University Hall clock tower seen through green leafed trees

Office of Legal Counsel and Compliance

Procedure for Designation of Signature Authority Policy 265

Effective Date: 2/13/2024

Policy Page

CLICK HERE to download/view this procedure in a table format.

Appendix 2 – Delegation Summaries 

The information presented here indicate types of contracts in which signature authority has been delegated and may not be further delegated. Contracts must be signed by one of the parties indicated as having authority to sign, by the immediate supervisor of the individual designated as having signature authority below, or by the President. Individuals who sign contracts should ensure that prior to signing, the contracts have been appropriately reviewed. 

Affiliation Agreements 

  • Type of Contract: Academic agreement with foreign institutions. Routing for Review: VP for Educational Initiatives and Innovation; Legal Counsel. Authority to Execute: President 
  • Type of Contract: Academic agreements with other institutions/entities. Routing for Review: Dean; Legal Counsel; and if a graduate program, Dean of Graduate Studies. Authority to Execute: Director of Academic Budgets and Personnel; Provost 
  • Type of Contract: Internship Placement Agreements. Routing for Review: Director of Experiential Learning & Career Services. Authority to Execute: Director of Academic Budgets and Personnel; Provost 
Athletic Agreements 
  • Type of Contract: Multi-year coach contract. Routing for Review: Athletic Director; Legal Counsel; President. Authority to Execute: Commissioner of Higher Education. 
Construction Contracts

(Authority to execute for contracts over $75,000 is with State A&E unless delegated to VP Operations and Finance) 

