Pre-approval process for hiring outside consultants and independent contractors

As directed by President Napolitano in her January 22 email communication and subsequent directives, all hirings of outside consultants and independent contractors, regardless of any prearrangement via a blanket agreement, must be approved by the appropriate approval authority prior to contract negotiation.

This process applies to all OP departments and divisions, including the Officers of the Regents and OP employees in the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

IMPORTANT:  Decision Memo (DM) is no longer required for projects costing <= $300K.

Process for Non-Construction/Non-Maintenance Project

  1. Department consults with subject matter expert unit(s) (see Operations Units table below) to ensure the work does not overlap with existing operations and staff, and to see if the need can be addressed using existing internal resources.
  2. If the amount is greater than $300K, please consult the SFR and DM process.
  3. Requestor completes the Request for Approval of Contractors and Consultants (AC&C form pdf) for Department Head approval.
  4. Following Department Head’s approval, requestor submits AC&C form in Service Now on the “Contract” request form.
  5. Local Procurement provides comments/recommendations. If request appears to overlap with work done by expert units, Local Procurement may convene a cross-functional Advisory Board to assist in the review.
  6. Local Procurement routes the request to the appropriate approval authority in accordance with the approval matrix below.
  7. If approved, Local Procurement updates the Service Now request and provides next steps.

Process for Construction/Maintenance Project

  1. Department consults with subject matter expert unit(s) (see Operations Units table below) to ensure the work does not overlap with existing operations and staff, and to see if the need can be addressed using existing internal resources.
  2. If the amount is greater than $300K, please consult the SFR and DM process.
  3. Requestor completes the Request for Approval of Contractors and Consultants (AC&C form, pdf) for Department Head approval.
  4. Following Department Head's approval, requestor sends packet to appropriate approval authority based on the approval matrix below.
  5. If approved, requestor logs request and negotiates contract with vendor.  Requestor also must send a copy of the approved package to Purchasing/Procurement for their records.

Process for Hiring a Search Firm

  1. Hiring manager consults with Local HR Business Partner or Local HR Talent Acquisition to see if the need can be addressed using existing internal resources or an existing search firm under contract.
  2. If over $300K, please consult the SFR and DM process.
  3. Hiring manager completes the Request for Approval of Contractors and Consultants (AC&C form, pdf) and after obtaining the Department Head’s signature, forward electronically to Kelly Howard in Talent Acquisition.
  4. Talent Acquisition signs off and forwards electronically to Local Procurement.
  5. Once approved, Local Procurement notifies Talent Acquisition, and Talent Acquisition in turn notifies the hiring manager via email with a copy to the Local HR Business Partner.

Approval Authority

AMOUNT APPROVAL AUTHORITY DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
> $300K Consult SFR and DM process

AC&C Form + either SFR or DM
<= $300K Division Heads AC&C Form
<= $10K Vice Presidents or Vice Provosts who are not Division Heads AC&C Form

Operations Units

OPERATIONS UNIT POINT OF CONTACT
OP Budget Eva Goode, Director
Business Resource Center (BRC) Amy Vrizuela, Interim Director & Manager
Building and Administrative Service Center (BASC) Steve Murray, Director
Communications Yem Ling Fong, Production/Business Operations Manager
Local Human Resources Nancy Pluzdrak, Local HR Executive Director
Information Technology Services (ITS) Shirley Bittlingmeier, Client Services Manager
Purchasing/Procurement Richard Greene, Manager, Local Procurement
Institutional Research Charles Masten, Deputy

Requirements for additional approval

If the negotiated contract amount exceeds the pre-approved estimate by 10% or more, then additional approvals are required as follows:

  • More than 10%: Division Head is authorized to approve.
  • New total, regardless of percentage, over $300k: Consult SFR and DM process.