Office of Business and Finance

Need to hire a speaker or independent contractor? Start by filling out the simple request form below:

Click Here  Independent Contractor Request Form

Once received, a member of the SOG Business Office Team will reach out with further instructions. The information submitted in this form will help us determine what forms should be completed. The information below is for informational purposes only; the Business Office will help you select the appropriate forms.

About Independent Contractors

Overview: Independent Contractors are individuals who provide services for the University; an independent contractor is someone who does not work for a separate company and is paid as an individual, rather than a business. They are most commonly used in the School of Government for individuals hired to teach or present in a course, but independent contractors are also used to provide consulting and advising services.  Prior to hiring an independent contractor or speaker, it is important that the Business Office is able to review and approve independent contractor arrangements.

Note: if the Independent Contractor is an employee of the UNC system or another state agency, please contact us to determine if the contractor can be paid via dual employment.

Please note that work cannot be started by an independent contractor until the arrangement is approved. The paperwork needs to be received by the business office at least 30 days before works starts. If the contractor will have access to sensitive data or to sensitive populations (like undergraduate students), a background check may be required.  Please try to submit information for these individuals sooner than 30 days before the work begins, as a background check can add two additional weeks to the process.

In most cases, independent contractors will be hired under SOG Services, a separate associated entity created to support the School of Government. Under SOG Services, there are three options for hiring independent contractors depending on the payment amount and nature of the work. The Business Office will help you determine which is the appropriate option for your circumstances.

Option A. One Week Speakers $5000 or less

Total payment is $5000 or less and engagements are no more than one week. Please complete the One-week Speaker Checklist.

This form provides an abbreviated speaker contract process for departments, the speaker, and the business office to provide an efficient and effective speech / presentation contracting, compliance and payment services for high volume one-time speaker payments at SOG Services, Inc. If contracts exceeding $5000 or engagements are longer than one week, then aformal independent contractor checklist is required. If applicable, additional information may be requested from the speaker to make the appropriate determination. 

Instructions:

This speaker checklist form is used for speakers providing one-week speaking or presentation engagements $5000 or less; it must last no longer than one day during a calendar year; and the speaking engagement must not be more than $5000.

1. The One week Speaker Checklist should be completed prior to services being delivered (ideally at least 30 days prior to the event).
2. The requesting department must complete sections 1 and 2 to initiate a speaker contract request. Once complete, the form should be submitted to the Business Office Ticketing System.
3. Once received, the Business Office will review and request corrections or clarification as needed.
4. The Business Office will collect signatures from the requesting department and the contractor using Docusign. 
5. Once fully authorized above, DocuSign will email a completed contract to each party.
6. After work is complete, the requesting department should notify the business office via the ticketing system to authorize payment. Please include the appropriate cost code, where applicable.

Option B. Contracts more than one week and under $10,000

Contracts more than one week and/or total payment is $10,000 or less. Please complete the SOG Services Contracted Service Authorization and Approval Form. For contract payments over $5000, a Scope of Work is required.

Instructions:

This form is used for independent contractors or speakers when the engagements are more than one week and/or total payment is $10,000 or less during a calendar year.

1. The Contracted Service Authorization and Approval Form should be completed prior to the contractor providing services (ideally at least 30 days prior to the event).
2. The requesting department must complete Sections 1-3 and Section 6. Once complete, the form should be submitted to the Business Office Ticketing System.
3. Once received, the Business Office will review and request corrections or clarification as needed.
4. The Business Office will collect signatures from the requesting department and the speaker using Docusign (Sections 4 and 5).
5. Once fully authorized above, DocuSign will email a completed contract to each party.
6. The Business Office will request a W-9 form from the speaker using a secure upload via Quickbooks online.
7. After work is complete, the requesting department should notify the business office via the ticketing system to authorize payment and/or provide an invoice. Please include the appropriate cost code, where applicable.

Option C. Contracts over $10,000 with multiple or ongoing services

Total payment is over $10,000 and contractor will provide services on an ongoing basis or multiple times within a calendar year. Please complete the SOG Services Contracted Service Authorization and Approval Form and the Independent Contractor Services Agreement form. A Scope of Work is required.

Instructions:

1. The Contracted Service Authorization and Approval Form and the Independent Contractor Services Agreement form should be completed prior to the contractor providing services (ideally at least 30 days prior to the event).
2. The requesting department must complete Sections 1-3 and Section 6 on the Contracted Service Authorization form. The contractor should review the service agreement and provide a Scope of Work to describe the work he/she will provide.
3. Once complete, the forms should be submitted to the Business Office Ticketing System.
4. Once received, the Business Office will review and request corrections or clarification as needed.
5. The Business Office will collect signatures from the requesting department and the contractor using Docusign.
6. Once fully authorized above, DocuSign will email the completed contract and form to each party.
7. The Business Office will request a W-9 form from the contractor using a secure upload via Quickbooks online.
8. Invoices for work completed should be submitted to the Business Office via the Business Office Ticketing system. Please include the appropriate cost code, where applicable.

Option D. Independent Contractors of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In some cases, especially when grants or other outside funding will be used to pay the contractor, the contractor will be hired by the University directly (instead of SOG Services). If grant or service agreement will be used to pay the contractor, please contact the Business Office for clarification of whether the contractor should be hired by the University directly. In those cases, use the following process:

Step by Step Process:

1. You should gather and complete all the necessary paperwork (described below) for the independent contractor who is to be hired:

You provide:

 ⃣     Agenda or course announcement

 ⃣     Participant List (if available)

 ⃣     Contractor's email address for background check

Contractor Provides:

 ⃣    IRS Form W-9

 ⃣    One Week Speaker Checklist for speaker engagements are no more than one way and payment is $5000 or under (also requires signature from department) or

 ⃣    Independent Contractor Determination Form (also requires signature from department)

If the contract is for more than $10,000, also complete:

 ⃣    Independent Contractor Services Agreement form 

 ⃣    Statement of work

 ⃣    Sole Source Justification Letter (signed by Faculty) (Examples)

 ⃣    Waiver of Competition form (signed by Faculty)

2. Submit contract and all completed forms to the Business office through the Business Office Ticketing System. In the description area of your ticket, please provide any additional relevant details or special requests. The ticket should also include the appropriate Course Code and/or Program Code related to the event.

Note: Please do not submit the W-9 and ACH forms via the ticketing system or email. These forms contain sensitive private information and should be handled with care. After submitting your ticket, please direct clients and vendors to submit their paperwork via one of these secure methods. 

Once the Business Office has received the request and paperwork, we will:

1. Review the paperwork and let you know if any additional information is needed.
2. Submit the paperwork to the University Accounting office for approval. If we receive feedback from the University that more information is needed, we will let you know. Once it approves the submission, the University will sign the paper and send it back to the SOG. Note: Because all contracts are reviewed and signed centrally, the time it takes for the University to review and sign a contract can vary significantly. You should plan for a timeline of up to 3 weeks for University review.
3. We will send you the signed contract via the ticketing system. You should then return the signed paperwork to the speaker.

After the event and services are complete, within 10 business days, you should:

1. Submit an itemized invoice to the Business Office for Payment.
2. Include in your submission the relevant Course and/or Program codes.
3. The business office will submit the invoice for payment within 2 business days.

Relevant University Policy: Independent Contractors

Questions? Contact Anitra Jones at ajones@sog.unc.edu