Contracts and Procurement

Contracts

For payment information please see the Business Office Website.

 Templates and Forms

We have recently updated our contract templates. To assist you in selecting the appropriate template, please refer to the Agreement Guide For the most up-to-date versions, please ensure you always use the templates available on our website.

Agreement Guide

For International Visitors

Required forms for International Visitors are available below and in our Adobe Sign Library Templates.

 Contract Review and Signature Requirements

  • Please complete your contracts well in advance and before payment is requested. 
  • If using a vendor provided contract review the information and understand what we are agreeing to.
  • University Vice Presidents have signing authority for those contracts that are less than $25,000, excluding Information Technology Contracts and Off-Campus Event Contracts.
  • The Vice President of Finance & Administration must sign the following contracts:
      • $25,000 or more,
      • Finance and Administration Contracts
      • Information Technology Contracts
      • Off-Campus Event Contracts

All contracts requiring Lenora Chapman’s signature must be emailed to Erica Smith before requesting signature via Adobe Sign.

Technology/Funding Approvals

  • Contracts for Technology require the review and signature of Director of Information Technology, David Sanchez.
  • Contracts utilizing grant funds require the review and signature of Gift and Grant Accountant, Maria Kruger.
  • Contracts utilizing project funds require the review and signature of Senior Accountant, Stephanie Brooks.
  • Contracts utilizing endowment funds require the review and signature of the Assistant Controller, (until this position is filled please send to Jennifer Martinka for review and signature)

All contracts should cc: contracts@southwestern.edu in Adobe Sign.

Signature Workflow

The signing process for contracts should be a seamless, continuous loop, commencing with the initiation of the vendor’s signature and subsequently progressing through SU signatures in accordance with the hierarchy of approval levels.

Academic Affairs, Student Life, Recruitment & Enrollment, University Relations, Integrated Communications

Signature Workflow

*For any agreements requiring signature by the Vice President of Finance and Administration, list Director of Contracts and Procurement, as the signer. The Director of Contracts and Procurement will review the agreement a second time and delegate it to the Vice President of Finance and Administration for Signature.

**Some departments may have additional signatures/delegations internally ex. Department chairs, administrative assistants, etc. contact Erica Smith with questions.

 Finance and Administration (Business Office, HR, IT, Facilities, Title IX, Budgeting and Planning, Contracts and Procurement) should follow the signature workflow below.

Finance and Administration Workflow

* List the Director of Contracts and Procurement as the signer. The Director of Contracts & Procurement will review the agreement a second time and delegate it to the Vice President of Finance and Administration for Signature.

All contracts should cc: contracts@southwestern.edu in Adobe Sign.

After Signature is Complete
Upon the successful completion of the signature process, all signatories should receive a finalized document from Adobe Sign. The contract originator must coordinate with the designated members within their department to process payment and save the contract and any supplementary documents in Southwestern’s Bonfire Contract Management System. For inquiries concerning payment matters, please refer to the Business Office. Any queries related to Southwestern’s Bonfire Contract Management System should be directed to the Director of Contracts and Procurement.

Insurance

Resources are provided below to request Southwestern University’s insurance certificate or request one on behalf of guests/third parties.  EIIA’s Insurance Guidelines are also provided for reference.

 

 

 

Bonfire Contract Management

Bonfire is Southwestern University’s campus-wide contract management system.  Resources are provided below to assist users.  Please contact Erica Smith, Director of Contracts and Procurement, for assistance.

Bonfire
Bonfire How-To Videos