SIGNATURE AUTHORITY

Assigning Signature Authority

The Senior Vice President of Finance is solely authorized to assign

signature authority limits to personnel delegated the authority to
commit <Author> funds. The authority is normally based on an
individual’s job classification and is always confirmed by letter. The
letter outlines the limits and applications of authority under which the
individual may commit funds. An individual’s signature authority may
vary depending on specific job requirements and the individual’s
contract administration experience.

Signature authority is issued on individual basis and is not transferable

to other persons. Upon assignment of contract administration
personnel, the Contracts Manager issues a memo to the Senior Vice
President of Finance requesting the signature authorities for those
personnel. Upon termination, the Contracts Manager notifies the
Senior Vice President of Finance so that the authority can be
terminated, and all concerned personnel notified.

Using the Appropriate Authority Level

Contract administration personnel are authorized to sign purchase

orders or contracts on their assigned projects up to their authorized
signature level. When the commitment is greater than that authority
level, the appropriate level of authority must ultimately approve the
commitment.

This process is accomplished by the use of an Award /Commitment

Authorization Form. The Contract Administrator completes the form
in accordance with procedures and forwards it, along the proposed
contract to the next higher authority within his or her contract
administration chain of command. That party signs the form and
forwards it on until the ultimate authority to approve the commitment
is reached. The ultimate authority signs the form, initials the
documents, and returns them to the responsible Contract
Administrator, who may then execute (sign) the contract for <Author>
after the successful contractor has executed the contract.

The Contract Administrator may sign all change orders or

modifications as long as the total revised value of the contract order
does not exceed their signature authority, otherwise the same process
as stated above shall be followed for change orders.