Faculty & Staff

The contracting process differs for the three categories of consultants:

• A local consultant is a resident in the country where Columbia University is operating and is not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident. He/she is paid from the field office.
• A non-U.S. international consultant is not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, but is contracted by and paid from Columbia University in New York as a third-country national.
• A U.S. international consultant is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident – as identified by their having a Social Security number – who may currently reside in the United States, or in the country where Columbia University is operating, or in a third country.

Contracting Local Consultants

The work entailed in many international projects is better suited to contracting local consultants rather than hiring long-term local staff. Even if intending to hire local staff, an international project may initially contract people as consultants until such time as the University’s country registration or other legal arrangements are in place.

Local consultants are paid directly by the field office at a rate determined in accordance with prevailing local rates for similar work. Any deviation from these rates, whether higher or lower, should be justified in writing and approved (signed off) by the PI or Country/Project Director.

In advance of the consultancy, the PI or Country/Project Director and consultant must sign a Consultant Letter detailing the consultant’s Scope of Work and specifying the maximum number of approved days and daily rate of pay. See Appendix 13 of the ICAP SOPs for a template of a Local Consultant Letter.

Contracting International Consultants

All international consultants are paid out of the New York office. Staff working with the international project must take the following steps:

• Prepare an SOW that specifies the tasks, the budget, and the length of the consultancy (see Purchasing for the SOW form that must be used, as well as for all the other required consultant forms)
• Identify and select the consultant
• Obtain prior salary history from the consultant to justify his/her daily rate (if USAID funds, have the consultant complete a Contractor Employee

Biographical Data Sheet - Form AID 1420-17  

• Use the University’s “Interactive Form Selector” to choose the correct consultancy contract
• Through the “Interactive Form Selector,” follow the step-by-step instructions, which indicate the documents that must be submitted with the requisition to the Purchasing Office.

Note that in certain cases, a completed Sole/Single Source Justification Form (see Appendix 17 of the ICAP SOPs) for a sole-source procurement is required. Also, certain consultancies require evidence that the consultant has a current insurance certificate with required general liability, automobile liability, professional liability, and/or workers compensation coverage.

• Maintain copies of the justification form, if any, in the purchase order (PO) files
• Complete CU Purchasing Department requirements, including obtaining approvals from Mailman School’s Business Office
• Review funding agency information and obtain funding agency approval when required
• Maintain consultancy records

Additional information on consultants may be found in the University’s Consultant Policy.