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  • Open Comment Period: March 9 - March 23, 2015

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pczarn2@uic.edu Jul 29, 2016 1:40 pm

It is not always going to be feasible to have a contract for conference sponsorships. Typically a conference has a tiered system based on dollar amount of what benefits a sponsors would receive. These tiers and benefits are typically published either on the conference website or in a conference brochure. What would the contract that is needed per this policy detail that would not be provided by the list of benefits provided by the conference?

pczarn2@uic.edu Jul 29, 2016 1:40 pm

You may want to include whether we need to be specific about how the funds may be used, or if we can just generally donate to an event.

pczarn2@uic.edu Jul 29, 2016 1:39 pm

Perhaps having a tiered system like procurement that allows for different University administrative approvals and/or signatories in order to make the system and process more efficient and expedient.

pczarn2@uic.edu Jul 29, 2016 1:39 pm

only when the funds are used for "public purposes" - what constitutes public purposes? Faculty want funding for conferences they organize, or co-organize with other institutions which supports their research (but held at another institution). In the past, we obligate to pay specific expenses as our support. What other situations would this cover?

pczarn2@uic.edu Jul 29, 2016 1:39 pm

How does this relate to conference sponsorship? Many times we are asked to sponsor conferences from regional or national organizations of which we have an organizational membership such as the National Rural Health Association or the Illinois Rural Health Association. Conference sponsorship provides recognition and exposure for our organization at the conference maybe by way of exhibitor space or an ad in the printed program or possibly conference registration for one or more of the organization members. In fact, conference registration is a line item written into the budget of one of our federal grants. In the past, depending on the amount of the sponsorship, I have processed these as either a PO, a P-Card charge, or through TEM as a vendor payment for conference registration with no problems. No contract was needed. The cost has never been over $5,000 (usually $1K to $1.5K). In the future are we going to have to have a contract developed between us and each organization whose conference we wish to sponsor?

pczarn2@uic.edu Jul 29, 2016 1:39 pm

Perhaps adding language regarding threshold or lack of threshold i.e. "financial assistance or sponsorship of any amount may require administrative approvals, " or designate a dollar threshold. Also may want to clarify if the intent is only funds ? can it be purchasing goods for the outside organization ?