Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I have received an agreement from a sponsor. Who should I send it to for review and signing?

A. Please send the agreement to the Office of Research Services, to the attention of the Contracts Manager. This is currently Diana Purvis. The agreement will be assigned to a reviewer in the Contracts Unit, who will then conduct the review and contact you with any questions about the arrangements outlined in the agreement. Once the terms are acceptable to both parties, the agreement will be signed on behalf of Queen's University by the Director of the Office of Research Services. This is currently Karina McInnis.

Q. My agreement has been signed but I do not have an account yet? Who should I speak with about it?

A. Once an agreement is fully signed by both parties, it is sent to Financial Services for an account to be set up. Please contact Financial Services at ext. 75737 for help in  identifying the staff member responsible for setting up your account, and its status.

Q. I have been discussing collaboration with a sponsor and they have provided a confidentiality agreement for me to sign. Should I sign this?

A. It would be best to have the confidentiality agreement reviewed by the Contracts Unit, to ensure that the terms meet university policy and that you and your intellectual property are protected. It may be acceptable for you to sign as an individual, but it could also be the case that by signing you would be at risk for obligations, such as indemnification, that would be best assumed by the university.

Q. When should I complete the Data Summary and Signature Sheet?

A. Please complete the DSS as soon as you submit a contract for review. This is required before an agreement is signed at ORS, and will help facilitate the finalizing of your agreement and the setting up of your account. The link to the DSS system is here. 

Q. A sponsor has sent me a cheque but the related agreement is not fully signed as of yet. What should I do with the cheque?

A. Please forward the cheque to ORS, identifying the project it relates to. We will make certain that it is sent to Financial Services for depositing safely in a holding account until the agreement and DSS are finalized. At that time, the funds will then be transferred to your project account.

Q. The research contract is fully signed and the account is set up, but the sponsor has not sent the funds. May I begin to incur expenses related to my research project?

A. Yes, once the contract is fully signed and the account has been set up, you may begin to incur expenses in keeping with the budget as approved in the contract.

Q. I submitted a contract for review last week, but have not heard if it has been signed?

A. Due to the high volume of contracts received in Contracts Unit, it is typical for first comments to be provided to researchers within 3-4 weeks of receiving the contract at ORS. If there are particular time sensitivities for your file, please let the Contracts Unit know this at the time you submit the contract for review and we will do our best to meet the identified time line.