Number: SOP-TVL-20
Subject: Travel Contracts and Agreements
Summary: How to submit a travel contract or agreement for review and signature.
Source: University Travel Management Services
Date of Issue: 01/27/2026
Rationale
Travel vendor contracts, including hotel room blocks, bus charters, trip bundles, student group tours or outings, frequently contain a signature line with legally binding terms. This procedure exists to ensure all such documents are reviewed and signed by authorized personnel to mitigate legal and financial risk to the university.
Policy FIN-PURCH-01 Purchasing Authority dictates that only individuals with specific signatory authority may sign documents on behalf of Indiana University. IU faculty, staff, and students do not have signatory authority and may not sign agreements on behalf of IU unless it is delegated to them by the Board of Trustees. If you have not been explicitly told that you are able to sign a contract or agreement on behalf of the university, assume you cannot legally sign the document.
Procedure
Determine the Payment Method and Submit the Contract
Departments must determine the appropriate payment method before initiating the contract request. There are three primary methods:
- Purchase Order (PO): Use when the supplier accepts purchase orders and will submit invoices for payment. Submit using the PO Purchasing Contract Request Form.
- Check Request: Use the Prepaid Travel check request form if the supplier requires payment via check and cannot submit an invoice for payment. Submit using the Travel Contract Request Form.
- Meeting Card: Use a Meeting Card when the contract relates to student group travel and the vendor only accepts payment via credit card. Submit using the Travel Contract Request Form.
Contract Review
Purchase Order: Contracts submitted via the PO Purchasing Contract Request Form are reviewed by Purchasing. Purchasing does not begin contract work until the associated requisition routes to them for approval. Visit the Non-Catalog Documentation Library to learn how to submit a requisition.
Check Request or Meeting Card: Contracts submitted via the Travel Contract Request Form are reviewed by Travel Management Services. The contract must be fully signed by Travel Management Services before any goods are vended or services are rendered.
Complete the Purchase
Purchase Order (PO): Purchasing will distribute the signed contract to the supplier. BUY.IU will distribute the PO to the supplier. The supplier must submit invoices to IU for payment.
Check Request: Retrieve the signed contract from BUY.IU and return it to the supplier. Submit a BUY.IU requisition using the Prepaid Travel check request form.
Meeting Card: Retrieve the signed contract from BUY.IU and return it to the supplier. Complete the credit card transaction. The transaction must be reconciled in Emburse Enterprise in accordance with policy FIN-ACC-620: Accountable Plan.
Definitions
- Contract:
- A legally binding agreement between at least two parties. More specifically, between an individual or group representing Indiana University and a party external to IU.
- Meeting Card:
- An IU credit card issued for student group travel expenses; requires reconciliation.
- Quote:
- A document provided by a supplier that outlines the terms and conditions of a potential purchase.
- Reconciliation:
- The process of allocating an expense to a specific departmental account.
- Signatory Authority:
- The ability to legally sign an agreement on behalf of an organization. At IU, signatory authority is held by the Board of Trustees and delegated to specific IU staff.
References
Change Log
| Date | Change description | Completed by |
|---|---|---|
| 01/27/2026 | Initial version. | Juliet Roberts, Priscilla Vincent |