Policy

An Independent Contractor Services Agreement (ICSA) should be used for contracts with individuals engaged in technical, professional, or specialized services such as guest speakers, performers, and honorarium payments to individuals who:

  • Provide one-time nonrecurring services.
  • Are to be paid less than $10,000 including travel expenses. Preferably, travel cost estimates should be included in the total lump sum payment with the traveler making all of their own arrangements.
  • Will not receive separate payments for reimbursable expenses.
  • Are not otherwise employed by the Nevada System of Higher Education including UNLV and all other institutions.

Procedure

Before hiring an individual as a guest speaker or for short-term services:

  • Determine if an independent contractor wishes to be recognized and paid as a business (or LLC). If so, departments should submit a requisition for Goods or Services to the Purchasing department.
  • Departments must establish the individual's status as an independent contractor and not an employee.
    • If the independent contractor is a nonresident, contact the Nonresident Alien Tax Specialist Office at 702-895-1243 or nrat@unlv.edu for additional instructions.
  • Departments must have an independent contractor register through the Payment Registration System.
    • If the independent contractor is not fully registered, they cannot receive any payments.
  • Departments must enter the independent contractor’s information into the ICSA Qualtrics form
    • Complete one ICSA per contract.
    • Once submitted, the ICSA is created and emailed to Accounts Payable.
    • To make a correction, email ic.contract@unlv.edu.
      • If the signature routing process has not been initiated, a new ICSA via Qualtrics may need to be completed.
      • If the signature routing process is already in progress, an amendment to the ICSA must be completed.
    • Departments should also double check that the independent contractor’s email address matches the same email address in the Payment Registration System.
      • If the email address is incorrect, the signature process will not function properly.
  • Accounts Payable will then initiate the signature routing process within 10 business days via the DocuSign envelope.
    • The envelope will first be emailed to the independent contractor for signature.
    • The envelope will then be emailed to the authorized signer for signature.
    • The signed ICSA will be emailed to the department, independent contractor, and authorized signer upon completion.
  • Once the completed ICSA is received by the department from DocuSign, the department submits a Supplier Invoice Request and attaches the completed ICSA contract. No additional documentation or invoice is required.

For questions regarding this process or to request the ICSA manual form, email ic.contract@unlv.edu.

  • Speaking or Performance: guest speaker or performer in classroom, brown bag lecture, or event
  • Judge or reviewer for competitions, presentations, research or paper submissions
  • Guest conductor to include rehearsal, performance, and lecture over a week/short period.

  • Speaking or Performance: engagements booked/paid through a representative
  • Possible copyright: podcasts, representation, trademark or poems, song-writing, book-writing
  • Royalty payments
  • Construction: stages, walls, painting, plumbing, exhibits
  • Teaching: classes or courses whether for credit or non-credit
  • Long-term: services performed over the course of a semester or longer
  • Repetitive: services performed repetitively during the course of a year