Contracts Review
The Office of General Counsel (OGC) oversees the routing process of all contracts on behalf of the University of Indianapolis (UIndy). If you are planning to enter a contract, you will need to work with our office. We are responsible for reviewing and approving all contracts for UIndy. The successful completion of the routing process of a contract can take up to 4-6 weeks. In this page, you will find information about the types of contracts, tips on how to fill out a contract properly, the contract routing process, and waivers.
Why
It is essential that all contracts are properly reviewed by the appropriate UIndy staff and approved by officials who are authorized to enter into agreements on behalf of UIndy. Following this review, only designated officials are permitted to sign contracts on behalf of UIndy. If a contract is signed by someone without proper authorization, it may be deemed unenforceable, or it could expose the individual to personal liability in the event of a dispute or breach.
Do I need a contract?
You may need a contract if your transaction involves the procurement of good or services, includes specific terms and conditions, spans a longer period, or carries legal, financial, or operational risks. Contracts are especially important when the agreement outlines deliverables, timelines, intellectual property, or liability. If you're working with a new vendor, entering a high-value agreement, or if the vendor requires you to sign something, it's best to consult with OGC to determine if a contract is necessary.
Goods are tangible items like furniture, lab equipment, or office supplies, while services involve tasks performed by an individual or company, such as consulting, software support, or event planning. A contract is generally required when services are involved, when the purchase includes specific terms and conditions, is high in value, spans a longer period, or involves potential risk (like liability or intellectual property concerns). A purchase order is typically appropriate for one-time purchases of standard goods that don’t involve complex terms. If there's any uncertainty, it’s always best to consult with Procurement or Legal to determine whether a contract or purchase order is more appropriate.
- Contracts for goods, materials, equipment, or other tangible things
- Acquisition of services
- Memorandum of Understanding
- Service Agreements to Perform Services for an Outside Party
- Clinical Training (Affiliation Agreements) and Internship Placements
- Professional Services Agreement
- Software License Agreement
- Non-Disclosure Agreements
- Master Agreements
UIndy uses several standard form agreements available below:
- Professional Services Agreement - For use when third party vendors, companies, consultants, and other providers are contracted to provide various professional services to UIndy for a defined period of time
- Preferred Vendor Agreement –For use when third party vendors, companies, consultants, and other providers are contracted to provide various professional services to UIndy on an as needed basis
- Video Production and Location Agreement for filming on-campus
- Facility Use Agreement for rental of University facilities - For all facility use and rental matters, please contact Jeffrey Barnes, Director of University Events, 317-788-21325 or jbarnes@uindy.edu.
Some vendors may prefer to use their own contract form(s). Regardless of the preferred format, the next step is to fill out the applicable form with the appropriate information and submit the contract for review.
All contracts that have a fiscal impact must be submitted with a completed Contract Summary Form. The Contract Summary Form provides financial information that will be considered through the review process. Contracts will not be processed without this form.
Insurance Requirements
Some contracts may have specific insurance requirements. Our general insurance requirements can be found here.
Contract Review and Approval
Please submit all requests for contract review through our ticketing system at generalcounsel.uindy.edu or you can email generalcounsel@uindy.edu. When submitting your contract for review please provide the following information:
- Date contract is needed.
- If applicable, the Contract Summary Form.
After you submit your contract for review, our ticketing system will generate a ticket and ticket number unique to your request. All subsequent actions related to that contract will occur within that ticket in the ticketing system. If for any reason follow up is required outside the ticketing system, please include the ticket number associated with the agreement.
Contracts that are properly filled out on a UIndy-approved standard generally are approved in less than a week.
Contracts on a vendor provided form, or those requiring negotiation, may require additional time for review, processing, and approval.
If the contract requires data sharing and/or IT systems, additional time may be required for IT to review.
The OGC may follow up with the named contact person with questions, and the contract may take an extended period of time to negotiate, depending on the complexity of the agreement.
Once the contract is approved, it will be signed on behalf of UIndy by an authorized party and returned to the department. UIndy’s signatory policy can be found here.
After the contract is signed on behalf of UIndy, the department generally will need to obtain the signature of the other party(ies) involved.
Once the agreement is fully executed, the agreement needs to be uploaded back into the appropriate ticket, which will then be closed out by the OGC.
File and Maintain the Contract
After your contract has been signed, please make sure to follow these guidelines:
- All contracts must be maintained in a readily accessible file in your office or department
- If the contact will need to be renewed, or requires termination within a specific period of time, your office or department is responsible for ensuring that such requested action is submitted to the OGC in an appropriate lead time.
- The OGC maintains a file for all contracts it reviews, but the primary file maintenance belongs with the the college, department, or office where the contract is housed.
Should you encounter any issues or disputes related to your contract, please contact the OGC for review and recommended action.
Any efforts to cancel a contract prior to the contract’s termination must be handled through the OGC. If you have a contract you want to cancel, please submit a ticket through the system outlined above. If there is a ticket already associated with the contract, please include that information when submitting the request. Please also include a copy of the contract, a brief summary of the contract, and the justification for cancelling the contract.
An amendment is a formal change or addition made to an existing contract or agreement.
It is used when the original terms need to be updated—such as changes to the scope of work, deadlines, pricing, or other important provisions—without creating an entirely new contract. Both parties must agree to the amendment, and it usually must be documented in writing and signed by authorized representatives to be legally binding.
OGC must review all amendments.
A renewal is the process of extending the term of an existing contract beyond its original end date. Renewals can happen in two ways:
- Automatic renewal: The contract renews on its own (often for a set period) unless one party gives notice to end it.
- Manual renewal: Both parties must actively agree—usually in writing—to extend the contract, sometimes with updated terms.
Your office or department is responsible for ensuring that a renewal is submitted to the OGC in an appropriate amount of time before the expiration of the contract, or within the set amount of time outlined in the contract. OGC must review all renewals.