Post-award contract management is where you earn the money you bid and the reference you will cite next time. The work is less exciting than writing the proposal: a kickoff meeting, monthly reports, invoices, the occasional change order, partner agreements and a closeout file. Yet this is where small contractors most often lose margin, through unpaid changed work, rejected invoices and missed deliverables. This chapter gives you six copy-ready post-award contract management templates, explains the rules behind each one, and shows how to adapt them for construction, IT, professional services and nonprofit contracts.
Use it with After award: contract kickoff and the first 90 days in the proposal-writing handbook. The templates are plain text with [SQUARE_BRACKET] placeholders. When your contract prescribes a form, format or system, the contract wins.
Post-award contract management templates at a glance
Every contract moves through the same stages after award. The template for each stage gives you a record the buyer recognizes and an audit trail you can rely on if something goes wrong.
- Stage 1: Award and paperwork
Executed contract, insurance, bonds, payee setup.
- Stage 2: Kickoff
Shared understanding of scope, authority, reports and invoicing.
- Stage 3: Perform and report
Deliverables, monthly status reports, performance measures.
- Stage 4: Invoice and get paid
Proper invoices with support, tracked to payment.
- Stage 5: Manage changes
Notice, priced requests, signed modifications.
- Stage 6: Close out
Final deliverables, final payment, releases, records, references.
| Template | When you use it | Who owns it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contract kickoff agenda | In the first weeks after award or notice to proceed | Your project manager, with the buyer's contract manager | Settles contacts, authority, reporting and invoicing before problems start |
| Monthly status report | Every reporting period the contract sets, usually monthly | Project manager | Documents progress and risk, and builds your performance record |
| Invoice cover letter | With each invoice, where the buyer accepts one | Billing or contracts lead | Helps the invoice count as proper so the payment clock starts |
| Change order request | Whenever scope, schedule or cost changes | Project manager and contracts lead | Protects your right to be paid for changed work |
| Teaming and subcontract term sheet | Before the proposal, then again before the subcontract is signed | Owner or contracts lead, with counsel | Puts workshare, money and exit terms in writing |
| Contract closeout checklist | From the last deliverable until the file is closed | Contracts lead | Collects final payment, releases, records and references |
- Contracting officer (CO)
The government official with authority to sign, change and terminate the contract. On federal contracts, only a contracting officer acting within their authority can sign a modification. State, city and private buyers name an equivalent, such as a contract manager or purchasing agent.
- Contracting officer's representative (COR)
A technical representative who monitors performance day to day. Under federal rules, a COR has no authority to make commitments or changes that affect price, quality, quantity, delivery or other terms.
- Notice to proceed (NTP)
A written instruction to start work. Common in construction and in contracts that must be approved or registered before work begins.
- Modification
A written change to the contract signed by the authorized official. Change orders, funding actions and option exercises are all modifications.
- Equitable adjustment
A fair change to price, schedule or both that reflects a change in the work.
- Proper invoice
An invoice that contains everything the contract and the payment rules require. Payment deadlines usually run from receipt of a proper invoice.
- Retainage
A percentage of each payment held back until the work is complete. Common in construction.
- Closeout
The steps that finish a contract on paper: final deliverables, final invoice and payment, releases, property, reports and records.
What should you do in the first 30 days after award?
The day you receive the award, open a contract file and build a deliverables register: every report, meeting, submittal, certification and invoice the contract requires, with due dates and owners. Your compliance matrix from the proposal is the starting point, because the promises you made in the proposal are now obligations.
Step 1: Confirm the contract is in force
Do not start work until you hold a fully executed contract, purchase order or written notice to proceed. Some contracts must be approved or registered first: New York City contracts must be registered before they take effect, and many New York State agency contracts need approval from the state's contract approval authority. See award and notification.
Step 2: Return the paperwork
Insurance certificates (often naming the buyer as additional insured), performance and payment bonds, tax forms and any signed key personnel or subcontractor forms. See bonding, insurance and compliance requirements.
Step 3: Set up to get paid
Complete payee setup and electronic payment enrollment, find the invoicing system or address named in the contract, and learn who approves invoices. For New York State agencies that starts with your Statewide Financial System vendor ID.
Step 4: Build the deliverables register
List every deliverable, report and recurring obligation with its clause reference, due date, owner and recipient. Include certified payroll, diversity utilization reports and insurance renewals where they apply.
Tip: Put recurring dates in a shared calendar on day one. A missed monthly report is a small thing that evaluators remember.Step 5: Brief the delivery team
Walk the team through the scope, the key personnel commitments and anything you promised in the proposal, such as response times, staffing levels or a transition-in plan.
Step 6: Request and hold the kickoff
Use the agenda below. If the buyer does not schedule a kickoff, ask for one.
Contract kickoff meeting agenda template
The contract kickoff meeting (federal rules call it a post-award orientation or post-award conference) brings the buyer's team and yours to the same understanding of the contract before work is under way. On federal contracts the contracting officer decides whether to hold one and arranges it, and the meeting is expressly not a place to change the contract: any commitment made there must be put in writing and signed by the contracting officer, and changes require a formal modification. State and local buyers follow the same principle.
If the buyer runs the meeting, send your questions ahead and bring this agenda as your checklist. If the buyer leaves it to you, as many smaller agencies, nonprofits and private clients do, run it yourself. Either way, end with written minutes that list decisions, open issues, owners and due dates, and send them to everyone who attended.
Template
Contract kickoff meeting agenda (90 minutes)
Covers authority, scope, deliverables, reporting, invoicing, compliance and changes, and ends with owned action items.
When to use it
Within the first weeks after award or notice to proceed. Send it to the buyer three to five business days ahead and ask what they want to add.
