Contract Management Services

Contract Management Services supports Tulane’s mission by ensuring that procurement related agreements appropriately allocate risk, comply with university policies and applicable law, and protect institutional interests.

NEED A CONTRACT REVIEWED?

If your department is entering into a contract, agreement, or terms of service with an outside vendor for goods, services, software, hotels/lodging, equipment and vehicle leases, or any other university expenditure, Contract Management Services (CMS) can help.

We review proposed agreements to identify risks, ensure compliance with university policies, and recommend changes that protect the university while meeting your department’s objectives. We also draft agreements and assist with vendor negotiations upon request.

CMS reviews and provides recommendations. We do not sign or execute contracts. Only individuals with delegated signature authority may sign contracts on behalf of the university. If you are unsure if you possess signature authority, CMS can provide additional information. If your agreement requires review by the Office of the General Counsel or another university office, we will coordinate that referral.

WHAT WE REVIEW

CMS regularly reviews the following types of procurement related agreements (this list is not exhaustive):

Master Services Agreements, including work orders and statements of work
Independent Contractor and Consulting Agreements
Product and Equipment Supply Agreements
Software License Agreements (SaaS and on-premises)
Equipment and Vehicle Leases and Rentals (i.e., movable property)
Event, Hotel, Venue, and Catering Agreements
Non-Disclosure/Confidentiality Agreements (non-research only)
Contract Amendments, Renewals, and Terminations for Convenience
Recruiting and Staffing Agreements
Guest Speaker Agreements
Subscription and Maintenance Agreements
Other procurement related agreements (e.g., digital marketing services, credit applications)

WHAT DOES A CMS REVIEW COVER?

When we review a contract, we evaluate it for:
Alignment with university policies and procedures
Appropriate allocation of risk (indemnification, limitation of liability, and insurance)
Compliance with applicable laws and regulations
Data privacy and information security implications
Payment terms and fiscal responsibility
Intellectual property considerations
Whether the business terms accurately reflect the department’s intent

WHAT WE DO NOT HANDLE

Certain agreement types are managed by other university offices. A non-exhaustive list of agreement types handled by other offices is provided below for convenience. If you are unsure where to route your contract, contact us at contractsupport@tulane.edu and we will direct you to the appropriate office.

Agreement Type	Responsible Office
Sponsored research agreements, grants, subawards, related research agreements	Sponsored Projects Administration
Clinical trial agreements	Sponsored Projects Administration
Invention disclosures, patent licenses, data use agreements, material transfer agreements, and research related non-disclosure/confidentiality agreements	Office of Intellectual Property Management
Gift agreements and donor commitments	Office of Advancement
Construction contracts	Capital Projects
Agreements primarily related to the licensing of university trademarks or service marks	University Communications and Marketing
Film Location Agreements	University Communications and Marketing
International Student Exchange and Academic Collaboration Agreements	Tulane Global
Affiliation agreements (academic or clinical)	Requestor’s Academic School or Department
Real property leases, Employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements	Office of the General Counsel

Agreements not listed above as reviewed by CMS, another responsible office, or that present novel legal issues, may be reviewed by the Office of General Counsel. CMS can help coordinate a referral.

HOW TO SUBMIT A CONTRACT FOR REVIEW

Step 1: Determine If You Need CMS Review

You should submit a contract to CMS if:

A vendor or service provider has presented terms and conditions, a contract, or a service agreement for signature
You are initiating a new purchase of goods or services that requires a written agreement
You need to amend, renew, or terminate an existing procurement related contract

Step 2: Gather Required Information

Before submitting, please have the following ready:

A copy of the proposed contract or vendor terms (request a copy in Word format)
A brief description of the goods or services being procured
The anticipated contract value (total and per year if multi year) and term/duration
The department and budget/fund to be charged
Any hard deadline for contract execution (with explanation)
Vendor contact name, email, and phone number (for negotiation purposes)
Whether the vendor will access university systems, student data, financial data, payment data, personal data, or protected health information
Whether the contract involves hosted/cloud software or IT services
Any special insurance or compliance requirements identified by the vendor

Step 3: Submit Your Request

Complete the Contract Management Services Request Form and email it, along with the proposed contract in Word format to contractsupport@tulane.edu.

Step 4: Review and Communication

A member of the CMS team will acknowledge receipt within three business days.

You will be contacted with questions, recommended revisions, or referral to another office if applicable.
CMS will communicate directly with the vendor on your behalf only if you request negotiation assistance.
Once review is complete, CMS will return the reviewed contract to you.

TIMELINE

A thorough review of any given contract may take up to 30 calendar days from submission to execution. Factors that may extend the timeline include:

Complex or non-standard vendor terms requiring negotiation
Referral to the Information Security Office, Information Technology Office, Enterprise Risk Services, or the Office of the General Counsel
High volume periods (beginning and end of academic terms, fiscal year end)
Delays in vendor responsiveness during negotiation

Simple agreements on university templates may be completed in significantly less time.

