Contracts & Agreements

Assisting and advising departments in preparing and processing service, expenditure, revenue, consultant, and miscellaneous contracts.

Our campus has a centralized process for assisting and advising campus faculty and staff with contract negotiations, document review, and other contractual and/or legal matters that require coordination and/or advice from the SUNY counsel's office.

When is a Contract Needed?

Formal contracts/agreements are required for all service and consultant arrangements in which:

there is an exchange of monies between the university and the contractor (expenditure and revenue),
the terms and conditions of an agreement exceed those which can be represented on a purchase requisition; and
the university provides consideration other than money (the services of faculty and/or students, use of campus facility, etc.).

Contracts may also be required in certain situations, regardless of value, where:

more than one payment is made to a contractor;
where the tasks performed by the contractor do not lend themselves to description on a regular purchase order; and
where the contractor imposes his/her contract on the university.

Contract Process on Campus

Contract Establishment

Depending on the complexity of the services or goods sought by the contract, it may be necessary to seek competition via a "Request for Proposals" (RFP). This document is created by purchasing office with departmental support and sets forth specifications, terms, and conditions that the university requires of any contractor interested in providing the requested goods and/or services. An RFP is typically issued for large dollar amount contracts, very technical purchases (such as computer or scientific equipment), or contracts that span a number of years.

In any situation in which it is necessary to enter into a contract, please contact the purchasing office as soon as possible for procedural information.

Services of a contractor may use standard consultant or service contracts developed by the Counsels Office of the State University and approved by the State Attorney General and the State Comptroller.
Contract Authorization

Contracts and agreements may only be entered into by the Purchasing Office. Any other university employee who signs a contractor agreement may be held personally responsible for its performance (payment, liability, etc.).

All contracts, license forms, and agreements must be submitted to the purchasing office. After review by the purchasing office, they are forwarded to the appropriate signatory and returned to the department or contractor, as required.

Contracts are initiated after the formal procurement process has been completed. Refer to Purchasing Threshold Matrix for contract thresholds. Certain contracts must be approved by the purchasing office and by the Offices of the State Attorney General and the State Comptroller. Departments should anticipate the time required for obtaining these approvals (approximately 10 to 15 weeks) and keep in mind that the university can assume no responsibility for the terms of a contract without the comptroller's approval. Under no circumstances should work be authorized under a contract until the contract has been approved and signed by all appropriate parties.

View the Purchasing Thresholds

Contracts & Agreements

When is a Contract Needed?

Contract Process on Campus

Frequently Asked Questions About Contracts & Agreements