When to Submit a Contract Request Through SAP Ariba Contract Module for Review

When a purchasing contract meets any of the following three conditions, additional review is needed before a final signature. In these cases, department requesters should submit a Contract Request through the SAP Ariba contract module. For assistance with identifying suppliers and obtaining proposals, see the training document “Create Sourcing Request.” The three conditions for additional review:

• A supplier has made changes/redlines to a Drexel contract template; and/or
• A supplier is requesting that we contract using their contract template; and/or
• The contract is for an off-site event.

Documents to Submit With Your Contract Request

Requesters must submit the following documents through the SAP Ariba contract request:

• The draft contract
• The supplier’s Certificate of Insurance (COI) if contract language requires it
• A completed Supplier Information Form
• Any recent agreements or amendments with the same supplier
• Third Party Risk Management's security assessment results, if applicable. Complete the Vendor Information Gathering Form to begin the security assessment

What Happens Once a Contract Is Submitted

Once a contract is submitted as a Contract Request in the SAP Ariba contract module, it will be reviewed by the Strategic Sourcing team and flipped into a Contract Workspace for review and signature. The timeline for review can vary based on volume, supplier responsiveness, and the level of review required. Contracts requiring review should be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the contract start date. Possible reviews may include, but are not limited to: General or Research Accounting, Privacy & Compliance, Protection of Minors team, Office of Tax Compliance, Third Party Risk Management, Drexel IT, Environmental Health & Radiation Safety, and Office of the General Counsel (Legal and Risk Management). Upon completion of the contract review process, the Sourcing team will route the final contract to the supplier for signature via DocuSign.

Next Steps After a Contract Is Signed

The result of the contract request process is a finalized purchasing contract that has been signed by a member of the Strategic Sourcing team unless signature authority is otherwise indicated under the Delegation of Authority for Executing Contracts on Behalf of Drexel University Policy (view on Policy Directory).

At this point, department requesters should submit a non-catalog requisition through SAP Ariba to generate a purchase order (PO). Invoices can then be submitted against the PO to issue payment to the supplier. All contracted purchases being paid with a P-card will require a P-card exception approval, as these types of purchases are generally prohibited in Drexel's P-card Policy (view on Policy Directory). If payment will be made with a P-card, the signed contract should be attached to the P-card reconciliation. Please see the Purchasing Card Guidelines for more detailed guidance.

Drexel University is a non-profit educational institution exempt from sales tax on select property or services. The tax-exempt number and certificates may not be used for personal purchase at any time, even if the purchase may be reimbursable by the University. Please visit the Office of Tax Compliance website for details. Tax exemption forms can be accessed in DrexelOne.