Contract Review Process

The following process applies to all contracts, both delegated and non-delegated, for all campuses, institutes, and units except University-wide Administration.

Step 1:

The originating office drafts or reviews the contract and negotiates any necessary revision of contract terms.

Step 2:

The originating office completes applicable parts of the Contract Review Form, makes the certifications required of the originating office, and forwards the contract to the campus/institute/unit Contract Office.

Step 3:

The Contract Office enters the contract in the Contract Tracking System.

Step 4:

The Contract Office reviews the contract and negotiates any necessary modification of contract terms not accomplished by the originating office.

Step 5:

The Contract Office makes the required certifications on the Contract Review Form.

Step 6-a:

If the contract is a delegated contract, the Contract Officer* signs the contract for the University. The Contract Officer cannot delegate signing authority to anyone else. The Contract Office forwards a fully executed copy of the contract, together with the for filing in the Official Documents File.  (For delegated contracts, this is the end of the Contract Review Process.)

Step 6-b:

If the contract is a non-delegated contract, the Contract Office forwards the contract to the Treasurer's Office.

The Treasurer's Office forwards the contract for fiscal and legal review.

(Memorandum of Agreement to Establish an Endowment, Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust, and Charitable Remainder Unitrust require fiscal review, but not legal review, before execution by the Vice President for Development.)

After fiscal and legal approval, the Treasurer's Office submits the contract to the Executive Vice President, his/her designee, or another University Vice President for signature.

[Development contracts on pre-approved University forms are forwarded to the Vice President for Development.]

The Treasurer's Office returns a fully executed copy of the contract to the office of the campus/institute/unit Contract Office and forwards a fully executed copy to the Official Documents File.

 

* The Contract Officer is the Chief Business Officer for the campus/institute/unit (and, for research contracts only, the Vice Chancellor for Research at UT Knoxville and the Dean for Research and Development at UT Space Institute).