Contract Management Software for Education: The Pima College Success Story

How one community college transformed grant funding through better contract management

In today’s complex educational landscape, community colleges face increasing pressure to secure and efficiently manage grant funding. For Pima Community College (PCC) in Tucson, Arizona, grants and contracts represent approximately 20% of its annual operating budget — a vital financial lifeline for supporting student programs and services. However, managing these critical resources effectively presented significant challenges until the college implemented a comprehensive contract lifecycle management solution.

This case study explores how PCC revolutionized its grant management process through digital transformation, highlighting valuable lessons for other educational institutions seeking to optimize their contract management practices.

The funding challenge: Critical resources at risk

Like many community colleges, Pima Community College relies heavily on grants to fund essential programs and student services. With approximately one-fifth of its annual budget dependent on these external funding sources, efficient grant management is not merely an administrative concern but a strategic imperative.

Before implementing a modern contract management solution, PCC faced several critical challenges that jeopardized their ability to secure and maintain grant funding:

1. Fragmented communication

Grant management requires coordination across multiple departments, including legal, finance, and academic divisions. Without a centralized system, communications were scattered across email chains, making it difficult to track conversations and decisions.

Julie Delayo, Executive Director for Sponsored Programs, Grants and Contracts at PCC, described the situation: “We are up against constant deadlines.” The pressure of these deadlines, combined with fragmented communication channels, created a high-risk environment where important information could easily be lost.

2. Approval bottlenecks

The grant application process typically requires multiple approvals from various stakeholders. Before implementing a contract management system, PCC experienced significant delays in securing necessary sign-offs, particularly from their General Counsel’s office.

These bottlenecks often pushed applications dangerously close to submission deadlines, increasing the risk of missed opportunities or incomplete applications.

3. Limited visibility into contract status

Without a centralized contract repository, tracking the status of grant applications and contracts became a manual, time-consuming process. Staff often struggled to quickly determine where a particular contract stood in the approval process or when key deadlines were approaching.

The solution: Centralized contract management

To address these challenges, Pima Community College implemented Concord’s contract management software, creating a centralized platform for all grant-related contracts and communications. This strategic decision transformed their approach to grant management in several key ways:

1. Streamlined communication

One of the most significant improvements came from centralizing all contract-related communications in a single platform. Julie Delayo highlights this benefit: “It gives us the ability to have those discussions right in the discussion tab. And it sends out emails so everybody stays in the loop.”

This transparent communication eliminated the confusion and delays previously caused by fragmented email chains, ensuring that all stakeholders had access to the same information.

2. Accelerated approval workflows

By implementing structured workflows within the contract management system, PCC significantly reduced the time required to secure approvals from key stakeholders, including the General Counsel’s office. Real-time visibility into contract status and automated notifications for pending tasks helped eliminate bottlenecks in the approval process.

3. Role-based access control

The platform’s flexible permissions system allowed PCC to provide tailored access to different departments while maintaining appropriate security controls. Delayo noted: “You can give somebody full view who needs access to all contracts, and then you can narrow it down to a department.”

This granular control enabled collaboration while ensuring sensitive information remained appropriately protected — a critical consideration when dealing with grant funding.

Measurable results: Transforming grant success

The implementation of modern contract management software delivered tangible results for Pima Community College. Within the first year of using the platform, PCC experienced:

1. Increased grant funding

Perhaps the most significant outcome was a substantial increase in successful grant applications. By streamlining workflows and improving communication, PCC secured more grants in the first year of implementation, directly translating to additional funding for critical student programs.

2. Faster approval cycles

The time required to secure General Counsel approvals decreased significantly, and the overall contract development cycle was shortened by a wide margin. This increased agility allowed PCC to meet tight grant application deadlines more reliably.

3. Better contract oversight

Centralized tracking provided unprecedented visibility into contract status and pending actions. This improved oversight allowed PCC to manage grants more proactively, addressing potential issues before they became problems.

