Finalizing and Executing the Agreement

Finalizing the Agreement

• Final Negotiations with the Vendor : Subject to any unusual circumstances or unless requested otherwise, the Contracts Office will facilitate the final negotiations with the vendor’s legal office or contract officers.
• Departmental Approval Required : The Contracts Office will maintain continuous consultation with the department, specifically in the area of business issues. Prior to requesting signatures, the Contracts Office will route a final copy of the contract to the department for review, usually via e-mail. Upon approval by the department (typically in an e-mail), the contract will be submitted for signature. Depending on the specific circumstances, either the vendor or UTSA can be the first to sign the agreement.
• Additional Necessary Approvals : Depending upon the nature of the contract, the Contracts Office may request a final review and/or approval from any affected departments or University experts (i.e. O.I.T., Risk Management, Legal Affairs, Auxiliary Svcs., Environmental Safety, Facilities, etc.).

Executing the Agreement: Who can Sign? (Contract Delegation)

Upon completion of negotiations, the Contracts Office will route the Agreement for signature to the vendor and the authorized UTSA individuals. The UT System Regents’ Rules and Regulations require that all contracts be approved by the chief administrative officer or his/her official, authorized delegate (ref. Series 10501, §§ 5 & 6). Only an individual with a written delegation of authority from the President of UTSA may execute and deliver contracts on behalf of the University. A University contract without an authorized signature may be invalid and unenforceable.

Currently, the President has authorized the following positions in this regard:

Completing the File

Filing of an Executed Agreement: Upon final signature and execution of the contract, the original agreement will be routed to the Associate Vice President for Administration for filing. Copies of the Agreement will be maintained in Distribution Services and filed with the procurement documentation. A copy of the Agreement will also be sent to the requesting department and any other interested UTSA offices.

Approvals in POINT : When the agreement is signed, the associated Buyer in the Purchasing Office will approve the original electronic purchase request in the POINT Plus system (PB4). Because the PB4 also authorizes payment to the vendor, approval of the PB4 prior to contract execution will only occur in unusual circumstances.