CONTRACT KICKOFF MEETING AGENDA Contract: [CONTRACT_TITLE] Contract or PO no.: [CONTRACT_NUMBER] Buyer: [BUYER_NAME] Contractor: [COMPANY_NAME] Date and time: [MEETING_DATE_TIME] Location or video link: [MEETING_LOCATION] Chair: [CHAIR_NAME] Minutes taken by: [MINUTES_TAKER] Period of performance: [START_DATE] to [END_DATE] Contract value: [CONTRACT_VALUE] Contract type: [FIXED PRICE / TIME AND MATERIALS / COST REIMBURSEMENT / UNIT PRICE] Opening statement: The purpose of this meeting is to reach a shared understanding of the contract. It does not change the contract. Any change must be made in writing by the authorized official. 1. Introductions and authority (10 min) - Buyer: contracting officer or contract manager [BUYER_CONTRACT_AUTHORITY]; technical lead or COR [BUYER_TECHNICAL_LEAD]; finance or accounts payable [BUYER_FINANCE_CONTACT] - Contractor: signatory [COMPANY_SIGNATORY]; project manager [PROJECT_MANAGER]; key personnel [KEY_PERSONNEL]; billing contact [BILLING_CONTACT] - Who may give technical direction, who may approve changes, and what each person may not do 2. Scope and deliverables (20 min) - Scope in plain language: [SCOPE_SUMMARY] - Deliverables, due dates and acceptance criteria: [DELIVERABLES_LIST] - How deliverables are submitted and accepted, and how long review takes: [ACCEPTANCE_PROCESS] - Parts of our proposal incorporated into the contract: [INCORPORATED_COMMITMENTS] 3. Schedule and transition (10 min) - Start-up and transition milestones: [TRANSITION_MILESTONES] - Access, badges, systems, site logistics and security: [ACCESS_REQUIREMENTS] - Constraints (blackout dates, working hours, site rules): [CONSTRAINTS] 4. Reporting and communication (10 min) - Status reports: format [REPORT_FORMAT], frequency [REPORT_FREQUENCY], due [REPORT_DUE_DAY], recipients [REPORT_RECIPIENTS] - Meeting cadence: [MEETING_CADENCE] - Escalation path for issues: [ESCALATION_PATH] 5. Invoicing and payment (10 min) - Billing frequency and method (portal, email, mail): [BILLING_METHOD] - Required invoice content and supporting documents: [INVOICE_REQUIREMENTS] - Invoice approver and expected payment timeline: [INVOICE_APPROVER_AND_TIMELINE] - Retainage, withholding or milestone payment rules: [RETAINAGE_OR_MILESTONES] 6. Compliance requirements (10 min) - Insurance and bond status: [INSURANCE_BOND_STATUS] - Labor requirements (prevailing wage, certified payroll, wage determinations): [LABOR_REQUIREMENTS] - Subcontractor approvals and diversity utilization reporting: [SUBCONTRACT_AND_DIVERSITY_REPORTING] - Data security, confidentiality, records and audit rights: [SECURITY_AND_RECORDS] 7. Changes, issues and performance evaluation (10 min) - How to request a change and who approves it: [CHANGE_PROCESS] - How potential problems are raised, and how fast: [ISSUE_PROCESS] - How and when our performance will be evaluated: [EVALUATION_PROCESS] 8. Open questions and action items (10 min) Item Owner Due [ACTION_ITEM_1] [OWNER] [DATE] [ACTION_ITEM_2] [OWNER] [DATE] [ACTION_ITEM_3] [OWNER] [DATE] Minutes circulated by [MINUTES_DUE_DATE] to all attendees. Please send corrections within [CORRECTION_WINDOW] business days.
Fields to fill in
- [BUYER_CONTRACT_AUTHORITY]
- The one person who can sign changes. Write the name and title; this is the most important line on the page.
- [BUYER_TECHNICAL_LEAD]
- The COR, program manager or project officer who oversees the work but usually cannot change the contract.
- [DELIVERABLES_LIST]
- Copy from your deliverables register, with the clause or SOW reference for each.
- [INCORPORATED_COMMITMENTS]
- If the contract incorporates your proposal, list the promises the team must keep (response times, staffing, reports).
- [INVOICE_REQUIREMENTS]
- What must appear on or with each invoice. Ask for a sample of an invoice the buyer considers complete.
- [LABOR_REQUIREMENTS]
- Prevailing wage schedules, certified payroll frequency and where it goes, or “not applicable.”
- [CHANGE_PROCESS]
- The clause, the form, who receives requests, and any notice period in days.
- [CORRECTION_WINDOW]
- Usually two to five business days. Uncorrected minutes become the shared record.
An IT firm starting a one-year help desk contract with a New Jersey county writes in its minutes: “Invoices monthly in arrears to the accounts payable mailbox, with the purchase order number, signed timesheets and that month's status report attached. Approver: county IT director. The purchase order amount is the spending limit; work above it needs a change order approved before performance. Status reports due by the fifth business day of each month.” Four sentences, and the first invoice goes through without a rejection. (Fictional example; your buyer's rules will differ.)
Monthly status report template
A monthly status report is the contract's running record. The people who evaluate your performance will form their views partly from these reports, so write them as evidence: what you did against the plan, what is at risk, and what you need from the buyer. If the contract specifies a report format or data item, follow it exactly; otherwise use the template below every month so the buyer always knows where to look.
Federal agencies must evaluate contractor performance at least annually and at completion for contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold ($350,000 for most purchases as of 2026), construction contracts of $900,000 or more, and architect-engineer contracts of $45,000 or more. Clear monthly reports give the evaluator facts to cite and give you a record if you need to respond to a rating. State, city and nonprofit buyers increasingly keep vendor performance records too.
Strong entry
- Do: “Closed 312 of 340 help desk tickets within the 4-hour target (91.8 percent; target 90 percent).”
- Do: “Risk: firmware delay may push site 3 cutover from May 12 to May 19. Mitigation: stage site 4 first. Decision needed from the county by May 2.”
- Do: “Staffing: network engineer position filled April 14; all key personnel in place.”
- Do: “Invoiced $84,200 of $410,000 (20.5 percent) at 25 percent of the period of performance; under plan because site 3 slipped.”
Weak entry
- Don't: “Work continues as planned.”
- Don't: “Some delays this month.”
- Don't: A list of activities with no link to deliverables or targets.
- Don't: A problem left out until it becomes the buyer's emergency.
Template
Monthly status report
Nine sections: summary, work completed, deliverables, performance measures, next period, risks, staffing, finances and changes.
When to use it
Every reporting period, on the day the contract sets. Use the buyer's format instead when the contract prescribes one, and keep section order the same every month.
