{"id":33696,"date":"2020-04-01T10:40:20","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T17:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.washington.edu\/research\/?page_id=33696"},"modified":"2026-03-09T14:57:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T21:57:55","slug":"sponsored-program-or-service","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.washington.edu\/research\/osp\/sponsored-program-or-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Sponsored Program or Service?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Last updated 3\/09\/2026<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Is it a Sponsored Program or a Service?<\/p>\n<p>UW departments participate in a wide range of activities. It is important to determine which University policies, procedures, and accounting requirements apply to these activities.<\/p>\n<p>Information here was designed to help distinguish between:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a <a href=\"#sp\">Sponsored Program<\/a><\/li>\n<li>the <a href=\"#svcs\">Provision of Services<\/a> to an outside entity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Categorizing between sponsored programs or services is not always a bright line. Some of the factors listed below could be present in both a sponsored program and services agreement. Because of this, review and discussion by more than one UW office may be needed.<\/p>\n<p>Other types of activity the UW may undertake are not covered in detail here, including licensing of UW technology or activity supported with gift funds.<\/p>\n<p>Review guidance on <a href=\"\/research\/myresearch-lifecycle\/plan-and-propose\/select-funding-source\/\">distinguishing between a gift and a sponsored program<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"sp\"><\/a>Sponsored Programs<\/h2>\n<p>When one or more of the <a href=\"#sp-indicators\">Sponsored Program Indicators<\/a> apply to the UW activity, route an eGC1 to OSP for a full assessment and determination. Attach back-up documentation such as a detailed scope of work, budget detail, and any draft agreement you have received.<\/p>\n<p>Sponsored Program Agreements are handled according to the <a href=\"\/research\/myresearch-lifecycle\/setup\/sponsor-requirements\/agreement-considerations\/#principles\">Principles and Practices<\/a> relevant to sponsored program activity, such as the right to publish, no warranties on research outcomes, and full cost recovery including payment of Facilities &amp; Administrative costs.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"sp-indicators\">Sponsored Program Indicators:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Funds the major functions of <a href=\"\/research\/policies\/gim-13-facilities-and-administrative-fa-rates\/#activity-types\">basic &amp; organized research, instruction or other sponsored activity<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Mutual exchange between a sponsor &amp; the UW that supports and advances the UW&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washington.edu\/admin\/rules\/policies\/BRG\/RP1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">mission<\/a> and provides a benefit to the sponsor and the UW.<\/li>\n<li>Activity results in generalizable knowledge intended to be shared broadly with the scientific community<\/li>\n<li>The UW:\n<ul>\n<li>Has authority to make overall programmatic decisions, with performance measured against program objectives rather than customer specifications<\/li>\n<li>Controls the method and results of the overall project<\/li>\n<li>Is responsible for the overall project or program outcomes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Is contributing to the scientific development or execution of the project<\/li>\n<li>Activity is carried out with the intent to further disseminate knowledge including potential publication (e.g. UW researcher(s) contribute as authors or co-authors)<\/li>\n<li>Activity may result in a UW patentable innovation<\/li>\n<li>Copyrightable material may be developed while carrying out the work and UW\/author intends to retain ownership and control for future research or academic purposes<\/li>\n<li>Equipment fabrication or development for a federal agency<\/li>\n<li>Carrying out clinical responsibilities for the VA (while clinical activities at the VA are not truly a sponsored program, OSP handles these)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If the Sponsored Program Indicators do not apply, review the Service Indicators and Service Activity contacts.<\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"svcs\"><\/a>Services<\/h2>\n<p>A service is a unique, specific and limited function performed at the procurement of another and for the benefit of or on behalf of a specific party, usually the other contracting party (customer). The Revised Code of Washington defines this type of commercial activity as that which provides a product or service for a fee that could be obtained from a commercial source (<a href=\"https:\/\/app.leg.wa.gov\/RCW\/default.aspx?cite=28B.63.020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">RCW 28B.63.020<\/a>). Review the UW Administrative Policy Statement (APS) 38.14 for the <a href=\"https:\/\/policy.uw.edu\/directory\/aps\/section-30-fiscal-management\/aps-38-14-sales-of-goods-and-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UW Policy on Sales of Goods and Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Service Indicators<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Primary benefit is to the customer<\/li>\n<li>The UW activity is ancillary to a program or project and the UW not responsible for meeting program objectives or overall program progress<\/li>\n<li>Billing for activity is typically based on a fee schedule, pricing list, per diem, or per unit basis<\/li>\n<li>Cost is expressed in an hourly or per unit basis<\/li>\n<li>Request is for a bid or quote, not a proposal<\/li>\n<li>When Federal, the government intends to own all rights in data<\/li>\n<li>Agency refers to the winning bidder as \u201cvendor\u201d and not \u201ccontractor\u201d, \u201cawardee\u201d or \u201cgrantee\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Activity is not carried out with the intent to further disseminate knowledge, including publication<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The following activities are considered Service Activities. Review the Service Activity Contacts for information on who to contact.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lab testing services<\/li>\n<li>Clinical services, examples: Physical Therapy (PT)\/Occupational Therapy (OT), radiology, imaging, radiation therapy, etc.<\/li>\n<li>Non-lab testing services<\/li>\n<li>Curation services<\/li>\n<li>Hosting conference site (e.g. providing facilities, catering, printing, and other support)<\/li>\n<li>Hosting a panel of experts or members of the community<\/li>\n<li>Performing arts, art installation requiring entry fee, other art displays, performances, or activities in which entrants pay a fee<\/li>\n<li>Consultant (such as supplying software, providing technical assistance, setting up equipment, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Field testing (such as acoustic testing, equipment testing, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Your school may have resources related to goods and services agreements and their pricing.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><a name=\"svc-contacts\"><\/a>Service Activity Contacts<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last updated 3\/09\/2026 Is it a Sponsored Program or a Service? UW departments participate in a wide range of activities. It is important to determine which&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":276,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/page-builder-units-small-hero.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-33696","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Sponsored Program or Service? - UW Research<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Is it a Sponsored Program or a Service? 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