Contract Approval Process

The Policy on Contract Research Management at Stellenbosch University explains the contract approval process in detail. 

To summarise, all research related contracts must be reviewed and approved by the Research Contracts cluster, before signing. This ensures that the regulatory and institutional compliance matters were reviewed and assessed, and that the contracts are acceptable to the University.

To service our internal and external clients best, the Research Contracts cluster serves as a “one-stop-service”, and will therefore facilitate the approval process from inception to signature. The Research Contracts cluster will assist the researcher by directing him/her to the correct support personnel for financial advice, ethical clearance, export or import permits, intellectual property protection, etc.

Depending on the type of contract, specific documentation will be requested, such as:

• Detailed work plan, time-line and milestones
• Budget, funding and payment schedules
• Background Intellectual Property Rights
• Ethical clearance
• Import or export permit
• Responsibilities of the respective parties

In all cases a declaration letter needs to be signed. The objective of the declaration letter is to provide a guarantee from the project leader, the departmental Chair and Dean that the financial and operational risk of the faculty is fully and explicitly cleared and accepted by the concerned responsibility level(s). The signed declaration letter will serve as confirmation that the Faculty approves the performance of the contract / project.

The letter is prepared by the Research Contracts cluster and sent to the Project Leader who is responsible for its completion and delivery to the Departmental Chair and Dean and back to the Research Contracts cluster. Only after receiving the fully signed declaration letter, will the contract be prepared for signature.

The Administrative Officer: Research Contracts, is the central point of enquiry for the Project Leader to determine the status of the contract at any stage. Specific legal enquiries can be directed to the assigned Legal Advisor:

Before signing  a research contract the Vice-Rector (Research), Deans and Departmental chairs / Directors will be informed by the Manager: Research Contracts regarding procedural clearance which followed the research contract to date, as well as any potential risks that need to be highlighted again. The contracts are signed according to the delegated signing authorisation as per university policy and will be facilitated by the Research Contracts Cluster.

Researchers do not have authorisation to legally bind the University by signing research contracts.