This is an abbreviated list of our FAQs. Access the full list available on our CONNECT page: Procurement | OCA: FAQs.
A contract is a written agreement between two or more parties that creates a legally binding obligation—financial or otherwise. Common examples include: affiliation agreements, intellectual property, nondisclosure, events, medical director and professional service agreements, leases and purchase orders for goods or services.
According to Regents Rule 03.900 all contracts involving the UNT System or any of its Institutions must:
- Be in writing
- Be approved and signed by someone with proper delegated signature authority
If someone without this authority signs a contract, it may not be legally binding on the UNT System or Institution. In such cases, the individual who signed it could be held personally responsible.
NOTE: The delegation for CONTRACTS is separate and different from delegations/authorizations for budgetary Chart of Accounts or DeptIds.
The Office of General Counsel has developed Standard Addendums that can be attached to any contract between third parties and the System or an Institution. When both parties sign the Standard Addendum, its terms become part of the contract. This ensures the agreement complies with State of Texas contracting requirements. Please see the Contracting Handbook on OGC’s website for more information.
Contracts are reviewed and processed in the order they are received. Processing times may range from one business day to several weeks depending on several factors, including:
- The complexity of the contract and required reviews
- The number of contracts currently awaiting review
- Availability of University personnel involved in the review process
- Availability of authorized signatories needed to execute the agreement
- Responsiveness of the external party during negotiations or revisions
Requests for rush or priority processing may be accommodated on a case-by-case basis; however, expedited review cannot be guaranteed.
Only individuals who have been formally delegated contract signature authority in writing by the UNT System Board of Regents, the UNT System Chancellor, or a campus President (or their designee) are authorized to sign contracts.
These delegations are documented by memorandum and outlined in Regents Rule 03.900.