (insert link). All research contracts (non-UM templates) are reviewed/stamped by legal counsel.
How long will it take for my contract to be ready for signature?
If ORS has received all the documentation necessary to review the contract and preliminary concerns have been addressed, the contract is sent to the University’s legal counsel for their final review and approval. It can take the University’s legal counsel up to four weeks to review a contract as they process thousands of contracts for both campuses. If the agreement is acceptable, then it will be circulated for signature by your contracts coordinator shortly after; however, if there are comments/concerns, then the contract will have to go through further negotiation with the other party. The length of time in which your contract will be ready for signature increases depending on the turnaround time from the sponsor.
ORS encourages the use of the pre-approved templates (insert link). This avoids the requirement of legal review and significantly shorts the contract review process.
How can I track the progress of my research contract?
ORS is actively working on a software solution that will allow researchers and their admin staff the ability to track the progress of their research contract. Currently, you must contact your ORS contracts coordinator to get a status update.
Who is authorized to sign research contracts on behalf of the University of Manitoba?
Researchers are not authorized to sign research contracts on behalf of the University. As per the Signing of Agreement Policy, the appropriate Signing Officer signs research contracts.
What happens after the research contract is fully executed?
Once the research contract is fully executed, a copy is sent to:
- The third party
- The researcher
- The legal vault
- Research Accounting, if you are receiving or sending money.
A copy also stays at ORS.
How do I access funds, if money is involved?
Once the research contract is executed, ORS will notify Research Accounting. Research Accounting will contact you with FOP information.
What do I do if a change needs to be made to my research contract after the contract is executed?
Changes to executed research contracts are done with contract amendments. Please send your amendment request to researchcontracts@umanitoba.ca.
What do I do if my research contract involves new intellectual property?
ORS will contact the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) on your behalf and the TTO will follow up with you accordingly.
This depends on the wording in the research contract. Some third parties require original signatures.
Yes. Please click on this link to find a list of pre-approved templates. No edits can be made to these templates. They must be signed by the third party “as is”.
What about Technical Service Contracts?
Standard Technical Service agreements are handled by each faculty’s Dean’s Office, not ORS.