404: Contract Processing

Procurement and Contract Services Policy & Procedures Manual
Section 400: Contracts
Effective: 7/1/2010
Revision: 1/10/2019

404-001: Department Review & Input Prior to Submittal
404-002: Reserved
404-003: Reserved
404-004: Signature Prior to Commencement
404-005: Electronic Signatures
404-006: Signatures prior to PaCS Review
404-007: Signatures after PaCS Review
404-008: Reserved
404-009: Reserved
404-010: Reserved

404-001: Department Review & Input Prior to Submittal

Departments will first review the contract to be certain the department and contractor are in agreement with the expectations or obligations in the contract. If not in agreement then the department and contractor should discuss until a mutual agreement can be articulated into the written scope of work.

404-002: Reserved

404-003: Reserved

404-004: Signature Prior to Commencement:

Contracts should be signed by an OSU person with contract signature authority prior to commencement of work. Contracts not signed prior to commencement may be considered unauthorized.

404-005: Electronic Signatures

Because OSU has a site-wide license and a risk assessment was completed as required under FIS Policy 511: e-Signature, the preferred form of electronic signatures on contracts issued by PaCS is through the DocuSign system.

Other forms of electronic signatures are acceptable as long as the other party signature is authenticated and documented in the contract file.

404-006: Signatures prior to PaCS Review

Contracts which arrive already signed by the contractor without prior PaCS review, might not be accepted. PaCS advises against departments accepting agreements that have been signed prior to review.

404-007: Signatures after PaCS Review

Generally the agency responsible for drafting the contract or agreement should sign the document last. This allows the other agency time to review, negotiate and make changes with the drafting agency before execution.

Procurement and Contract Services (PaCS) Manual