MONTHLY STATUS REPORT Contract: [CONTRACT_TITLE] Contract or PO no.: [CONTRACT_NUMBER] Reporting period: [PERIOD_START] to [PERIOD_END] Report no.: [REPORT_NUMBER] Submitted to: [BUYER_RECIPIENTS] Submitted by: [PROJECT_MANAGER], [COMPANY_NAME] Date: [SUBMISSION_DATE] 1. SUMMARY Overall status: [GREEN / YELLOW / RED] Schedule: [ON TRACK / AT RISK / LATE] Budget: [ON TRACK / AT RISK / OVER] Highlights (two or three sentences): [SUMMARY_HIGHLIGHTS] Decisions or actions needed from [BUYER_NAME]: [BUYER_ACTIONS_NEEDED], by [DECISION_DATE] 2. WORK COMPLETED THIS PERIOD Task / SOW ref. Planned Actual Status [TASK_REF_1] [PLANNED_1] [ACTUAL_1] [STATUS_1] [TASK_REF_2] [PLANNED_2] [ACTUAL_2] [STATUS_2] [TASK_REF_3] [PLANNED_3] [ACTUAL_3] [STATUS_3] 3. DELIVERABLES Deliverable Due Submitted Accepted Notes [DELIVERABLE_1] [DUE_1] [SUBMITTED_1] [ACCEPTED_1] [NOTES_1] [DELIVERABLE_2] [DUE_2] [SUBMITTED_2] [ACCEPTED_2] [NOTES_2] 4. PERFORMANCE MEASURES Measure (from the contract) Target This period Trend [MEASURE_1] [TARGET_1] [RESULT_1] [TREND_1] [MEASURE_2] [TARGET_2] [RESULT_2] [TREND_2] 5. WORK PLANNED NEXT PERIOD [NEXT_PERIOD_PLAN] 6. ISSUES AND RISKS # Issue or risk Impact (cost/schedule/quality) Mitigation Owner Date 1 [RISK_1] [IMPACT_1] [MITIGATION_1] [OWNER_1] [DATE_1] 2 [RISK_2] [IMPACT_2] [MITIGATION_2] [OWNER_2] [DATE_2] 7. STAFFING AND SUBCONTRACTORS Key personnel changes: [KEY_PERSONNEL_CHANGES] Staffing against plan: [STAFFING_VS_PLAN] Subcontractor activity and payments: [SUBCONTRACTOR_STATUS] Diversity or local-hire participation this period (if required): [PARTICIPATION_REPORT] 8. FINANCIAL STATUS Contract value: [CONTRACT_VALUE] Funded or PO amount: [FUNDED_AMOUNT] Invoiced this period: [INVOICED_THIS_PERIOD] Invoiced to date: [INVOICED_TO_DATE] Percent of value invoiced: [PERCENT_INVOICED] Percent of period elapsed: [PERCENT_TIME_ELAPSED] Invoices outstanding: [OUTSTANDING_INVOICES] Funding concerns: [FUNDING_CONCERNS] 9. CHANGES Change requests submitted, pending or approved: [CHANGE_LOG_SUMMARY] No work outside the current scope is being performed without a signed modification. Prepared by: [PROJECT_MANAGER] Phone: [PHONE] Email: [EMAIL]
Fields to fill in
- [GREEN / YELLOW / RED]
- Define the colors once (for example, yellow = a milestone at risk but recoverable) and use them consistently.
- [BUYER_ACTIONS_NEEDED]
- Approvals, data, access or decisions you are waiting for, with a date. This protects you if a delay follows.
- [TASK_REF_1] to [TASK_REF_3]
- Use the contract's task, line item or SOW numbers so the buyer can trace work to the contract.
- [MEASURE_1] / [TARGET_1]
- Service levels or performance standards from the contract or your quality plan, with the number achieved.
- [PERCENT_INVOICED] / [PERCENT_TIME_ELAPSED]
- Side by side, these show whether spending tracks the schedule. Explain any big gap.
- [PARTICIPATION_REPORT]
- Only if the contract has MWBE, DBE, SDVOB, local-hire or subcontracting goals; give amounts paid this period.
- [CHANGE_LOG_SUMMARY]
- Each change request by number, amount, days and status. Keep the full log in the contract file.
Invoice cover letter template
An invoice cover letter travels with an invoice and shows the approver, at a glance, what is being billed, under which contract and with what support. It does not replace the buyer's invoice form or portal. Many federal agencies require electronic invoicing through the system named in the contract, where a cover letter becomes an attachment or is not used at all. Where buyers accept emailed or mailed invoices, as many cities, counties, schools, nonprofits and private clients do, a clean cover letter cuts rejections.
The goal is a proper invoice, because payment deadlines usually start only when the buyer receives one. The federal definition is a useful checklist for any buyer:
| Element | What to include |
|---|---|
| Your name and address | Exactly as they appear in the contract |
| Invoice date and number | A unique invoice number you never reuse |
| Contract number and authorization | Including order number and line item numbers |
| Description and pricing | Description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price and extended price |
| Shipping and payment terms | Shipment number and date, and any prompt payment discount terms, where they apply |
| Payee | Name and address of the official to receive payment, matching the contract |
| Contact for problems | Name, title, phone and mailing address of the person to notify about a defective invoice |
| Tax ID and banking details | Only if the agency's procedures require them on the invoice |
| Other required documents | Anything else the contract requires, such as proof of delivery or timesheets |
| Buyer | General rule | What starts the clock |
|---|---|---|
| Federal agencies | Generally 30 days; progress payments on construction 14 days | The later of the billing office's receipt of a proper invoice or acceptance of the work. Interest is owed on late payments. |
| New York State agencies | 30 calendar days; 15 calendar days for qualifying New York small businesses that submit proper electronic invoices (State Finance Law §179-f) | Receipt of a proper invoice. The agency has 15 calendar days (7 for those small businesses) to report defects. Interest accrues on late payments, with limited exceptions. |
| New York City agencies | Generally 30 days under the city's prompt payment rules | A proper invoice and acceptance of the work. Interest is owed on late payments. |
| New Jersey, Connecticut, local governments and authorities | Set by state law, local rules and the contract | Check the payment clause and ask the finance contact at kickoff. |
| Nonprofits and private clients | Whatever the contract says | Negotiate payment terms before you sign; they are rarely changed afterwards. |
Template
Invoice cover letter
Summarizes the invoice, the contract billing status and the supporting documents, and names who to call about problems.
