Advice and guidance on the benefits of maintaining a contract register plus a template of a contract register

A contract register details the contracts and service level agreements that a school has in place. It is a useful tool for planning, in a timely manner the completion, extension or renewal of a contract.

You should review contracts due to expire to determine the school’s future requirements and the options for meeting those requirements. It is also important to set a trigger date in the register of when the procurement method, needs to commence. This ensures sufficient time is allowed to; for example, undertake a quotation or tendering exercise, prior to the expiry of the contract.

It is recommended that the contract register is reviewed against the school budget reports and the school development plan to ensure all relevant expenditure has been included.

Allowing sufficient time to plan procurement activity can save your school money as the more urgent the need for the service or product, the greater the cost is likely to be, or the less likely the specification will be met in full.

Contract Register Template 

A contract register typically includes the following information but can be adapted to suit the school’s needs:

•          Contract Title
•          Short Description of Contract
•          Supplier Name
•          Contract Start Date
•          Contract End Date
•          Termination Details
•          Trigger Date
•          Annual Amount (current year)
•          Total Contract Value (duration of contract)
•          Method of Procurement
•          Responsible Officer