A contract is any document that imposes an obligation on the University or legally binds the University to another party. Contracts can be used to purchase goods or services, detail a relationship between two entities or persons, or include the responsibilities and obligations of one party to another. A contract can be called a variety of things including, but not limited to, Agreement, Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA), Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Letter Agreement, Affiliation Agreement, Waiver, Grant Agreement, Lease, or License. Contracts do not always involve the payment of funds from one party to another. Terms and conditions that you have to accept or “click-through” prior to using an online product or service are also contracts and may bind the individual user or the university that the user represents. While contracts may be in verbal form and still be valid, Appalachian State University requires that all contracts be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of each party.
Contracts should be routed to the appropriate administrative office for review and processing as follows:
- For any purchases of goods, please contact the Office of Materials Management.
- For any contract involving a grant, research, or sponsored project please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs.
- For entertainment contracts or to use the Personal/Professional Services Template please login and make a request through the University’s Total Contract Manager software.
- Any other contracts, including software agreements, should follow the process set forth in Appalachian State University Policy 102.1, University Contracts and Delegation of Signature Authority.
If you have questions related to any contract, the contract process, or where to route a contract, please feel free to contact the Office of General Counsel.