Glossary of Contract Terms
ACCREDITATION Recognition issued by a national accrediting organization to behavioral healthcare and human services providers for their compliance with the established evaluation criteria for service quality. Commonly know accrediting organizations include the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission (CARF), the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and the Council on Accreditation (COA). ADDENDUM A document used to expand or more fully explain the terms of a solicitation which is incorporated as part of the original solicitation. This modification becomes a legal part of the solicitation. This term should not be confused with a contract amendment as it is not used to change the terms of a contract. ADMINISTRATIVE STANDARDS Criteria for evaluating a provider’s compliance with contract provisions. ADVANCE PAYMENTS ADVANCE PAYMENTS. A payment situation whereby under certain circumstances it is possible to make a portion of the contract funds available to a provider prior to the delivery of services and or expenditure of funds by the provider. AMENDMENT A document by which significant changes are made to the terms of an executed contract. Changes requiring an amendment include, but are not limited to adjustments in costs, services, time period, and method of payment. The amendment is incorporated as part of the original contract. ATTACHMENT I The unique, program-specific part of a contract that contains the statement of work for each provider including services to be provided, manner of service provision, method of payment, and special provisions. AUDIT TRAIL A recorded flow of transactions from initiation to finalization with supporting documentation to justify each transaction. BEST VALUE The highest overall value to the procuring agency based on objective factors determined by the procuring agency. BID OPENING CLERK The individual charged with the responsibility of receiving, logging, and opening bids.