  • Type of Contract: Physical Plant Construction. Routing for Review: Facilities Services Director; Associate Director Planning, Design, and Construction. Authority to Execute: VP Operations and Finance. 
  • Type of Contract: Modification/alteration to buildings. Routing for Review: Facilities Services Director; Associate Director Planning, Design, and Construction. Authority to Execute: VP Operations and Finance. 
Employment Agreements 
  • Type of Contract: Offer/Hire Letters for Tenure/Tenure Track Faculty. Routing for Review: Dept head; Dean; HR; Provost. Authority to Execute: Provost. 
  • Type of Contract: Offer/Hire Letters for Contract Professionals (BOR). Routing for Review: Dept. Head; Director; HR. Authority to Execute: Appropriate VP; Dean. 
  • Type of Contract: BOR Contracts. Routing for Review: President; HR. Authority to Execute: President. 
  • Type of Contract: Letter of Appointment – Adjunct; non-tenured faculty; research professional; grant funded professional. Routing for Review: Dept. Head; HR. Authority to Execute:Appropriate Dean/VP. 
  • Type of Contract: Summer session appointments. Routing for Review: Dept. Head; HR; Dean. Authority to Execute: Appropriate Dean. 
  • Type of Contract: Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant Contracts. Routing for Review: Funding approver; Dept. Chair. Authority to Execute: Appropriate VP. 
  • Type of Contract: Severance/Separation Agreements. Routing for Review: HR; Legal Counsel; Appropriate Dean/Director/VP/President. Authority to Execute: VP O&F. 
Facilities Use Agreements
  • Type of Contract: Sports Facilities. Routing for Review: Adams Center Director; Senior Associate Athletic Director Facilities & Events. Authority to Execute: Athletic Director. 
  • Type of Contract: Missoula College Facilities. Routing for Review: Associate Dean. Authority to Execute: Conference and Event Services-Director Event Support & Planning. 
  • Type of Contract: Filming on campus. Routing for Review: Legal Counsel; Marketing & Communications News Service Associate Director. Authority to Execute: VP Marketing and Communications  
  • Type of Contract: Outdoor Locations Use. Routing for Review: AVP Campus Operations, Preparedness & Response. Authority to Execute: Director Conference & Event Services- Director Event Support & Planning. 
  • Type of Contract: Other Facilities Use. Routing for Review: AVP Campus Operations, Preparedness & Response, Applicable Building Manager/Dean. Authority to Execute: Director Conference & Event Services- Director Event Support & Planning. 
Federal and State Regulatory Agreements
  • Type of Contract: Permits. Licenses, Declarations, applications filed with state local or federal regulatory agencies on behalf of UM. Routing for Review: Dept. Head, Safety & Risk Management, Facilities Director. Authority to Execute: Appropriate Director.
Intellectual Property Agreement types 
  • Type of Contract: Option or License Agreement (University owned inventions or creative works). Routing for review: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to execute: AVP Research Compliance and Tech Transfer. 
  • Type of Contract: Material Transfer Agreement. Routing for review: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to execute: AVP Research Compliance and Tech Transfer. 
  • Type of Contract: Intellectual Property Assignment (sale of University IP rights). Routing for Review: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to Execute: VP Research 
  • Type of Contract: Non-Use Non-Disclosure Agreement (Confidentiality Agreement). Routing for Review: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to Execute: AVP Research Compliance and Tech Transfer. 
  • Type of Contract: Research Collaboration or Inter-Institutional Agreement. Routing for Review: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to Execute: AVP Research Compliance and Tech Transfer. 
  • Type of Contract: Revenue Sharing Agreement. Routing for Review: Faculty. Authority to Execute: n/a. 
  • Type of Contract: Research Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (no financial terms). Routing for Review: Faculty Dept. Head. Authority to Execute: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. 
  • Type of Contract: Inventor Assignment Agreement. Routing for Review: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to Execute: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. 
  • Type of Contract: Patent and Trademark Prosecution Documents. Routing for Review: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to Execute: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. 
  • Type of Contract: UM Brand Trademark Licensing and Marketing. Routing for Review: Director of Trademarks and Licensing. Authority to Execute: Director of Trademarks and Licensing. 
  • Type of Contract: UMOnline Course Authorship Agreements. Routing for Review: Program Director. Authority to Execute: VP Educational Initiatives and Innovation. 
Lease Agreement types
  • Type of Contract: Equipment Lease/Use Agreement (excluding research leases). Routing for Review: UM as lessor, Dept. Head/Dean, Legal Counsel. If research equipment, AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to Execute: VP O&F. If research equipment, AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. 
  • Type of Contract: Real Property Lease (5 years or less, land and building space). Routing for Review: UM as Lessee, Dept. Head/Dean, Facilities Services Director, Legal. Authority to Execute: VP O&F. 
  • Type of Contract: Real Property Lease (2 years or less or renewal). Routing for Review: UM as Lessor, Dept. Head/Dean, Facilities Services Director, Legal Counsel. If research facility/lab, AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to Execute: VP O&F. If research facility/lab, AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. 
  • Type of Contract: Real Property Lease (>2 years). Routing for Review: UM as Lessor, Dept. Head/Dean, Facilities Services Director, Legal Counsel. If research facility/lab, AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer, BOR. Authority to Execute: VP O&F. If research facility/lab, AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. 
Litigation Settlements 
  • Type of Contract: All litigation settlements or payments. Routing for Review: Legal Counsel, President. Authority to Execute: VP O&F. 

Purchasing Agreements 

The State of Montana General Services Division entered into a Procurement Delegation Agreement (PDA) with UM. This agreement allows the UM Procurement Office to further delegate purchasing authority across UM and to affiliate campuses. The authority granted is in accordance with the Procurement Delegation Agreement. 

The information below provides signature authority levels. There are some exceptions to this, which are too extensive to include below. For example, departments are not authorized to issue contracts for vehicles, photocopiers, etc. When buying goods and services on behalf of your department, please ensure you are authorized to sign the contract (see Contract and Signature Authority Policy). When in doubt, please contact the Procurement Office prior to signing any document that legally binds the University. The University must comply with the Montana Procurement Act, Title 18 of the Montana Code Annotated. 

Please refer to the UM Procurement website. 

