(1) VENN DIAGRAM:

(2) ANALYSIS DOCUMENT:

Academic Support Service Agreement (ASSA) vs. Independent Contractor Services Agreement (ICSA)

Analysis for Determining Which Agreement to Use

I. CONDUCTING THE ANALYSIS – SHOULD I USE AN ASSA OR AN ICSA?

IF YOU ARE DECIDING ON WHETHER TO USE AN ASSA OR ICSA, ASK YOURSELF THESE TWO QUESTIONS

1. Are the services I am looking to procure/buy services that are specifically in support of instruction, research, or public service?
2. Are the services that I am looking to procure/buy a unique, non-competitive activity/service that cannot be provided from more than one source.

*If you answer “Yes” to both questions, then the proper agreement to complete for your event/service will be the Academic Support Service Agreement (ASSA).

*If you answer “No” to one or both questions, then the proper agreement to complete for your event/service will be the Independent Contractor Services Agreement (ICSA).  If you anticipate that the contract value for the services will be over $5,000.00, then additional bidding requirements will likely be required and you should contact the UWL Procurement Office for further assistance.

*If you need assistance with conducting the analysis, please contact the UWL Procurement Office for further assistance.

II. EXAMPLE SCENARIOS

Scenario #1: Dr. Sheldon Cooper is a professor and researcher at Higgs-Boson University.  He is in charge of planning and organizing his department’s annual symposium.  Dr. Cooper has learned that some of his colleagues who will be attending the symposium may have hearing disabilities, so he would like to hire one or more ASL interpreters for his event.  Dr. Cooper remembers that in previous years, his department was required by his campus’s Procurement office to conduct a simplified bid for the ASL interpreters.  Dr. Cooper decides to contact Penny in the Procurement office who confirms that Dr. Cooper will likely need to conduct a bid because they believe services will be over $5,000.00 total.  Penny also advises Dr. Cooper that whatever vendor/contractor is selected by winning bid to conduct the services will need to sign an ICSA with campus.  Penny explains that an ICSA will be used instead of an ASSA because, even though the symposium could be considered a “research” event, ASL services cannot be considered unique, non-competitive activities because there are at least a dozen or so ASL service providers just within a 30-mile radius of the university.

Scenario #2: Dr. Alan Grant is an archaeology professor at Jurassic College.  Dr. Grant would really like to bring in a colleague from outside of his institution (Dr. Ellie Sattler) to give a guest lecture to Dr. Grant’s class about Dr. Sattler’s experience at archeological dig sites in uncovering dinosaur fossils.  For this situation, Dr. Grant knows right away that he should use an ASSA form.  The services are specifically in support of education because Dr. Sattler would be providing services directly involved in the classroom (i.e., the guest lecture).  Also, Dr. Sattler’s services would be considered unique because no two lecturers are likely to be able to provide the exact same lecture.  Dr. Grant is specifically wanting to have Dr. Sattler speak to the class because of Dr. Sattler’s specific experiences, which no other person would have.

III. EXAMPLES OF PRE-APPROVED SERVICES BASED ON AGREEMENT TYPE

ASSA

• Guest Lecturer/Speaker
• Lab Assistant/Patient
• Student Advising/Mentoring

ICSA

• ASL Interpreters/Translators
• Marketing Services
• Photographers
• Faculty/Staff Trainings
• Music for Department Events (E.g., DJs or Bands)
• Consulting Services

Updated: April 26, 2024

This file can also be accessed here:  ASSAs vs ICSAs