Welcome

The purpose of this website is to provide information about the contracting process at the University and assist faculty and staff in negotiating and formalizing written contracts.

Written Agreements

Whenever the University takes on an obligation to another party, a written agreement is the best way to prevent misunderstandings and problems. The provisions of the agreement may physically be contained in a variety of formats. Examples include preprinted contract forms (with or without modification), terms and conditions, purchase orders, letters containing the terms of an agreement, leases, and waivers.

Whatever the format, the agreement should comply with University contracting requirements in order to protect the University’s interests and ensure that the University does not assume inappropriate risks (like agreeing to pay another party in full regardless of performance). For certain transactions, the University has its own standard contracts, which provide the University with the greatest protection.

Authority to Bind the University

University employees, including officers, faculty and staff, may bind the University only if they have been delegated specific authorization to do so. In order to determine which individuals have authority to bind the University, please refer to the University's Transaction Authority Policy and consult with your supervisor.  Students do not have authority to bind the University.  Questions about the policy may be addressed to University Counsel Yoo-Kyeong Kudo (8-7789), or General Counsel Ramona Romero (8-2511), in the Office of the General Counsel.

Getting Started

If you are new to the Contracting Website, we recommend that you begin by clicking on either Transactions Via Procurement Services or Other Transactions, depending on the type of transaction you are considering. From there you can navigate to information on the University’s contracting requirements for your particular transaction.

For answers to common questions about written contracts and the contracting process at the University, please refer to Contract FAQs.

Princeton University’s Contracting Website was created by the Office of the General Counsel in consultation with Procurement Services.