Creating a Contract

Contracts are added to a project in Stage 3 – In Delivery.

Depending on the options selected in Step 3 – Workflow when the project was first created, there will be one, two, or three contract tabs in this stage.

• Contracts: List of all contracts
• All Contracts at PC: All contracts at Practical Completion
• Contracts in Maintenance: All contracts at In Maintenance

Note: All project members can add contracts to a project, not only the Project Manager.

To get started, click the Add icon at the top of the Contracts tab.

As with all SurePact records, creating a contract is done in steps which are numbered across the top. The project name is filled in automatically, as are other project-related fields. All fields with a red bar are required.

• Step 1 – Details
• Step 2 – Members
• Step 3 – Workflow

Important: The contract will only be successfully created after completing all required fields in all steps. And if you close the contract before completing the Details steps, the contract will not be saved.

Once the contract is created, the user assigned as the Contract Manager will be invited (with notification) to move the contract through its lifecycle. 

Step 1 - Details

Note: In this step, and the following steps, required fields are indicated by a red bar. These fields represent the minimum amount of information needed to proceed through the grant creation workflow.

In this step, fill in as much detail as you can, while adhering to your naming conventions. All characters that populate these fields can be searchable later, so the more detail the better. Click Save New Contract when finished.

Keep in mind that whatever you complete here is not necessarily permanent. Once the contract is created, the Contract Manager can open the contract lifecycle and make any necessary edits.

Many of these fields are rather self-explanatory. But here are some definitions that you may not know:

• Funding Stream(s): One or more funding bodies (organisations, government departments, agencies) from where the funding is likely to come. This field is optional but highly recommended. Funding streams are configured by administration users.
• Name: The name of the contract. If you have an internal reference code for the proposed contract, add it to the name. This will help later when using the search function.
• Reference Number / Other: Internal IDs used within your organisation
• Project / Contract Asset ID: If the contract relates to an existing asset, this is where you would note the asset ID used in your finance system. 
• Reference Document: The document file name of the funding agreement or operational plan of the organisation. Best practice is to refer to a document that mentioned the need or reason for the project (and stick to your naming convention for easy searching!)
• Contract Owner: The person responsible for providing oversight (read: Contract Director). This is commonly the direct line manager of the nominated Contract Manager.
• Contract Manager: The user who can edit the contract and move it through its lifecycle. This person is responsible for ensuring all requirements and/or obligations for the contract are met.
• Self-assessment risk rating: If checked, the Contract Manager can perform a simple, overall risk assessment, or choose not to require a risk assessment. If left unchecked, the workflow will include the SurePact risk profiling tool.

Click Save New Contract to proceed to the next step.

Step 2 - Members

This is where you assign users to the contract team.

Each member must be assigned one of the following member options:

• Risk Approver: Can approve / reject the Risk Profile
• Notification: Will receive contract notifications via email and as notifications.
• View Only: Can view data but cannot make changes for this contract.
• Hide Confidential Data: Cannot view / access any financial data for this contract.

When the team is assembled and ready, click Update Members at the top right or bottom right.

Contract team members can be added, changed, or removed later in the Information section of the contract record.

Step 3 – Workflow

This list lays out the visible stages and steps for the contract lifecycle.

These fields should be ticked if the contract has a maintenance period (also known as a Defect Liability or Rectification period).

• In Maintenance Delivery: Ticking this box adds a workflow stage, in which the contractor will perform any required repairs or maintenance during a designated period (also known as the defect liability period). This period begins after the project has been practically completed and signed off by the organisation (e.g., Council), to ensure that any issues or defects that arise are addressed. During this period, all defects (and their monitoring and resolution) are tracked in the Defects table, part of the In Delivery stage of the contract lifecycle.
• Maintenance Period Review Required: The risks identified at the beginning of the project are reassessed once the project is complete and the maintenance period has started. This review ensures that any new risks or unresolved issues are addressed during the maintenance period.
• Maintenance Period Complete: This marks the end of the maintenance period, during which any identified defects should have been fixed. At this point, the contract is fully completed, and the contractor is released from further maintenance obligations.

Click Update Contract Workflow to save the grant and proceed to Stage 2 – Planning / Assessment