In 2021, the Contract Administration group within Business Services was created and implemented a more formalized process for the administration of contracts and agreements. The District is phasing in this process, starting with contracts and agreements that require the review or approval of the School Board. Currently, construction contracts, grant applications, and all Standard Services Contracts (SSCs) are excluded from this process.

LCS Program Areas (District Departments and Schools) are responsible for managing contracts with their vendor partners.  Moving forward, the Contract Administration group will assist and support all LCS programs by:

• Drafting LCS contracts;
• Working with vendors on finalizing contractual language;
• Facilitating legal review;
• Submitting contracts to BoardDocs; and
• Maintaining the official contract file.

We have developed a new District contract and agreement template and updated the current PTSA document to the SSC. We continue to work on creating training and tools for District contract managers.

New Contract Review Process

Impacts: All contracts and agreements requiring School Board review or approval

Excluded: Construction contracts, grant applications, and SSCs

The first change we want to implement focuses on contracts with the highest dollar value and lowest volume. All contracts and agreements requiring Board approval will move through a supported review process. While this represents a change, our goal is to simplify the contracting process for District staff. We want to serve as the District’s contracting liaisons, allowing District Departments to focus on their areas of expertise without the burden of drafting contracts or acting as intermediaries between vendors and attorneys. We know that dealing with small print and terms and conditions can be frustrating, and we want to help!

Program Areas will begin sending all contracts and agreements requiring Board approval to the Contract Administration team at contracts@leonschools.net. Our team will help facilitate the new process, alleviating the Program Areas from this responsibility.

Contracting Process

1. The Program Area will work through any internal review of the purchase, such as the Department Director.
2. After ensuring the purchase is appropriate, follows all required procurement laws/rules/policies, and is ready to finalize, the Program Area will send the draft contract or agreement to the Contract Administrator, Shelly Kelley.
3. The Contract Administrator will assign an LCS contract number, add the contract to our new contract tracking system, and start the official contract file.
4. Contract Administration will review the contract and work with the vendor and Program Area on any questions, concerns, or necessary changes to protect the Program Area and the District and allow the District to hold the vendor accountable.
5. Once these changes have been made, Contract Administration will send the contract to the Board Attorney for legal review.
6. We will work with the vendor and the Board Attorney to finalize any contractual language issues and include the Program Area in all emails and discussions. After the contract is signed, we know that the Program Area will work closely with the vendor. We aim to take on some contract-specific functions while including the Program Area in the communications, not cut the Program Area out of the process.
7. Once the document is finalized, Contract Administration will submit it through BoardDocs to be added to the Board agenda.
8. Once signed, Contract Administration will provide a signed original to the vendor, a signed copy to the Program Area, and will retain the original for LCS in the official contract file.