When to use it
With each emailed or mailed invoice, or as an attachment in an invoicing portal when the buyer allows one. Do not use it to bill changed work that is not yet approved.
[COMPANY_LETTERHEAD] [DATE] [BUYER_BILLING_OFFICE_OR_APPROVER] [BUYER_ORGANIZATION] [BILLING_ADDRESS_OR_EMAIL] Re: Invoice [INVOICE_NUMBER] for [CONTRACT_TITLE] Contract or PO no.: [CONTRACT_NUMBER] Order or line items: [ORDER_AND_LINE_ITEMS] Billing period: [PERIOD_START] to [PERIOD_END] Dear [APPROVER_NAME]: Enclosed is invoice [INVOICE_NUMBER], dated [INVOICE_DATE], for [INVOICE_AMOUNT], covering [BRIEF_DESCRIPTION_OF_WORK] performed under the contract above during the billing period. INVOICE SUMMARY Line item / milestone Description Qty or units Unit price Amount [LINE_1] [DESCRIPTION_1] [QTY_1] [UNIT_PRICE_1] [AMOUNT_1] [LINE_2] [DESCRIPTION_2] [QTY_2] [UNIT_PRICE_2] [AMOUNT_2] [LINE_3] [DESCRIPTION_3] [QTY_3] [UNIT_PRICE_3] [AMOUNT_3] Less retainage at [RETAINAGE_PERCENT] (if applicable): [RETAINAGE_AMOUNT] Total due this invoice: [INVOICE_AMOUNT] CONTRACT BILLING STATUS Contract value or PO amount: [CONTRACT_VALUE] Previously invoiced: [PREVIOUSLY_INVOICED] This invoice: [INVOICE_AMOUNT] Remaining balance: [REMAINING_BALANCE] SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED [SUPPORTING_DOCUMENTS] CHANGED WORK [CHANGE_ORDER_STATEMENT] Please remit payment to [PAYEE_NAME] at [REMITTANCE_ADDRESS_OR_EFT_ON_FILE], as stated in the contract. Our taxpayer identification and banking details are [TAX_AND_BANKING_STATEMENT]. If any part of this invoice is incomplete or cannot be approved, please contact [BILLING_CONTACT_NAME], [BILLING_CONTACT_TITLE], at [BILLING_CONTACT_PHONE] or [BILLING_CONTACT_EMAIL], or by mail at [BILLING_CONTACT_ADDRESS], so we can correct it promptly. [CERTIFICATION_STATEMENT_IF_REQUIRED] Thank you for your prompt processing. Sincerely, [SIGNATORY_NAME] [SIGNATORY_TITLE] [COMPANY_NAME] Enclosures: Invoice [INVOICE_NUMBER]; [ENCLOSURE_LIST]
Fields to fill in
- [INVOICE_NUMBER]
- Unique and sequential. Never reuse a number, even for a corrected invoice; mark corrections “replaces invoice [number].”
- [ORDER_AND_LINE_ITEMS]
- Task order, delivery order, line item (CLIN), milestone or schedule-of-values numbers, exactly as in the contract.
- [RETAINAGE_PERCENT] / [RETAINAGE_AMOUNT]
- Only if the contract withholds retainage. Delete the line otherwise.
- [SUPPORTING_DOCUMENTS]
- For example: signed timesheets, deliverable acceptance, proof of delivery, certified payroll, lien waivers, receipts for approved reimbursable expenses.
- [CHANGE_ORDER_STATEMENT]
- “No changed work is billed on this invoice,” or “Line 3 bills Change Order 2, signed [date].”
- [TAX_AND_BANKING_STATEMENT]
- “on file in your vendor records,” or provide them only if the buyer's procedures require them on the invoice.
- [BILLING_CONTACT_NAME] and address
- Federal rules list this contact as part of a proper invoice. Use someone who answers the phone.
- [CERTIFICATION_STATEMENT_IF_REQUIRED]
- Only the exact certification wording your contract or the buyer requires, if any. Otherwise delete this line.
Change order request template
A change order request asks the buyer to change the contract formally: to add, remove or alter work, and to adjust price, schedule or both. Changes happen on almost every contract. The contractors who get paid for them do three things: they recognize a change when it happens, give written notice quickly, and wait for a signed modification before doing the extra work, unless the contract or a written direction requires them to proceed.
Under federal rules, only a contracting officer acting within their authority can sign a modification, and a COR cannot change price, quantity, quality or delivery. If you believe the government has changed the contract without a signed writing, for example a technical lead asking for extra reports or a different method, the rules call for prompt written notice. The standard fixed-price changes clause gives you 30 days from receiving a written change order to assert your right to an adjustment, and it also requires you to keep performing the contract as changed. State, city and private contracts set their own notice periods, sometimes only days; find yours at kickoff.
Step 1: Recognize it
Compare the request with the contract's scope, specifications and schedule. New tasks, more quantity, a different method, a faster schedule, buyer-caused delays and unexpected site conditions are the usual triggers.
Step 2: Give written notice now
Email the authorized official within the contract's notice period: what happened, who asked, when, and that you consider it a change. Send it before you know the cost; you can price it afterwards.
Step 3: Ask for direction
Ask whether to proceed, stop or wait, and get the answer in writing from someone with authority.
Step 4: Price it
Build the cost from labor, materials, equipment, subcontracts, overhead and profit as the contract allows, plus any schedule impact. Use the same basis of estimate method you used in the proposal so the buyer can follow it.
Step 5: Submit the change order request
Use the template below or the buyer's form, with backup: quotes, drawings, photos, correspondence and a schedule analysis.
Step 6: Track it to a signed modification
Log every request and its status in the contract file and the monthly report. Bill changed work only once the change is signed.
Tip: If a request sits unanswered, raise it in the status report under decisions needed, with the date you submitted it.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Change order | A written order signed by the buyer's authorized official directing a change. On federal contracts it can be issued without your consent, within the scope of the changes clause. |
| Change order request (change request, proposed change order) | Your written request and price for a change. |
| Bilateral modification (supplemental agreement) | A change both parties sign. |
| Request for equitable adjustment | A request to adjust price or schedule because of a change or a buyer action. |
| Claim | A formal written demand under the contract's disputes process. On federal contracts, claims over $100,000 must be certified (as of 2026). |
| Constructive change | An informal change caused by the buyer's direction or conduct, without a written change order. |
Template
Change order request
Describes the change and its origin, prices it line by line, states the schedule impact and work status, and reserves unknown impacts.
