Under Regents Policy, all University contracts must be on University standard contracts or they must be reviewed and approved by the OGC and signed by an individual who has been expressly delegated to sign it. See Delegations of Authority. Note that, depending on the dollar amount or type of purchase, different levels of authority must approve the purchase. See the "Contracts" section of the OGC website for more details.
If the price of the purchase is $50,000 or more, you must consult the Purchasing Services Department before contacting the OGC. Included within Purchasing's policies are guidelines to help ensure that the University is paying a reasonable price, etc.
The best way to purchase goods is to use the University's standard PO. That will avoid a lengthy period of negotiation. The best way to purchase services is to use the University’s standard Contract for Services. For software and software-as-a-service purchases, including click-through agreements, please follow the directions on the Software Licenses page.
Vendors often ask us to sign their standard contract, or to change our standard forms. OGC must review the Vendor's form or changes to our form. To submit either the Vendor’s form or changes to our form to OGC for review, please complete the Contract Review Form. Follow the instructions within the form, and if directed send it, with all the contract documents, to OGCPurchasing@umn.edu for review.
Please allow 3-4 weeks for the OGC to review your contracts and communicate any deadlines or time-sensitivity. Extensive negotiations with a vendor may take longer.
Contacts: Contracts under $50,000 - ogcpurchasing@umn.edu; over $50,000 contact Purchasing Services