Contract Negotiation

After a grant or contract award is received, the CA team is responsible for negotiating award terms and securing institutional approval for award acceptance. A contract is a legally binding document that serves as a procurement mechanism to acquire property or services for the direct benefit or use of the sponsor. Contracts entail specific obligations and define specific details of the legal relationship between both the sponsor and recipient.

• Negotiating contracts can be time-consuming.
• Generally, the negotiation of an award takes about five to ten business days; however, this process may take longer if conditions of the contract must be further negotiated between parties.
• During the negotiation process, the CA team may consult with the UNF General Counsel, Environmental Health and Safety, and other UNF departments regarding terms and conditions of the grant or contract agreement.

Signature Authority

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• Individual faculty and staff are not authorized to provide signatures for grants and contracts.
• ORSP has approved Delegation of Authority to sign grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements on behalf of the University.
  • Only an authorized representative can sign certain documents on behalf of the University. Click here to see who is an authorized representative to sign grants and contracts.
  • Contracts and grants that are for more than $1,000,000 must be approved and executed by the University President.
   
• Grants and contracts are submitted and negotiated in the University's name, University of North Florida Board of Trustees.
• Only those persons authorized to sign grants and contracts can provide a legal binding signature.
• A contract or grant will be awarded after it is fully executed (i.e., once all required signatures by both parties have been secured).