Webinar: Honorarium, Gift, Purchase Orders and Research Subject Payments (2022)

Purpose and Goal

Purpose

Provide knowledge to enable seamless payment processing by distinguishing between honorarium and other payment types

Goal

​​​​​​By end of webinar, you will be able to determine payment type to help expedite payment to external entities while complying with UC policies.

Who will benefit from this webinar

Departmental staff that support our research enterprise and local community in payment process of honorarium, gifts, BearBuy purchase orders, and research subjects

Definitions

Honorarium

A payment in recognition of an individual's special service or distinguished achievement where propriety precludes setting a fixed price

Gift

Moderately priced, non-cash gifts made on behalf of the University to non-employees, students or outside organizations
 

Requisition/Purchase Order

Purchasing goods and services from a supplier for a University business purpose
 

Research Subject Payments

Payments to individuals who volunteer to participate in a research study

Honorarium Requirements

Who do we pay?

• Individuals of scholarly or professional standing in conjunction with an academic activity, e.g., speaking engagement
• Payments are not made to companies, organizations, or partnerships

Amount

• No set amount
• Amount can be negotiated but cannot be a set fee
• Paid in lieu of any other payment

Other conditions

• Should not be recurring payments
• Not allowed to charge to federal funds
• For UCSF/UC employees, honorarium must be paid through Payroll

Gift Requirements

Who do we give gifts?

• To individual, student or organization

Amount

• Promotional items < $75 per individual
• Appreciation, recognition, incentive < $600 per individual
• Sympathy < $200 per individual
• Cost of gifts must be reasonable in relation to benefits

Other conditions

• Benefits the University
• Furthers a University business purpose (documented in writing)
• Clearly is necessary to the University's fulfillment of its role as a good community citizen

Purchase Order Requirements

Who do we pay?

• Individuals or companies that SCM classifies as supplier, for goods or services purchased for a University business purpose

Amount

• Any amount
• For purchases that include a pre-negotiated amount or fee for service
• Large-dollar purchases are subject to competitive bidding

Other conditions

• Purchase Agreement or PO is subject to UC terms and conditions
• PO approved and created based on delegated purchasing authority
• Allowable under funding guidelines, within laws and UC policy

Research Subject Payment Requirements

Who do we pay?

• Individuals who participate in a research study

Amount

• No hard and fast rules about how much subjects should be paid
• Subjects should be paid enough for their time, but not so much that their decision to volunteer in a study is influenced by the amount

Other conditions

• Review guidelines and requirements from the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and UCSF Institutional Review Board (IRB) for your research study

Resources

Policy & Guidelines

• Honoraria Payments Policy D-371-35
• Gifts Presented to Non-Employees on Behalf of the University G-42
• Purchases of Goods and Services BUS 43
• IRB Research Subject Payments

How to Procure or Pay

• Non-Employee Payments: BearBuy Payment Request Form: Requesting an Honorarium Payment
• BearBuy purchase orders or use Procurement Card
• (P-Card) to purchase gift cards or actual gift
• BearBuy purchase orders:
  • Procurement 101 Training
  • BearBuy Training
• BearBuy invoices submitted through Transcepta, FAQ
• Check: Check Request Form, SCM Paying Research Subjects
• Cash: Petty Cash Procedures