When to use it
After you have given written notice of a change and gathered the backup. Use the buyer's form instead if the contract requires one, and attach this as the narrative.
CHANGE ORDER REQUEST To: [AUTHORIZED_OFFICIAL_NAME], [AUTHORIZED_OFFICIAL_TITLE], [BUYER_ORGANIZATION] Copy: [TECHNICAL_LEAD_OR_COR]; [ARCHITECT_OR_OWNER_REPRESENTATIVE] From: [PROJECT_MANAGER], [COMPANY_NAME] Date: [DATE] Contract: [CONTRACT_TITLE] Contract or PO no.: [CONTRACT_NUMBER] Change order request no.: [COR_NUMBER] Related written notice dated: [NOTICE_DATE] Contract clause relied on: [CHANGES_CLAUSE_REFERENCE] 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE CHANGE What is changing: [CHANGE_DESCRIPTION] Contract requirement affected (section, drawing, specification or SOW paragraph): [AFFECTED_REQUIREMENT] 2. REASON AND ORIGIN Origin: [BUYER DIRECTION / DIFFERING SITE CONDITION / DESIGN CHANGE / REGULATORY CHANGE / BUYER DELAY / CONTRACTOR-PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT] What happened, who directed it and when: [EVENT_DESCRIPTION] Supporting documents attached: [ATTACHMENTS_LIST] 3. COST IMPACT Category Hours or qty Rate Amount Labor: [LABOR_CATEGORY_1] [HOURS_1] [RATE_1] [LABOR_AMOUNT_1] Labor: [LABOR_CATEGORY_2] [HOURS_2] [RATE_2] [LABOR_AMOUNT_2] Materials and equipment [QTY] [UNIT_COST] [MATERIALS_AMOUNT] Subcontractors [SUBCONTRACT_AMOUNT] Other direct costs [ODC_AMOUNT] Subtotal, direct costs [DIRECT_SUBTOTAL] Overhead and profit at [MARKUP_RATE], as the contract allows [MARKUP_AMOUNT] Less credit for deleted work [CREDIT_AMOUNT] TOTAL REQUESTED PRICE ADJUSTMENT [TOTAL_PRICE_ADJUSTMENT] Pricing basis: [PRICING_BASIS] 4. SCHEDULE IMPACT Requested time extension: [DAYS_REQUESTED] [CALENDAR_OR_WORKING] days Milestones or deliverables affected: [AFFECTED_MILESTONES] Explanation (critical path or dependency): [SCHEDULE_EXPLANATION] If there is no schedule impact, state: This change has no schedule impact. 5. OTHER IMPACTS Staffing, key personnel, quality, warranty, permits, insurance or bonding: [OTHER_IMPACTS] 6. STATUS OF THE WORK (check one) [ ] We have not started the changed work and will wait for a signed change order. [ ] We are proceeding as directed in writing by [DIRECTING_OFFICIAL] on [DIRECTION_DATE]. [ ] Affected work is stopped pending direction. 7. RESERVATION This request covers impacts known as of [DATE]. [COMPANY_NAME] reserves its right to request a further adjustment for impacts not yet known, including [POSSIBLE_FURTHER_IMPACTS], as the contract allows. 8. REQUESTED ACTION Please issue a contract modification or change order for [TOTAL_PRICE_ADJUSTMENT] and [DAYS_REQUESTED] days by [RESPONSE_REQUESTED_BY], so that [AFFECTED_MILESTONE] is not delayed. Submitted by: [SIGNATORY_NAME], [SIGNATORY_TITLE] Signature: ______________________ Date: [DATE] FOR BUYER USE [ ] Approved as submitted [ ] Approved as modified [ ] Rejected [ ] More information needed Authorized official: ______________________ Modification no.: [MOD_NUMBER] Date: __________
Fields to fill in
- [NOTICE_DATE]
- The date of your first written notice. The change order request follows the notice; it does not replace it.
- [CHANGES_CLAUSE_REFERENCE]
- The clause number and title in your contract, such as the changes, differing site conditions or delay clause.
- [EVENT_DESCRIPTION]
- Facts only: dates, names, what was said or found. Attach the email or photo that proves it.
- [MARKUP_RATE]
- Use the markup the contract allows for changes, if it sets one. Do not invent a higher rate.
- [PRICING_BASIS]
- For example: contract unit prices, contract labor rates, supplier quotes attached, or actual cost records.
- [CALENDAR_OR_WORKING]
- Match how the contract counts time.
- [POSSIBLE_FURTHER_IMPACTS]
- For example: “delay to later phases if the inspection finds further damage.” Keeps rights you cannot yet price.
- [RESPONSE_REQUESTED_BY]
- A realistic date tied to the schedule, so the buyer understands the cost of waiting.
A Long Island general contractor renovating a public library opens a wall the drawings showed as sound and finds rotted floor joists. The superintendent photographs the condition, and that afternoon the project manager emails the architect and the owner's representative, citing the differing site conditions clause and asking for direction. The owner directs the work to proceed, in writing.
Within the contract's notice period the contractor submits Change Order Request 4: sistering 14 joists for $9,890 (labor $5,100, materials $2,300, carpentry subcontractor $1,200, plus overhead and profit at the 15 percent markup the contract allows, $1,290) and 3 working days, with photos, the subcontractor's quote and a marked-up schedule. The signed change order arrives nine days later and is billed on its own line of the next payment application. (Fictional example.)
Teaming and subcontract agreement term sheet outline
A teaming agreement is the deal between companies that pursue a contract together: usually a prime contractor and one or more subcontractors, sometimes partners forming a joint venture. Federal rules recognize these arrangements, require them to be disclosed in the offer, and still hold the prime fully responsible for performance. A term sheet is a short summary of the business deal that both sides agree before lawyers draft the full teaming agreement and, after award, the subcontract.
