An honorarium is a token payment, or reward, made to an individual for a one-time service (e.g., a guest lecture or musical performance) which was volunteered or for which custom forbids a price to be set. To authorize payment of negotiated services to an independent contractor, use the Scope of Work (SOW) form instead of the HNR form. More information about how to submit a SOW can be found on the System website. 

Using DocuSign to route and track the Honorarium

This option requires DocuSign access, but provides the ability to easily track the document through the routing process.

  1. Download and complete the PSC Honorarium form.
  2. Once you have reached your dashboard within DocuSign, upload the document into DocuSign.
  3. To add the Honorarium template, click “Choose an Online Document.” When the popup opens, click on a) “Shared Templates” and select b) ‘Honorarium” and click c) “Add.” Once you have selected the template you will see a test document appear under Documents for Signature. Delete the test document.
  4. Under “Recipients & Routing,” enter the names and email addresses of each individual to receive the honorarium. For HR approval, enter hr-honorarium@colorado.edu as the HR recipient. We recommend using the CU Directory to copy/paste the email address of each recipient directly into DocuSign. Note: The signature of an officer is needed when the honorarium amount exceeds $2,000. If applicable add the appropriate officer’s name.
  5. If the individual receiving the honorarium is a foreign national, you may add an international tax specialist into the routing for the document. You may choose to add an international tax specialist to the routing or forward it outside of DocuSign once it is returned to you.
  6. Click on “Next” to be brought back to the document and click and drag the “signature” and “date signed items” for each signing role onto the designated signature lines on the form.
  7. Click “Preview” to ensure the tags match the signing roles.
  8. By clicking “Send” the document will begin routing for signatures, first to the Organizational Unit Authorizing Signer, Officer (if applicable) and then to HR for review and approval.
  9. Once the honorarium has been reviewed and signed by HR, they will return to you.

Using the Honoraria PowerForm

This option provides an opportunity to route Honoraria for signatures electronically without requiring DocuSign access. However, it does not provide the ability to track documents through the routing process.

  1. Enter the names and email addresses of each role on the Honorarium PowerForm. We recommend using the CU Directory to copy/paste the email address of each recipient. Note: The signature of an officer is only needed if the honorarium amount exceeds $2,000.
  2. If you would like the signed honorarium to be returned to someone other than yourself, please enter the name and contact information for that person in the role titled “Return Honorarium to.” Otherwise, leave this field blank. As the initiator, you will receive a copy upon completion of the document.
  3. Once you click the yellow “Begin Signing” button (lower right side of page), you will be brought to a copy of the honorarium form that you can complete electronically.
  4. Once you have completed the text fields a “Finish” button will appear on the lower right side of the page. Clicking “Finish” will begin routing the document for signatures.
  5. If the recipient is a foreign national or international student, the signature of an international tax specialist is also needed. Once the signed honorarium is returned to you, you can then forward the completed form to an international tax specialist.

Submitting Your Honorarium to the Procurement Service Center (PSC)

In order to complete the honorarium process you will need to submit your signed honorarium for payment to the PSC. Please visit the PSC website for guidance on requesting a new honorarium recipient or creating a payment voucher in order to complete the honorarium submission process.