EXPEDITED REVIEW

If you have a legitimate time sensitive need, please:

Note the deadline and justification on the request form
Email contractsupport@tulane.edu with “EXPEDITED REQUEST” in the subject line
Be prepared to provide all required documentation immediately upon request

Expedited review may be granted at CMS’s discretion based on demonstrated business need. Delayed planning or vendor imposed time constraints, including limited-time pricing offers, generally do not qualify as a basis for expedited review.

STATUS INQUIRIES

For updates on a pending review, email contractsupport@tulane.edu with the vendor/contract name.

WHEN ADDITIONAL REVIEW IS REQUIRED

Certain contracts trigger review by offices beyond CMS. Identifying these issues at the time of submission will expedite your review. Please indicate on your request form if any of the following apply:

If the contract involves…	Additional review by…
Hosted software, cloud services, or vendor access to university IT systems or data	Information Technology, Information Security Office and Data Governance
Vendor access to student education records (FERPA protected data)	Information Security Office, Data Governance, and/or Privacy and Data Compliance Office
Vendor access to protected health information (HIPAA) (requires a Business Associate Agreement)	Information Security Office, Data Governance and Privacy and Data Compliance Office
Insurance requirements, indemnification above standard thresholds, or third party use of university facilities	Enterprise Risk Services
International vendors, foreign nationals, or export controlled technology	Export Controls
Digital content, websites, or software requiring accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 AA)	Information Technology, Information Security Office and/or Office for Campus Accessibility

CMS will coordinate these referrals when issues are identified during review. However, flagging them upfront saves time.

SIGNATURE AUTHORITY

Only individuals with delegated signature authority may sign contracts on behalf of Tulane University.

Faculty, staff, and department administrators who are not designated authorized signatories may not sign any contract, agreement, purchase order, or binding document (including online click through terms of service) that commits university resources or creates obligations for the university.

Signing a contract without proper authority may expose the individual to personal liability and may result in disciplinary action. Such contracts may also be deemed unenforceable.

For questions about signature authority or to determine who the authorized signatory is for your department, contact contractsupport@tulane.edu.

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CONTRACT TEMPLATES

Using university approved contract templates significantly expedites the review process. If your transaction can be documented using a standard template, we encourage you to use one.

Available templates include:

Master Services Agreements, including work orders and statements of work
Independent Contractor and Consulting Agreements
Non-Research Non-Disclosure/Confidentiality Agreements (mutual and one way)
Guest Speaker Agreements

Contracts submitted on university templates with unmodified legal terms will generally receive expedited review. If a vendor will not accept a university template, submit the vendor’s form through the standard review process.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Does every purchasing contract need to be reviewed by CMS or other appropriate department?
A: Yes. And you should not engage in any services or purchase of goods when a contract does exist and has yet to be vetted.

Q: When creating a requisition, should I attach the executed contract to the requisition?
A: Yes, you should attach the executed contract and any other relevant documentation as per policy.

Q: When do I need a contract?
A: A contract is required whenever:

A vendor presents terms and conditions, a service agreement, or other binding language for signature
The engagement involves ongoing services, access to university data, or performance obligations beyond a simple one time purchase
You are committing university resources for a defined term (including auto renewing subscriptions)

If you are unsure, contact us. We are happy to advise

Q: Can I sign a vendor’s contract or click through agreement myself?
A: No. Only authorized university signatories may bind the university. Clicking “I Agree” on a vendor’s online terms of service on behalf of the university without proper authorization is not permitted. Contact CMS if a vendor requires acceptance of online terms.

Q: What if my vendor says the contract is “standard” and non-negotiable?
A: Submit it for review regardless. Many “standard” vendor contracts contain terms that are inappropriate for a university (e.g., broad indemnification, automatic renewals, IP ownership clauses, or inadequate data protection). CMS can identify risks and, in most cases, negotiate modifications.

Q: My contract is a renewal. Does it still need review?
A: Yes, if:

The renewal involves modified legal terms
The original agreement was executed more than 5 years ago and has not been reviewed since
The scope of services, pricing, or risk profile has materially changed

Renewals on unchanged terms that CMS previously reviewed may qualify for expedited processing.

Q: What about purchases on a university P-Card or purchase order?
A: Purchases made using a P-Card or a standard purchase order governed by Tulane’s Purchase Order Standard Terms and Conditions generally do not require separate CMS review, unless the vendor requires you to sign additional terms or conditions.

Q: What if my contract involves sponsored research funding?
A: Contracts related to sponsored research, federal grants, or subawards should be submitted to Sponsored Projects, not CMS. If you are unsure whether your agreement is procurement related or research related, contact us and we will help route it appropriately.
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RESOURCES

Contract Management Services Request Form

Contract Management Quick Reference Guide

Purchase Order Standard Terms and Conditions

Tulane Purchasing Policy and Procedures

Information Security Office

Information Technology Office

Office of Enterprise Risk Services

Office of the General Counsel

WaveWorks eProcurement System

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CONTACT US