Small businesses bidding federal set-asides face one more constraint, the limitations on subcontracting: the prime may not pay more than a set share of the amount it receives to subcontractors that are not similarly situated. A small business subcontractor on a small business set-aside is similarly situated, and its work counts on the prime's side only when it performs that work with its own employees.
| Contract type | Most the prime may pay to subcontractors that are not similarly situated | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Services (except construction) | 50 percent of the amount paid to the prime | Measured over the base term and each option period on set-asides |
| Supplies or products | 50 percent of the amount paid to the prime | Different rules apply to non-manufacturers |
| General construction | 85 percent of the amount paid to the prime | Cost of materials is excluded |
| Special trade construction | 75 percent of the amount paid to the prime | Cost of materials is excluded |
Separately, the small business size rules can treat a prime and a subcontractor as affiliated when the subcontractor performs the primary and vital requirements of the contract or the prime is unusually reliant on it, which can make the prime ineligible. Draft the workshare with both rules in mind. On state and city contracts, workshare often has to meet diversity goals instead; see New York State MWBE and SDVOB certification and the chapter on subcontracting and teaming opportunities.
Specific (useful, and more likely to hold up)
- Do: “If the prime is awarded the contract, it will issue a subcontract to Partner for Task 3 (data migration), estimated at 30 percent of labor hours in each period, at the rates in Exhibit B, subject only to customer consent and Partner's continued eligibility.”
- Do: Exhibit B lists labor categories, hours and rates.
- Do: Clear events that end the agreement.
Vague (often unenforceable)
- Don't: “The parties will negotiate in good faith a subcontract for a meaningful share of the work.”
- Don't: “Workshare to be determined after award.”
- Don't: No exhibit, no rates, no end date.
Template
Teaming and subcontract term sheet (non-binding outline)
Thirteen headings that cover the business deal: parties, opportunity, proposal duties, workshare, exclusivity, subcontract terms, confidentiality, non-solicitation, termination and next steps.
When to use it
When you agree to pursue an opportunity with a partner, before sharing pricing or writing the proposal. Revisit it before the subcontract is negotiated after award. Have counsel turn it into the actual agreements.
TEAMING AND SUBCONTRACT TERM SHEET (NON-BINDING OUTLINE) This term sheet summarizes business terms under discussion. Except for paragraph 8 (confidentiality), it is not binding. The parties intend to sign a teaming agreement and, if the prime is awarded the contract, a subcontract. This outline is not legal advice; each party should have its own counsel review the final agreements. 1. PARTIES Prime: [PRIME_LEGAL_NAME], a [PRIME_STATE_AND_ENTITY_TYPE]; UEI or vendor ID [PRIME_ID] Team member: [PARTNER_LEGAL_NAME], a [PARTNER_STATE_AND_ENTITY_TYPE]; UEI or vendor ID [PARTNER_ID] Size status and certifications relied on: [SIZE_AND_CERTIFICATIONS] 2. OPPORTUNITY Buyer: [BUYER_NAME] Solicitation: [SOLICITATION_NUMBER_AND_TITLE] Expected value and term: [EXPECTED_VALUE_AND_TERM] Set-aside or diversity goal: [SET_ASIDE_OR_GOAL] 3. RELATIONSHIP Type: [PRIME AND SUBCONTRACTOR / JOINT VENTURE / MENTOR-PROTEGE JOINT VENTURE] Each party is an independent contractor. Nothing here creates a partnership unless stated. 4. PROPOSAL RESPONSIBILITIES Prime: [PRIME_PROPOSAL_DUTIES] Team member: [PARTNER_PROPOSAL_DUTIES], due [PARTNER_INPUT_DUE_DATES] Proposal costs: each party bears its own unless stated: [COST_SHARING] 5. WORKSHARE IF AWARDED Team member scope: [PARTNER_SCOPE] Share of work: [WORKSHARE_PERCENT] of [LABOR_HOURS_OR_CONTRACT_VALUE] in each period, detailed in Exhibit [WORKSHARE_EXHIBIT] Labor categories and rates, or pricing method: [RATES_OR_PRICING_METHOD] Plan for limitations on subcontracting or diversity goals: [LIMITATIONS_COMPLIANCE_PLAN] Key personnel provided by team member: [PARTNER_KEY_PERSONNEL] 6. EXCLUSIVITY Exclusive for this opportunity only: [YES_NO] Scope of exclusivity: [EXCLUSIVITY_SCOPE] Exceptions (for example, if the buyer restricts exclusive teaming): [EXCLUSIVITY_EXCEPTIONS] 7. SUBCONTRACT TERMS AFTER AWARD Subcontract type: [FIXED PRICE / TIME AND MATERIALS / COST REIMBURSEMENT] Prime contract clauses flowed down as required. Payment terms: [PAYMENT_TERMS] Invoicing and reporting to the prime: [SUB_INVOICING_AND_REPORTING] Insurance and bonds the team member must carry: [SUB_INSURANCE_AND_BONDS] 8. CONFIDENTIALITY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (binding) Proprietary information is shared only for this pursuit, marked as proprietary, and protected for [CONFIDENTIALITY_PERIOD] after this term sheet or the teaming agreement ends. Each party keeps ownership of its pre-existing intellectual property. [IP_TERMS] 9. NON-SOLICITATION Neither party will solicit the other's employees who work on this pursuit for [NON_SOLICIT_PERIOD], except through general advertising. [NON_SOLICIT_TERMS] 10. COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BUYER The prime is the single point of contact with the buyer unless agreed otherwise: [COMMUNICATION_RULES] 11. TERM AND TERMINATION The teaming agreement ends at the earliest of: award to another offeror; cancellation of the solicitation; the prime's decision not to submit; failure to agree a subcontract within [NEGOTIATION_PERIOD] days after award; the buyer's refusal to approve the team member; either party's loss of eligibility; or [END_DATE]. 12. DISPUTES AND GOVERNING LAW Escalation steps: [ESCALATION_STEPS] Governing law: [GOVERNING_LAW] 13. NEXT STEPS Draft teaming agreement by [DRAFT_DATE], prepared by [DRAFTING_PARTY]'s counsel. Target signature date: [SIGNATURE_TARGET_DATE]. Acknowledged (non-binding except paragraph 8): [PRIME_SIGNATORY], [PRIME_TITLE] Date: [DATE] [PARTNER_SIGNATORY], [PARTNER_TITLE] Date: [DATE]
Fields to fill in
- [SIZE_AND_CERTIFICATIONS]
- For example: small business under the solicitation's size standard, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, New York State MWBE or SDVOB. Only certifications you actually hold.
