IT Contract and Vendor Management Guide - Minimum Requirements for Managing UNSW IT Contracts

Sep 12, 2026

Practical guidance for managing UNSW IT contracts and vendors in business-as-usual engagements, aligned with the IT Service Ownership Standard, the Third-party Arrangements Manual, and Finance Policy procurement principles. Defines the minimum requirements to provide a consistent approach for IT Service Owners, manage material BAU contracts, and reduce risk while meeting IT Service Management Practice obligations. Includes example tools and templates supporting effective vendor relationship management, governance, performance oversight, risk handling, escalation, continuous improvement, and exit/transition activities.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Governance Framework

Roles and Responsibilities

Vendor Performance Management

Risk Management

Contractual Issue Escalation and Resolution

Vendor Development and Continuous Improvement

Exit and Transition Management

Tools, Templates and Support

Appendix A-UNSW IT Contract and Vendor Management-Meeting Minutes & Action Items

Appendix B- IT Contract and Vendor Management Risk Register

Appendix C-Key Activity Checklist

Purpose This guide supports the IT Service Ownership Standard, Third-party Arrangements Manual, and the principles relevant to procurement in the Finance Policy by providing practical guidance and setting out the minimum requirements to effectively manage UNSW IT contracts and vendors in business-as-usual (BAU) engagements. It is designed to: • Provide a consistent approach to IT contract and vendor management. • Support IT Service Owners in managing material BAU IT contracts. • Enable IT Service Owners to ensure relationships with vendors are managed effectively to reduce risk and comply with IT Service Management Practice requirements. • Provide example tools and templates to support IT vendor relationship management. Scope • This guide outlines the approach to ongoing management and operational oversight of IT contracts and vendors. It offers structured guidance across key focus areas, providing a clear set of activities and supporting actions to help IT Service Owners manage IT contracts, and drive ongoing value from the vendor relationship. • It applies to all IT Service Owners, as outlined in the IT Service Ownership Standard with responsibility for Tier 1 (Core), Tier 2 (Mission Critical) and Tier 3 (Business Critical) IT Services. Elements of this guide (such as governance framework and vendor performance management) may support IT Service Owners of Tier 4 (Business Important) and Tier 5 (Non-Critical) IT Services seeking to strengthen their management practices. Not in Scope This document does not address: • Approval to engage with a third-party • Drafting, negotiation and execution of agreements Exclusion of IT Material Vendors Material enterprise IT vendors are subject to a higher level of governance and oversight, which falls outside the scope of this guide. Governance activity associated with the management of UNSW IT material vendors is supported by the IT Vendor & Commercial team within IT. Contents 1. Introduction............................................................................................................................................................ 2 2. Governance Framework ........................................................................................................................................ 2 3. Roles and Responsibilities .................................................................................................................................... 3 4. Vendor Performance Management ...................................................................................................................... 3 5. Risk Management.................................................................................................................................................. 5 6. Contractual Issue Escalation and Resolution ...................................................................................................... 5 7. Vendor Development and Continuous Improvement .......................................................................................... 6 8. Exit and Transition Management ......................................................................................................................... 7 9. Tools, Templates and Support.............................................................................................................................. 7 Appendix A-UNSW IT Contract and Vendor Management-Meeting Minutes & Action Items .................................. 8 Appendix B- IT Contract and Vendor Management Risk Register.............................................................................. 12 Appendix C-Key Activity Checklist ............................................................................................................................... 13 1.1. UNSW effectively operates a federated model, where the CIO has overall responsibility for the management and oversight of UNSW ent

FAQs

What is the purpose of the guide for IT Service Owners?

It provides practical minimum requirements and a consistent approach to manage UNSW IT contracts and vendors during BAU engagements, helping reduce risk and comply with IT Service Management Practice obligations.

What does the guide cover in scope and not in scope?

It focuses on ongoing operational oversight of IT contracts and vendor management. It does not address approval to engage third parties or the drafting, negotiation, and execution of agreements.

How are governance and oversight responsibilities determined?

The guide states that IT Service Owners must manage and monitor arrangements based on the nature, size, complexity, and risk profile, including activities such as periodic meetings, SLA performance assessment, and contract compliance checks.

Sep 12, 2026

Upload by Lucas Vance