Consultants are individuals or firms hired for a “standard” fee for a limited period of time to give professional evaluation or advice. Service providers are individuals or firms providing professional services performed with clear outcome expectations, such as artisans or speakers.

PIs/PDs proposing to include consultants or service providers in the proposal budget should obtain competitive quotes and ensure that sponsor guidelines for caps on consultant rates of pay or service provider fees are observed.

For additional information, see USNH's Purchasing and Contract Services' Independent Contractor Hiring Process Training Document.