U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

 Fact Sheet

www.cops.usdoj.gov

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Consultant/Contractor Rate Information 

Grantee Guidelines on Consultant Rate Approval Requests 

Compensation for individual consultant 
services procured under a COPS grant must 
be reasonable and allocable in accordance 
with OMB cost principles, and consistent 
with that paid for similar services in the 
marketplace. Unless otherwise approved 
by the COPS Office, approved consultant 
rates will be based on the salary a 
consultant receives from his or her primary 
employer, as applicable, up to $550 per 
day. For consultant or contractor rates 
which exceed $550 per day, the COPS 
Office requires written justification if the 
consultants or contractors are hired through 
a noncompetitive bidding process. The 
grantee agency must provide justification 
for any such rate in excess of $550 per 
day and receive COPS Office approval 
of that rate before drawing down grant 
funds. Any jurisdiction that does not 
provide sufficient written justification 
will be limited to $550 per day for each 
consultant and/or contractor. Please note 
that this does not mean that the rate can or 
should be $550 for all consultants. 

Note: Consultant and contractor daily rates 
do not include travel or subsistence, but 
may include preparation, evaluation, and 
travel time.

Guidance for requesting a consultant 
rate based on employment

a. Consultants Associated with 
Educational Institutions (including 
state-run educational institutions). If 
representing the academic institution, 
the maximum rate of compensation 
that will be allowed is the consultant’s 
academic salary projected for 12 
months, divided by 260. These 
individuals normally receive fringe 
benefits which include sick leave for 
a full 12-month period, even though 
they may only work 9 months per 
year in their academic positions. 
This does not apply to individuals 
providing consultant work outside of 
their academic commitments. In such 
cases, the rate of compensation will be 
based on reasonable cost principles and 
requires documentation supporting the 
requested rate.

b. Consultants Employed by 
State and Local Government. 
Compensation for these consultants 
will be allowed only when the unit 
of government will not provide these 
services without cost. If a state or local 
government employee is providing 
services under a federal grant and 
is representing his or her agency 
without pay from its respective unit of 
government, the rate of compensation 
is not to exceed the daily salary rate 
for the employee paid by the unit 
of government. If the state or local 
government employee is providing 
services under a federal grant and is 
not representing his or her agency, 
the rate of compensation is based on 
the necessary and reasonable cost 
principles. Please note that under the 
nonsupplanting requirement of the 
COPS statute, COPS grant funds may 
not be used to supplant (replace) local 
funding which otherwise would have 

"UNLESS OTHERWISE 
APPROVED BY THE COPS 
OFFICE, APPROVED 
CONSULTANT RATES WILL 
BE BASED ON THE SALARY 
A CONSULTANT RECEIVES 
FROM HIS OR HER 
PRIMARY EMPLOYER, AS 
APPLICABLE, UP TO $550 
PER DAY."



been spent on consultants employed by 
state and/or local government. The statute 
bars federal funding of existing consultants 
and also of newly hired consultants that 
a community is committed to fund in the 
absence of a COPS grant.

c. Consultants Employed by 
Commercial and Not-For-Profit 
Organizations. These organizations are 
normally subject to competitive bidding 
procedures. Thus, if they have been 
selected through competitive bidding, 
they are not subject to the $550 per day 
maximum compensation threshold. In 
those cases where an individual has 
authority to consult without employer 
involvement, the rate of compensation 
should not exceed the individual’s daily 
salary rate paid by his or her employer, 
subject to the $550 limitation.

To request approval of a consultant rate 
in excess of $550 per day, please submit 
the following:

Description of the services to be provided 
by the consultant(s) or contractor(s), 
including the following:

The number of days and hours to be 
worked by each consultant/contractor

The daily or hourly rate of each 
consultant/contractor (also indicate 
fringe benefits, if applicable)

If a class is being held, the number of 
people in each class.

A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) for 
each consultant or contracted individual 
your agency wishes to use.

Documented prior instances when a 
similar rate has been charged by the 
consultant/contractor.

Optional: You may submit other 
important information about the 
consultant(s) or contractor(s) at this time, 
such as letters of reference; lists of any 
relevant publications, papers, or honors; 
advanced experience as a practitioner or 
academic in the subject area; advanced 
training relating to the focus of your 
project; and/or any unique circumstances 
which you feel should be considered as 
the COPS Office reviews your proposed 
consultant/contractor rates.

To request approval of a consultant/contractor 
rate in excess of $550 per day, please return 
this information to your COPS Grant Program 
Specialist or project manager as soon as 
possible to expedite the consultant/contractor 
rate review process. 

Contact COPS

For more information about COPS Office 
programs and resources, call the COPS Office 
Response Center at 800.421.6770, or visit 
COPS Online at www.cops.usdoj.gov.

January 2008
e01089122