Contracting at CSU

Before negotiating with a vendor for any purchase of goods or services, complete the applicable procurement process required by CSU's Purchasing Policies and related procedures and guidelines.  If you have any questions about CSU's Purchasing Policies or need assistance with the procurement process, please contact CSU's Purchasing Department.

Rule 3344-65-11 of CSU's Purchasing Policies requires all CSU contracts to be reviewed and approved as to legal form by the Office of General Counsel ("OGC") before being signed by the authorized CSU signatory. Therefore, after completing the required procurement process, the next step is negotiating a contract with the vendor and review of the contract by the OGC for legal form.  OGC review and approval as to legal form ensures that CSU contracts comply with applicable contracting laws but does not serve as review or approval of the underlying transaction.  

Use OGC approved contact templates (not vendor forms) whenever possible.  OGC approved contract templates do not need to be reviewed by OGC before signature by the authorized CSU signatory because these templates are already approved as to legal form.  However, if any change other than filling in the blanks is made to the OGC approved contract template, the contract must be reviewed for legal form. Please contact the OGC with any questions about using OGC approved contract templates.

Step 1: Read your contract.  CSU departments/offices are responsible for negotiating the business terms of their contract, reading the contract before submitting for review as to legal form, and making sure that all terms in the contract are clear, accurate, and meet the department's/office's needs.  Basic business terms of a contract include: start date, end date, contract duration, responsibilities and obligations of each party, insurance, warranties, not-to-exceed cost, and payment terms.  The OGC is always available as a resource to discuss and assist with any contracting question or concern.   

Step 2: Approval of insurance coverage.  Submit your contract to CSU's Insurance/Risk Management for approval of/recommendations for insurance coverage.  Note the response on the OGC Contract Routing Form checklist, item #8.  

Step 3: Complete the OGC Contract Routing Form.  The faculty/staff member responsible for managing/monitoring the contract should complete all sections of the Contract Routing Form. 

Step 4: Submit the contract for review as to legal form. Submit the contract in Microsoft Word format, along with the completed Contract Routing Form to the OGC at: legal@csuohio.edu with "Contract Review" in the subject line. If the contract is provided in a format other than Microsoft Word, the review time will likely take longer because other formats are not editable with track changes if editing is necessary due to state law.

Click here for the Office of General Counsel's Contract Routing Form.  

After your contract is approved as to legal form, it is ready for signature by the authorized CSU signatory per CSU's Execution of Documents Policy and Delegation of Signature Authority.

After the contract is fully executed, keep a copy for your department's/office's records in accordance with the University's Record Retention Schedule and email a copy to legal@csuohio.edu for the OGC's records.