- [PRIME_PROPOSAL_DUTIES] / [PARTNER_PROPOSAL_DUTIES]
- Prime: proposal management, final content and price decisions, submission. Partner: named sections, resumes, past performance, pricing input, letters of commitment.
- [WORKSHARE_PERCENT] / Exhibit
- The more specific, the better: tasks, labor categories, hours and dollars in an exhibit.
- [LIMITATIONS_COMPLIANCE_PLAN]
- How the team stays within the limitations on subcontracting or meets the buyer's diversity goals, with rough percentages.
- [PAYMENT_TERMS]
- For example: a set number of days after a proper invoice, or after the prime is paid. Agree this now; it drives the partner's cash flow.
- [CONFIDENTIALITY_PERIOD]
- Commonly a few years after the agreement ends. Counsel will advise what fits.
- [NEGOTIATION_PERIOD]
- How long the parties have after award to sign a subcontract before the teaming agreement ends.
- [GOVERNING_LAW]
- The state whose law applies, for example New York.
Contract closeout checklist
Contract closeout finishes the contract on paper: final deliverables accepted, final invoice paid, releases signed, property returned, records kept and the file closed. Skipping it leaves money on the table (retainage and final invoices are the usual casualties), exposes you to audits you cannot support, and wastes the best moment to ask for a reference.
Federal rules set time standards for the government's side: contracts under simplified acquisition procedures close once the contracting officer has evidence of receipt and final payment; firm-fixed-price contracts within 6 months after evidence of physical completion; contracts that require settling indirect cost rates within 36 months; and others within 20 months. Before closing, the contract administration office checks items such as the final invoice, settled subcontracts, property clearance, patent and royalty reports and the contractor's closing statement. Your checklist mirrors those steps from your side.
Keep records after final payment. The federal default is 3 years after final payment unless a clause sets a longer period, and New York State's standard contract clauses have long required records for the rest of the calendar year in which they were made plus six more years. Check your contract and keep the longest period that applies.
60 days before the end
Plan the finish
Confirm final deliverables, transition-out duties, option or extension status, and the recompete date.
Final 30 days
Deliver and hand over
Submit final deliverables and the transition-out plan; return badges, equipment and data.
At completion
Final invoice
Submit the invoice marked final, with any release, certification or report the contract requires.
After final payment
Close the books
Pay subcontractors, resolve open changes, review and sign the release, respond to the performance evaluation.
Within two weeks
Lessons learned
Hold a short review and add the project to your past performance library.
Template
Contract closeout checklist
Five sections: performance complete, money, paperwork and compliance, records, and reputation and next work.
When to use it
Open it 60 days before the end of the period of performance and keep it until the buyer confirms the contract is closed. Delete lines that do not apply.
CONTRACT CLOSEOUT CHECKLIST Contract: [CONTRACT_TITLE] Contract or PO no.: [CONTRACT_NUMBER] Buyer: [BUYER_NAME] Contracting officer or contract manager: [BUYER_CONTRACT_AUTHORITY] Period of performance ended: [END_DATE] Final contract value with all modifications: [FINAL_CONTRACT_VALUE] Closeout owner: [CLOSEOUT_OWNER] Target close date: [TARGET_CLOSE_DATE] 1. PERFORMANCE COMPLETE [ ] All deliverables submitted and accepted in writing: [ACCEPTANCE_REFERENCES] [ ] Final report or project summary delivered on [FINAL_REPORT_DATE] [ ] Transition-out complete: knowledge transfer, data and documents handed over as required [ ] Construction: punch list complete; certificate of substantial or final completion dated [COMPLETION_CERTIFICATE_DATE]; as-built drawings, operation and maintenance manuals, warranties and spare stock delivered [ ] Buyer property, badges, keys, equipment and system access returned; property records reconciled [ ] Buyer data returned or destroyed as the contract requires; certificate of destruction sent if required 2. MONEY [ ] Every change order signed or formally resolved; no changed work left unbilled or unresolved [ ] Final invoice marked FINAL submitted on [FINAL_INVOICE_DATE] for [FINAL_INVOICE_AMOUNT] [ ] Retainage release requested: [RETAINAGE_AMOUNT] [ ] Final payment received on [FINAL_PAYMENT_DATE] and reconciled to the final contract value [ ] Credits, overpayments or excess funds identified and resolved [ ] Subcontractors and suppliers paid in full; their final releases or lien waivers collected: [SUB_RELEASES] [ ] Cost-type contracts: final indirect cost rates and closing statement submitted as required 3. PAPERWORK AND COMPLIANCE [ ] Release of claims reviewed before signing; pending claims or change requests listed as exceptions: [RELEASE_EXCEPTIONS] [ ] Final certified payroll and labor compliance reports submitted (prevailing wage work) [ ] Final diversity utilization, local-hire or subcontracting reports submitted [ ] Other final reports the contract requires (for example patent, royalty or small business subcontracting reports) [ ] Insurance and bond obligations after completion confirmed (completed operations or warranty-period coverage) [ ] Controlled or classified information returned or destroyed as directed (if applicable) 4. RECORDS [ ] Contract file complete: contract, modifications, correspondence, deliverables, acceptances, invoices and payments [ ] Retention period recorded: [RETENTION_PERIOD] (the longest of the contract clause, the buyer's rules and your own policy) [ ] Destroy-after date: [DESTROY_AFTER_DATE] [ ] Records stored where they can be produced for an audit: [RECORDS_LOCATION] 5. REPUTATION AND NEXT WORK [ ] Performance evaluation received; response submitted by [EVALUATION_RESPONSE_DEADLINE] if needed [ ] Reference permission requested from [REFERENCE_NAME], [REFERENCE_TITLE] [ ] Project added to the past performance library with measurable results: [KEY_RESULTS] [ ] Lessons-learned meeting held on [LESSONS_LEARNED_DATE]; actions: [LESSONS_ACTIONS] [ ] Recompete or follow-on date recorded and a search alert set: [RECOMPETE_DATE] [ ] Buyer confirms the contract is closed: [CLOSEOUT_CONFIRMATION] Signed off by: [CLOSEOUT_OWNER] Date: [DATE] Approved by: [EXECUTIVE_NAME], [EXECUTIVE_TITLE] Date: [DATE]
Fields to fill in
- [ACCEPTANCE_REFERENCES]
- Email, signed form or portal record showing each deliverable was accepted. Acceptance, not submission, is what counts.