The 91次元, including departments and affiliate campuses, must use the most current form of the UM Standard Contract Language (Standard Statements and Boilerplate Terms and Conditions), RFP templates, Limited Solicitation forms, Sole Source/Sole Brand Justification forms, and all pertinent standard statements and standard forms in their entirety unless exceptions are approved by the General Services Division. 

The UM Office of Legal Counsel must approve any contract that is not an approved UM template, prior to award. 

All vendor requests for exceptions to UM’s Standard Contract Language or contract templates requirements must be approved in writing by UM Office of Legal Counsel, and in certain instances, the State Procurement Bureau. 

The following identifies who has authority to sign contracts as articulated in the Procurement Delegation Authority from the State of Montana:

Type of Contract: "Controlled Items" such as New Vehicles, Photocopiers, etc. 
Authority to Execute (up to $25,000): UM Procurement Office. 
Authority to Execute (up to $50,000): UM Procurement Office. 
Authority to Execute (up to $250,000): UM Procurement Office. 

Type of Contract: Departmental Purchase Order (DPO). 
Authority to Execute (up to $25,000): All UM departments and affiliate campuses. 
Authority to Execute (up to $50,000): UM-Missoula Auxiliary Services; Facilities Services. 
Authority to Execute (up to $250,000): UM Procurement Office. 

Type of Contract: Contracted Services Agreement. 
Note: Departments must obtain OSP signature on any CSA over $5,000 using OSP funds. 
Authority to Execute (up to $25,000): All UM departments and affiliate campuses. 
Authority to Execute (up to $50,000): UM-Missoula Auxiliary Services; Facilities Services. 
Authority to Execute (up to $250,000): UM Procurement Office. 

Type of Contract: Cooperative Agreements: Inter-governmental agreements for research purposes. 
Authority to Execute (up to $25,000): All UM departments. 
Authority to Execute (up to $50,000): UM-Missoula Auxiliary Services; Facilities Services. 
Authority to Execute (up to $250,000): UM Procurement Office. 

Type of Contract: Cooperative Agreements with Montana political subdivisions or other state or local governments. 
Note: Departments must obtain prior approval from the State Procurement Bureau (SPB) prior to contract award. 
Authority to Execute (up to $25,000): All UM departments and affiliate campuses. 
Authority to Execute (up to $50,000): UM-Missoula; Auxiliary Services; Facilities Services. Prior approval required from the State Purchasing Bureau. 
Authority to Execute (up to $250,000): UM Purchasing Department with prior approval from the State Purchasing Bureau. 

Type of Contract: No Cost Contracts. 
Authority to Execute (up to $25,000): All UM departments and affiliate campuses. 
Authority to Execute (up to $50,000): UM-Missoula; Auxiliary Services; Facilities Services. 
Authority to Execute (up to $250,000): UM Procurement Office. 

*The authority granted above is in accordance with the Procurement Delegation Agreement.

Real Property
  • Type of Contract: Sale. Routing for Review: Legal Counsel, President, BOR, Board of Land Commissioners. Authority to Execute: President or designee. 
  • Type of Contract: Exchange. Routing for Review: Legal Counsel, President, BOR, Board of Land Commissioners. Authority to Execute: President or designee. 
  • Type of Contract: Easement. Routing for Review: Legal Counsel, President, BOR. Authority to Execute: President or designee. 
Research Agreements
  • Type of Contract: Federal, state grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements for performance of research. Routing for Review: OSP. Authority to Execute: Director OSP. 
  • Type of Contract: Sponsored Research Agreements with private entities for research. Routing for Review: OSP. Authority to Execute: Director OSP. 
  • Type of Contract: Subcontracts. Routing for Review: OSP. Authority to Execute: Director OSP. 
  • Type of Contract: Business Assoc. Agreements (HIPAA); Data Use/Sharing Agreements. Routing for Review: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. Authority to Execute: AVP Research Compliance/Tech Transfer. 
Other Agreements
  • Type of Contract: Any contract or agreement not specified. Routing for Review: Legal Counsel, Dean/Director. Authority to Execute: Appropriate VP, VP O&F.