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Contracting

Contracting
MULTIPLE REGISTRATION OPTIONS

This workshop is being offered both in-person and as a virtual workshop. Some details, such as the daily schedule, will differ depending on whether you attend in-person or virtually. Please review the information for your specific offering.

Contract Negotiation and Administration

This intermediate-level workshop offers participants an opportunity to delve into the technical and complex issues associated with contract negotiation and management. The workshop will examine federal, industrial, clinical, international, and other types of contracting in the context of policy, process, and institutional culture.

The participants will engage in mock negotiations, role-play, and breakout sessions to cultivate their skills and expand their understanding of contract negotiation principles. Topics to be covered include contract types (e.g., non-disclosure agreements, materials transfer agreements, memoranda of understanding), contract clauses (e.g., intellectual property, indemnification, warranty), and applications of special issues (e.g., international human subjects research). Throughout the workshop, participants will be encouraged to develop negotiation strategies and techniques, while considering the practical and ethical dimensions of contract negotiation.

 

For registration information click below.

In-Person Workshops Virtual Workshops

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Learning Objectives

After completing the workshop, participants should be able to:

  • Identify the key elements of contracts and RFPs
  • Recognize contract terms that require institutional review and negotiation
  • Describe strategies for negotiating out inappropriate terms and conditions Navigate the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
  • Differentiate federal, industry, international, clinical, subcontracts, and other agreement types (NDAs, MTAs, DUAs, etc.) and identify the unique challenges associated with each
  • Evaluate the extent to which institutional infrastructure can support contractual requirements
  • Understand how institutional policy, practice, culture, and risk tolerance impact contract negotiation
  • Apply negotiation strategies (leveraging interests, applying precedents)
  • Identify roles, responsibilities, and opportunities to build relationships, set expectations, and balance conflicting priorities
  • Gain insight into how different personality types impact contract negotiation

Program Information

Program Level: Intermediate
Advance Preparation: Material Review & Survey
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge - Technical
Delivery Method: Participants can choose to register for one of two formats:

  • Group Live (indicated by IN-PERSON)
  • Group Internet Based (indicated by VIRTUAL)

CEUs/CPEs: See here

Participants will want at least 2-5 years of Research Administration or equivalent experience to achieve learning objectives. The workshop would be appropriate for new and developing contract negotiators, college and departmental research administrators, program managers, and individuals transitioning to university contracting from related fields. (e.g. government and industry contracting, procurement, scientific/technical disciplines).

Contracting Participant Testimonials

"It was beneficial to be in the room with other colleagues from different backgrounds, to hear their experiences."
Lea Brooks, Georgia Institute of Technology

 

2026 Contracting Workshop Faculty

Jennifer Cory Doeschot

Director of Strategy and Operations
Stanford University

Walter Goldschmidts

Vice President and Executive Director
Office of Sponsored Programs
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Beth Kingsley

Associate Director,
Subaward Management Team
Office of Sponsored Projects
Yale University

Rosemary Madnick

Vice President, Research Administration
The Lundquist Institute

David Mayo

Senior Director for Research Administration
California Institute of Technology
NCURA Distinguished Educator

Dennish Paffrath-Nelson

Associate Vice President for Research Administration
Office of the Vice President for Research
Temple University

Jennifer Ponting

Associate Vice President for Research Administration
University of Chicago

Anthony Ventimiglia

Assistant Vice President for Research Administration
Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Auburn University

  • Having only just under 2 years of experience with Contract Negotiations, I found this workshop to be extremely informative. The speakers were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about this subject. I know I will be applying the information I learned from this workshop in my job first hand. Thank you!

    Lauren BradleyUniversity of Delaware

  • The presenters were the best I've ever seen in the research-administration field. They combined superior expertise and experience with humor, performance, and variety... Thank you for putting on this much-needed program. I will recommend it to all of my colleagues.

    Michael Gouin-HartGrand Valley State University

  • I found the workshop educational and stimulating. The presenters were engaging, highly knowledgeable, and encouraged attendee participation.

    Kourtney HennardVanderbilt University