Outside Work Rules & Departmental Projects
Procedures for U of M Staff
Melbourne Consultancy and Custom Programs offers a range of services to individual academics, faculties, departments, centres and schools within the University of Melbourne. The Consultancy Team aims to assist academics, faculties, departments, centres and schools to obtain income from commercial activities that complement and support their primary academic endeavours. Utilising the services provided by the Consultancy Team offers many benefits to academics and to the University such as contract negotiations, financial and contractual project management.
The Consultancy Team seeks to assist individual staff in securing and undertaking such work, with minimal disruption to other roles, and with minimal risk to individuals and the University. Through the provision of these services, the team attempts to minimise the additional administrative workload imposed by commercial activities.
Business Development
- Exploration of business development opportunities for faculties, departments, centres or schools within the University of Melbourne.
- Detailed business planning in relation to particular products or services, on joint venture or fee-for-service basis.
- Collaboration in commercialisation of products and services.
Tender and Proposal Development
- Referral of tenders and other consultancy opportunities.
- Sourcing of additional expertise or services, when needed.
- Assistance with the preparation of proposals and submissions, including completion of standard formats and commercial aspects, production, coordination of inputs, binding, duplication and delivery.
- Advice on proposal layout, chargeable rates and budget construction.
- Examination and negotiation of contracts to ensure that academic interests, rights and obligations are preserved.
- On-going liaison with tendering organisations.
Project Management Services
- Negotiation and finalisation of contract details with external client, and corresponding sub-contracting of University of Melbourne personnel or departments.
- Tracking of contract milestones.
- Financial administration including invoicing, disbursement, and debtor management.
- On-going contract management including negotiation of contract variations.
Charges apply to the above services, usually contingent on winning projects or earning income on projects, unless a fee for service arrangement is negotiated. The services of the Consultancy Team are funded by adding a margin to the remuneration the department or academic requires to complete the services. Academics, faculties, departments, centres or schools intending to utilise the services of the Consultancy Team are encouraged to contact us prior to discussing a fee with the client.
The Consultancy Team offers services to individual staff members, including insurance coverage, when undertaking work under the University's Outside Work Rules.
Undertaking Fee for Service Work
Academic (and some other categories of) staff have two main options when undertaking fee for service work. Both options have implications in terms of contracting, insurance coverage and payment arrangements.
The Consultancy Team is able to provide advice on these options relieving individuals of onerous legal and financial responsibilities:
(i) Departmental Agreement
Through their faulty, department, school or centre, staff may contribute to a project as part of their normal workload. Full or part-time academics, general staff, graduate students, or casual staff are all eligible to work in this way. Staff engaged in this manner are fully covered by the University of Melbourne's professional indemnity, public liability, WorkCover and travel insurance. Payment is made to the department's nominated accounts. Departments may then make payments as per University rules.
(ii) Outside Work Rules
Alternatively, full-time academic staff are permitted to undertake a limited amount of work under the University's Outside Work Rules. Undertaking this work via Melbourne Consulting and Custom Programs ensures that all conditions relating to Outside Work are satisfied including insurance coverage.
Work carried out under the Outside Work Rules can be performed by full-time academics and fellows either as an individual without an ABN, an individual with an ABN or through their business entity. Payment is made on the presentation of an appropriate invoice from the individual or business entity.
More information on the University of Melbourne Outside Work Rules can be found in the University of Melbourne Personnel Policy & Procedures Manual or University of Melbourne Human Resources' Workplace Advice and Support.
Some other options exist for the few staff and projects that fall outside of these descriptions. Please Contact Us for more information.