Contract Administration
Service Contracts
TCU requires a written contract, signed by an authorized delegate, for all service transactions. On-site installation and/or maintenance of equipment and other tangible property will convert a purchase of goods into a service transaction. Written contracts memorialize each party's expectations, rights and obligations. More importantly, written contracts help protect TCU's interests, including those of our students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Service provider documents may not be entitled "contract," but are contracts, because they contain essential contract elements, such as an obligation to perform and payment. Common titles for these documents include quote, proposal, letter agreement, memorandum of understanding and invoice.
Essential service contract elements include pricing, service descriptions, deliverables and deliverable due dates, term (if applicable), indemnification and insurance. Certain services may require a service provider to comply with federal laws and regulations or TCU contract requirements. Examples include, but are not limited to, education records (FERPA) and sensitive personal information (SPI), digital accessibility (ADA) and TCU’s Marketing and Brand Standards.
Non-Monetary Education Affiliation, Revenue, & Intellectual Property Contracts
In addition to service transactions, there are other situations that require a written contract signed by an authorized delegate. Common examples include, but are not limited to, education affiliation, MOU, revenue-generating arrangements, use of TCU trademarks, sharing TCU's confidential information with third parties and TCU consulting services.
In order to successfully request a contract, employees must include the following items:
- Quotes/Pricing
- Quantity (if applicable)
- Scope of Work/Proposal/Detailed Description of Services
- Dates of Service
- Certificate of Insurance (if there is no Master Service Agreement)
TCU often requires insurance protection and indemnification from a supplier to protect the University in the event of a claim or lawsuit. To protect the private information of TCU's students, faculty, and staff some suppliers may be required to agree to additional terms in accordance with Federal laws that govern education records such as FERPA and sensitive private information (SPI). Once determined the contracts require FERPA and SPI protection, the suppliers must provide their services in accordance with laws governing education records (FERPA) and sensitive information (SPI) of our students, faculty, and staff. Some suppliers may be required to agree to additional Marketing and Brand Standard language. If so, they will be required to provide deliverables in a digitally accessible manner and comply with TCU’s marketing and brand standards.
There are several different types of contract.
Any contract/agreement requiring signature related to TCU business must be signed by an authorized signatory.
If you have not received a signature authority delegation memorandum from the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, then you have NO authority to sign a contract related in any way to TCU business.
An employee who signs a TCU contract without the appropriate signature authority assumes personal liability for the contract.
Contracting at TCU
Step 1: Contract Request Entry in Jaggaer
Read your documents and ensure that you upload all pertinent information. Evaluate whether the scope of work and terms reflect the services you need and the deal you negotiated. Please refer to Contract Elements for required documentation.
Step 2: Contract Creation & Review
Once the contract manager approves the contract request, they will create a contract.
Make sure to monitor the contract for any updates and requested information from the
Contracts team.
NOTE: Contract request approval is not the same as contract approval and execution.
Step 3: Contract Approval
Once the Contracts team has all of the necessary information, the contract will be
approved and submitted for signature via Adobe Sign. Your contract is then considered
executed and ready for use.