“The Contracts Administration team drafts, negotiates, or reviews more than 2,000 contracts annually on behalf of the DeKalb County School District, providing legal support to all departments, schools, and administrative offices across the district. To ensure legal compliance and mitigate risk, all agreements must be routed through and approved by the Office of Legal Affairs prior to signature. Legal review is a critical step to ensure that agreements comply with applicable laws, district policies, insurance requirements, and best practices for contract management.
Any department or school seeking to engage a vendor for services must follow the procedures established by Vendor Services within the Finance Department. This includes verifying that the vendor is properly registered and in good standing with the district. Engaging unregistered or unapproved vendors may result in delays or the inability to process payments.
To assist with the contract process, the Contract Administration team provides standard contract templates (also known as form contracts) that may be used by district staff when working with external vendors. Using these pre-approved templates can help streamline the contracting process.
All contract-related procedures must align with the DeKalb County Board of Education Policy DJEG: Purchasing, which governs procurement practices, spending thresholds, and approval requirements across the district. Familiarity with this policy is essential for anyone involved in purchasing or contracting activities on behalf of the District.
If you have questions about the appropriate steps or need assistance with a specific contract, contact the Office of Legal Affairs for guidance.”