- [RETAINAGE_AMOUNT]
- Total held back over the contract. Retainage release often has its own paperwork; ask what the buyer needs.
- [SUB_RELEASES]
- Construction: final lien waivers from every subcontractor and major supplier. Services: written confirmation of final payment.
- [RELEASE_EXCEPTIONS]
- Anything you have not been paid for and still intend to pursue. A release signed without exceptions may waive it.
- [RETENTION_PERIOD]
- For example: federal default of 3 years after final payment unless the contract says longer; New York State standard clauses: rest of the year plus six years.
- [KEY_RESULTS]
- Numbers you can reuse in proposals: on-time percentage, cost savings, service levels met, people served.
- [RECOMPETE_DATE]
- When the buyer is likely to buy this work again. Start capture well before it.
How to adapt the post-award templates for your industry
The six templates cover any contract, but each sector has its own paperwork. Add the items below to the relevant template and delete what does not apply.
| Template | Construction | IT and technology | Professional services | Nonprofit and human services |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kickoff agenda | Site logistics, safety plan, submittals, RFIs, schedule of values, payment applications, certified payroll | System access, security and privacy requirements, environments, change control, service levels | Deliverable acceptance, key personnel, travel rules, billing by labor category | Program outcomes, participant data privacy, budget modification rules, reporting templates |
| Monthly status report | Look-ahead schedule, percent complete by schedule-of-values line, open RFIs and submittals, safety incidents | Service levels, tickets, uptime, releases, security incidents | Hours by labor category against budget, deliverable status | Participants served, outcomes against targets, spending by budget line |
| Invoice cover letter | Usually a monthly payment application with schedule of values, retainage, lien waivers and certified payroll | Milestone or monthly service billing with acceptance or service-level reports | Timesheets by labor category and approved travel receipts | Often cost reimbursement with expense documentation; watch budget line limits |
| Change order request | Most changes happen here; follow the changes and differing site conditions clauses and notice deadlines exactly | Change control for new integrations, data volumes, users or environments | Added deliverables, extra meetings and expanded scope presented as clarifications | Budget modification requests; many funders limit shifts between budget lines without approval |
| Teaming term sheet | Subcontracting goals (MWBE, DBE, SDVOB), subcontractor bonding and insurance | Data rights, software licenses, security requirements for team members | Key personnel and non-solicitation | Whether a partner is a subrecipient or a contractor under the funding rules |
| Closeout checklist | Punch list, completion certificate, as-builts, warranties, retainage, final lien waivers | Data return or destruction, knowledge transfer, license transfer, access removal | Final report, return of client materials, final timesheet reconciliation | Final program and fiscal reports, equipment disposition, records retention under the funding rules |
Construction: payment usually runs through a monthly payment application rather than a simple invoice, with a schedule of values, retainage and lien waivers. On federally funded construction covered by prevailing wage rules, contractors submit certified payrolls weekly; New York's public work law has its own prevailing wage and payroll record requirements. Build both into the deliverables register from day one, and price prevailing wage correctly from the start (see prevailing wage pricing).
Nonprofits: human services contracts are often cost reimbursement against a line-item budget, so the invoice is really a claim for documented expenses, and moving money between lines may need approval. Track spending by line every month in the status report, and raise budget modifications early rather than at year end.
Common post-award contract management mistakes
- Taking direction from the wrong person. A program manager's request is not a contract change. Confirm authority in writing before you act on it.
- Doing extra work to keep the client happy. Free work becomes expected work. Give notice and price it, even if you later decide in writing to waive the cost.
- Missing notice deadlines. Some contracts give you days, not weeks, to report a change, delay or differing condition.
- Sloppy first invoices. The first invoice sets the pattern. An incomplete one can restart the payment clock.
- Reports that hide problems. Buyers forgive problems raised early with a plan; they remember surprises at evaluation time.
- Handshake teaming. A partner promised “a share of the work” with nothing in writing is a dispute waiting to happen.
- Signing the final release without reading it. A release can waive claims you meant to keep.
- Throwing out records too soon. Audits and disputes can arrive years later. Keep records for the full retention period.
Frequently asked questions
What is post-award contract management?
Everything a contractor does after winning to perform and administer the contract: the kickoff meeting, deliverables, status reports, invoicing, change management, subcontractor management, compliance reporting and closeout. It decides whether you are paid on time and what your performance evaluations and references say.
What should be on a contract kickoff meeting agenda?
Introductions and who holds authority, scope and deliverables with acceptance criteria, schedule and transition, reporting and communication, invoicing and payment, compliance requirements such as insurance, labor and diversity reporting, the change process, how performance will be evaluated, and action items with owners. Open by stating that the meeting does not change the contract.
What should a monthly status report include?
A summary status, work completed against plan, deliverables and their acceptance, performance measures against targets, next period's plan, issues and risks with mitigation, staffing and subcontractor updates, financial status and change requests. If the contract prescribes a format, use it exactly.
How long does the government have to pay an invoice?
As of 2026, federal agencies generally must pay within 30 days after receiving a proper invoice or accepting the work, whichever is later, with interest on late payments. New York State agencies generally have 30 calendar days, or 15 for qualifying New York small businesses that submit proper electronic invoices. New York City agencies generally pay within 30 days under the city's prompt payment rules. Other buyers follow their own laws and contract terms.
Should I do extra work before a change order is signed?
Generally no. Give written notice, ask the person with authority for written direction, and wait for a signed change order or modification unless the contract requires you to proceed. If you are directed to proceed, get that direction in writing and submit your priced change order request promptly to protect your right to an adjustment.
What is the difference between a teaming agreement and a subcontract?
A teaming agreement governs how companies pursue an opportunity together before award: proposal duties, exclusivity, confidentiality and the intended workshare. A subcontract is the binding contract for performing work after the prime wins, with scope, price, flowed-down clauses and payment terms. A teaming agreement usually commits the parties to negotiate a subcontract if the prime wins. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is included in contract closeout?
Accepted final deliverables, a final invoice and payment, release of retainage, any required release of claims, subcontractor payments and releases, return of property and data, final compliance reports, records retention, a response to the performance evaluation and a lessons-learned review. Federal contracting offices also verify items such as settled subcontracts and the contractor's closing statement before closing the file.
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