Additional & Miscellaneous Payments

Entertainment, Speakers and Cultural Events

Examples of entertainment agreements include:

  • DJs and music/bands
  • dance performance/performers
  • caricature artists and face painting
  • balloon artists

If entertainment/cultural services are needed, the will need to be filled out and can be found in the . The contract must be signed by the contractor/vendor, along with a Certificate of Insurance at the levels detailed in the contract (section 10). Any proposed changes to the entertainment contract must be reviewed and approved by the Office of General Counsel (OGC). To contact the OGC email or phone 410-704-4003.

If a contractor has their own agreement and does not want to sign the university's entertainment agreement, their agreement must be submitted to the OGC prior to entering the agreement.

Entertainment contracts are signed by the authorized department signatory detailed in the Contract Execution Policy 08-03.01 and the Active Signatory Authority Delegation list on the Office of General Counsel website.

No services can be rendered without an executed contract and Certificate of Insurance.

Payment for entertainment contracts do not require a purchase order. Once services have been rendered, a copy of the executed entertainment, speakers, cultural events contract and the invoice must be submitted to Accounts Payable Office at . Payment terms are Net 30.

Contractor Agreements Under $5,000

“Contractor” is defined as “any person or business having a contract with the University System of Maryland or an institution thereof” and are subject to the and Towson University Procurement Policy 08-03.00.

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What to Keep in Mind

This process should be used if the contractor is utilizing an Employer Identification Number/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN or TIN).

Request for Contractor Services

Requests for Contractor services less than $5,000 must be submitted via DocuSign. The can be found under the . Services with the same contractor cannot exceed $25,000 annually without competition. As such, the Procurement Department will be monitoring requests less than $5,000 on a quarterly basis.

Payment for Contractor Services Less Than $5,000

Once work has been completed, the invoice and agreement must be submitted to Accounts Payable at .

Contractor Services Over $5,000

Please reach out to Procurement for guidance on contractor services that exceed $5,000 as competition may need to be obtained. Please note that a requisition in Stratus is required for all services required by Contractor exceeding $5,000 and are subject to USM Procurement Policies and Procedures.

Honoraria

“Honorarium” is a relatively small payment to a guest speaker or other individual who has been invited to provide a unique service to the university. An honorarium is typically used to “honor” individuals who are not professional speakers or independent contractors. An honorarium may consist of a cash payment and/or travel expenses.

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What to Keep in Mind

An honorarium payment is provided as a token of appreciation for participation in an activity or event, and not as a contractual obligation to pay for services rendered. Honorariums are usually one-time payments made to an individual (not a corporation, business or partnership) who is not an employee of the University, for a special and non-recurring activity or event.

Determination of Honorarium Payments

  • Is the individual a business, corporation, or partnership?
  • Was the payment amount negotiated between the university and the individual?
  • Is there a contractual agreement?
  • Are the individual’s services recurring?
  • Is the individual a TU employee or student employee? Or are they an employee at another university in the USM system?
  • Did the individual set the price?

If you have answered “yes” to any of the above questions, the payment does not qualify as an honorarium.

Payment for Honorariums

Before issuing an invitation, the requesting department must complete the , which can be found in the .

If the visitor is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, the department should first contact the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO), email or phone 410--704-2421, and the Nonresident Alien Tax Office (NRA), email , who will ensure the university is in compliance with all Federal requirements.

After the required approvals have been received, the requesting department must send a letter to the honoree to confirm the details of the engagement. You can find the in the

A non-employee (MEV) must be completed for payment to be issued. The MEV must include:

  • your department's cost center, followed by account 502119, honorarium
  • a copy of the fully executed letter of invitation
  • a copy of the approved Honorarium Request Application
  • travel receipts and boarding passes, as applicable