The University has implemented a new contract management tool called ContractsND that is now available and will become mandatory as of July 1. The system is a component of buyND, but it has been configured in partnership with Notre Dame General Counsel (NDGC) to be the default pathway for contracts to be executed for the University.

The aim is to ensure compliance with Notre Dame policy and contractual terms, to provide greater visibility of the contract process and store copies in a reliable and accessible repository, and to make contract management more efficient.

I’ve outlined below the process for managing contracts appropriately, but I want to clarify two points:

First, for our purposes, a contract is any agreement that includes terms and conditions, and requires a signature. An example might be signing an agreement for a block of hotel rooms or arranging for new software. Contracts cover a lot of areas, so if you’re unsure, please contact me or to finance team member Emilia Taylor. We will be happy to review your document and advise.

Second, the authority to sign a contract on the University’s behalf is restricted to only designated individuals as determined by the Operational Delegation of Authority. For Mendoza, the University has designated sole authority to Dean Martijn Cremers to sign contracts up to a value of $250,000. He has sub-delegated this responsibility to me for operations-related contracts and to Ken Kelley for research/data related contracts.

This is an important point: No one else at Mendoza is authorized to approve or sign contracts. Further, contracts with a value above $250,000 require the signature of the University provost or the president.

If you are considering a contractual agreement on behalf of the University, here are the next steps:

1. You should submit the contract to Emilia along with the following background information:

2. Emilia will submit the contract and background information for a legal review to the Notre Dame General Counsel’s Office via ContractsND.

3. Once General Council approves the contract, they will route it back to Mendoza for review and signature (Martijn or myself). If the contract involves research, data or software, David Yeh and Brandon Greenawalt may review it and advise as well.

4. When the contract has been executed, copies will be stored in the University Contract Repository.

One more thing to note: In the past, you may have contacted Beth Smith for help in getting contracts signed. With the implementation of ContractsND, Emilia is now taking over this responsibility. Many thanks to Beth for her help managing the College contracts over the past nine years!

I expect that as the ContractsND tool is brought fully online, there will be some additional information and training opportunities. It's important that we understand how contracts should be handled so that we act as good stewards of the resources and responsibilities entrusted to us and to avoid potential misunderstandings down the line. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

In Notre Dame,

Doug

Doug Franson
Director of Finance & Facilities