The policy applies to all state government organizations that enter into contracts with vendors. It outlines the steps that agencies must take throughout the life cycle of a contract and gives state agency purchasers support for enforcing contract terms with vendors.

The policy also incorporates supplier diversity considerations, which support the state's goals for improving contracting opportunities for Washington small, diverse and veteran-owned businesses.

The policy, procedure and training align with House Bill 1521 that was adopted in 2020 and requires specific contracting terms to be included in the policy.

It requires agencies to:

• Participate in three phases of each contract's life cycle: pre-award, award and post-award.
• Enter performance-based contracts.
• Use model contract terms.
• Ensure both parties meet contract obligations.
• Train staff who manage contracts.

DES has been training agencies on these contract management principles since 2019. DES will continue to work with agencies to ensure the policy is implemented successfully.

DES received significant feedback during the development of the policy and would like to thank everyone who participated.

Agencies can find the following resources on DES' website:

• Policy
• Procedure
• Frequently asked questions
• Washington State Contract Management Manual