Understanding a Contract

• Important information that is listed on the contract:

• Contract Number- The contract number listed on the contract is the base contract number in OAKS.

• Effective Dates- The effective dates are the dates the contract is valid. Before ordering, you should check to be sure the contract is in effect. Occasionally, a contract could be revised but the update has not been made to OAKS. The contract is valid, but OAKS may show that it has expired. Contact the contract analyst to correct this issue in OAKS.

• Contract Analyst- The contract analyst is the person employed by the State of Ohio that is responsible for that contract. Any questions about the contract should be directed to this person.

• Agency Usage- The third paragraph of every contract lists the agencies that are able to utilize that contract.  

• Some contracts have a Price Page located at the end of the contract which lists the particular items that can be bought on the contract. The item description, price, product code number, and item ID number are listed.

• The item ID number is a unique number assigned to an item in the OAKS catalog. Item ID numbers are only available on some contracts. When creating a catalog requisition, you will use the item ID number to perform a specific search for an item.