Contracts Decoded Training Series Recap
Navigating contracts requires balancing legal compliance, risk management, and operational efficiency throughout the contracting process. In response to systemwide interest, the CollegeBuys Professional Development Workgroup developed a four-part webinar series titled Contracts Decoded to provide our educational institutions and public agencies with a clearer approach to contracting.
The series brought together Angelic Davis, Director of Purchasing, Printing, and Mail Services at Mt. San Antonio College, and Christopher Fallon, a partner at Liebert Cassidy Whitmore. Together, they guided attendees through the entire contract lifecycle—from the elements that render a contract valid to the essential practices for post-execution management.
The training kicked off with the fundamentals of public agency contracting, covering essential legal validity, signing authority, and common agreement types, including SaaS platforms, MOUs, and purchase orders. Angelic and Chris emphasized that institutions cannot enter into oral contracts and that every written agreement requires formal board approval for public agencies. They also highlighted critical statutory term limits, such as three-year caps for supplies and five-year caps for services, and cautioned against common pitfalls, such as allowing work to start prior to execution, accepting unreviewed vendor templates, and maintaining inadequate insurance provisions.
Building on that baseline, the second and third sessions concentrated on risk management and negotiation strategy. The presenters dissected high-risk clauses, including indemnification, limitations of liability, and governing law, while contrasting typical vendor-favorable language with balanced, protective alternatives. To strengthen negotiation leverage, they advised attendees to thoroughly research vendors, enforce standard templates, and align liability terms with total contract value. They also shared practical tactics for safeguarding assets and addressed emerging issues, such as AI-related contract provisions.
The series concluded with a deep dive into contract administration and long-term oversight. Chris and Angelic stressed that effective contract management demands active, continuous monitoring rather than a passive “set-it-and-forget-it” mindset. Through real-world case studies, they demonstrated how administrative missteps such as missed renewal windows, informal scope creep, and inconsistent enforcement can undermine an institution’s legal standing. The final session provided actionable guidance on deploying standard templates, establishing proper approval routing, maintaining centralized tracking calendars, and escalating issues early to mitigate potential disputes.
CollegeBuys extends its sincere gratitude to the Professional Development Workgroup for their dedication to curating these sessions, with special thanks to Angelic Davis for her leadership in bringing this initiative to fruition, and to Christopher Fallon for generously sharing his legal expertise throughout the series.
For those who were unable to attend the training sessions, recordings of the series are available in the Vision Resource Center (VRC).
