Subrecipient 

A subrecipient may have some or all of the following characteristics

• Works collaboratively with the AUS PI as a co-investigator at another entity to which funds are being passed
• Has authority to make administrative and programmatic decisions and to control the method and results of work
• Has responsibility to meet all applicable sponsor requirements
• Has performance measured against meeting the program objectives
• Is a  designated senior/key personnel in the proposal (may be a Co-I)
• Uses sponsor funds to carry out a program rather than provide a good or a service
• Has responsibility for the end results of the research effort
• Services are complex and require a scope of work and budget, billing requirements and a deliverable schedule
• The entity’s statement of work may represent an intellectually significant portion of the programmatic decision making
• The entity’s work results may involve intellectual property and/or may lead to publications
• Needs animal and/or human subjects approvals for its independent portion of the work
• Requires a separate budget and budget justification in the application

Consultant 

A consultant  has the following characteristics:

• An individual or business outside the project who confers with the PI regarding research objectives
• Does not develop the objectives of the project
• Is not responsible for the overall outcome of the project
• Is not responsible in designing or developing the research
• Is not responsible for conducting the research
• Is not responsible for reporting the research
• Is not essential toward the shape, direction, and completion of the project
• Receives a fee for their services not a salary
• Provides similar services to other organizations
• Does not serve as senior personnel – e.g., Co-Investigator, Principal Investigator, etc.
• Will not use university resources provides its own work area, tools, materials and supplies)
• AUS defines the scope of work
• Consultant determines how to accomplish the work
• Is not considered an employee of the university
• Payment is based upon completion of specific work, rather than time worked

Vendor 

A vendor has the following characteristics:

• Provides similar goods or services to different purchasers
• Does not make program decisions or take actions that impact a program's overall success or failure
• Is not subject to sponsor compliance regulations
• Goods and services are ancillary to the program
• Provides goods or services as part of their normal business operations
• Competes with comparable entities to provide the same goods and/or services
• Is not responsible for research results
• There is no scope of work
• Goods and services are billed according to the vendor’s established rates
• The goods and services are secondary to the central purpose of the project
• No potential for patentable or copyrightable technology to be created through project from activities of the entity
• Performs services only (no analysis or discretionary judgment)
• No one individual providing goods and services is identified

 IN SUMMARY:

A subrecipient is an entity that has agreed to work in collaboration with the AUS PI to perform a substantive portion of the programmatic effort on an award.
 
A consultant is an individual or business whose expertise is required to perform the project. Services are temporary and special or highly technical. 
 
A vendor is a business or other entity that supplies products or services to the university.