Frequently Asked Questions

Who can sign contracts on behalf of the System?

The Chancellor has less than $100,000 delegated signature authority. Vice Chancellors and Presidents – for less than $50,000 – have delegated signature authority. The Vice Chancellors and Presidents if they desire can delegate signature authority to a staff member for less than $25,000, by filling out and signing the "Delegation of Authority Memorandum" form.  This form, once completed should be forwarded to the Office of General Counsel and to Purchasing.

What is a standard agreement?

Standard agreements are agreements created and approved by the Office of General Counsel. These agreements may be used by LSC departments without further OGC approval, unless modifications are made to the agreement, in which case it will need to come to our office for review and approval.

Which standard agreement is appropriate for my situation?

The Contract Documents link on this website has a link titled "Descriptions of Standard Agreements". This link provides a description of the standard agreements.  If after reviewing, you are still not sure which agreement to use, you can contact the Office of General Counsel and we can help you determine which is the correct agreement to use.

What language provisions should I look out for in a contract?

• LSCS Board Policy does not allow agreements with a term exceeding five years.
• LSCS, as a Texas institution of higher education, is unable to "indemnify" other parties.
• As a general rule, LSCS avoids arbitration or other dispute resolution processes, and instead follows the dispute resolution process outline in Section 2251 of the Texas Government Code.
• If a vendor is providing a service on LSCS property, typically LSCS will require the vendor to have insurance coverage in place.
• Contracts should contain sufficient detail to avoid confusion. A proper example of a "payment provision" might be: "For the services provided under this agreement, LSCS will pay Contractor a fee not to exceed $10,000.00.  Payment will be made within 45 days of receipt of proper, detailed invoices".

How do I get a contract approved?

Complete the Contract Coversheet and submit the coversheet, two copies of the contract and any exhibits to the Office of General Counsel.  The Office of Contract Compliance will review the documents for compliance purposes and then forward to our counsel for review and approval. Once approved, we will route the agreements to the originator to obtain the proper signatures.

Which type of contracts require approval by the Office of General Counsel?

Any contract or written agreement which is not a Standard Agreement. These agreements are referred to as "non-standard" and are usually provided by vendors, contractors, and other parties.