Contracts at SPPS

INTRODUCTION TO CONTRACTS

A contract is any written agreement with terms and conditions between SPPS and another party. Contracts need to be signed by both parties. Contracts are required any time a person or company is brought in to provide services to the district. 

Many activities that occur in schools, departments, and programs obligate district funds and require authorized district signatures. See the Contract Signature Authority Matrix to determine who can sign contracts.

 Some of the most common contracts at SPPS include:

To ensure that the district conforms with Minnesota state laws and board of education policy, all contracts regardless of value, must be processed through the Purchasing & Contract Services Department's eRFP. Purchasing will review the contract language, revise as necessary, and route the contract for the proper approvals and signatures.

Note on contract amendments: If a contract was processed through through the eRFP, the amendment will be handled through this system as well. If the contract was processed through PeopleSoft, use the amendment blank link and process through PeopleSoft.

• Annual & multi-year contracts
• Cooperative agreements
• Fundraising/advertising agreements
• Grants
• Intergovernmental agreements
• Lease/rental agreements
• Maintenance agreements
• Master rental agreements
• Memoranda of understanding (MOU)
• Professional services agreements
• Software license agreements

CONTRACT BASICS

No work should start and no products should be acquired until the contract is final or fully executed (signed by both parties).  If a purchase order is required for the purchasing process, the contract is not final until that purchase order has been issued.

All provisions must be included in the contract.

Some Considerations:

The preferred method for hiring and paying independent contractors is to negotiate a fee that is all-inclusive, which means the total fee includes all related expenses such as travel, supplies, hotel, mileage, meals, etc. See the procedure Hiring an Independent Contractor for more complete information on this process.

If you are planning to hire a current or former district employee as an independent contractor to perform services for the district, see the procedure Hiring District Employees as Consultants for complete information on this process. Human Resources will need to be involved early on.

• If a contract involves obtaining and/or disseminating any student data or information, contact Research Evaluation and Testing before committing to anything
• Indemnification - Are the parties promising to indemnify (compensate for harm or loss) one another if a party to the contract creates liability for the other party?
• Background check is required for anyone that may or will have contact with any students
• Cancellation clause – Usually require that SPPS can cancel without cause with 30 day notice
• Invoice requirements (incomplete invoices won't be paid):
  • Complete name and address
  • Invoice number and date
  • District Purchase Order Number
  • A complete description of services performed and on what dates, the hours worked(when and where and what specific times)

CONTRACT RESOURCES

• Contracts and Contractors - SPPS Procedures
• eRFP Login for Staff
• eRFP System Overview
• eRFP Frequently Asked Questions
• Contract Signature Authority Matrix
• Services Matrix

CONTRACT ASSISTANCE

• Contract Checklist

• Contract Process Duties
• Contract Manager Responsibilities
• Contract Amendment Basics
• Use of Federal Funds for Contracted Goods or Services