The broader context: Contract management in higher education

Pima Community College’s experience reflects a broader trend in higher education, where institutions increasingly recognize contract management software as an essential tool for operational efficiency.

The evolution beyond legal departments

Traditionally, contract management was primarily the domain of legal departments. However, in educational institutions like PCC, this function now spans multiple departments, including finance, grants management, and academic administration.

This cross-functional approach requires solutions that balance centralized control with departmental flexibility — precisely what modern contract lifecycle management platforms provide.

Cooperative purchasing networks

Another emerging trend in higher education contract management is the growth of cooperative purchasing networks. These consortia allow institutions to leverage collective buying power through pre-negotiated contracts, delivering average savings of 10-15% compared to individual negotiations.

For community colleges like PCC with limited procurement resources, these networks provide access to professionally negotiated contracts that would otherwise be unattainable, further enhancing the value of effective contract management systems.

Implementing contract management in educational institutions: Best practices

Educational institutions looking to replicate Pima Community College’s success should consider these key best practices:

1. Move beyond email for approvals and discussions

As demonstrated by PCC’s experience, centralizing communications in a dedicated contract management platform dramatically improves collaboration and reduces the risk of lost information.

2. Increase visibility into workflows

Real-time tracking of contract status prevents bottlenecks and missed deadlines — critical factors in the time-sensitive world of grant applications.

3. Implement role-based access

Educational institutions must balance collaboration with appropriate data security. A flexible permissions system ensures the right people have access to the information they need while protecting sensitive data.

4. Focus on cross-functional evaluation

When selecting a contract management solution, include representatives from all affected departments in the evaluation process. PCC’s success stemmed partly from bringing together stakeholders from grants management, legal, finance, and operations to ensure the chosen solution met everyone’s needs.

5. Approach implementation strategically

Rather than attempting a complete system overhaul, consider a phased approach that delivers quick wins while building toward comprehensive contract management. This strategy maintains momentum and demonstrates value early in the implementation process.

Contract management and compliance in educational settings

Educational institutions face unique compliance requirements related to grant funding. Each funding source typically comes with specific compliance obligations and reporting requirements.

Modern contract management systems help institutions like PCC track these requirements across various agreements, ensuring compliance and reducing risk. By centralizing contract data and automating key compliance processes, educational institutions can maintain funding eligibility while reducing administrative burden.

The future of contract management in education

As educational institutions continue to face budget pressures and increasing competition for grant funding, effective contract management will become even more critical. Several trends will shape this evolution:

AI-powered insights

Artificial intelligence is transforming how organizations analyze and manage agreements, unlocking valuable insights that drive better decision-making. For educational institutions, AI can help identify grant opportunities, optimize application processes, and improve compliance monitoring.

Digital contract negotiations

While technology streamlines many aspects of contract negotiation, the human element remains essential. Educational institutions must balance digital efficiency with personal communication, especially when dealing with complex grant requirements.

Data-driven decision making

As contract analytics capabilities mature, educational institutions will increasingly leverage contract data to inform strategic decisions about grant applications, resource allocation, and program development.

Conclusion: Transforming educational funding through better contract management

Pima Community College’s success story illustrates how modern contract management software can transform an educational institution’s approach to grant funding. By centralizing communications, streamlining approvals, and increasing visibility into contract status, PCC significantly improved its grant application success rate, directly benefiting students and programs.

For other educational institutions facing similar challenges, PCC’s experience offers a valuable roadmap. By implementing a comprehensive contract lifecycle management solution, colleges and universities can optimize their grant management processes, secure more funding, and ultimately better fulfill their educational mission.

Ready to transform your institution’s approach to contract management? Schedule a demo to discover how a modern contract management solution can help your educational institution secure more funding and operate more efficiently.

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About Concord

Concord empowers growing businesses to make smarter operational decisions by unlocking actionable insights from all their contracts using Agreement Intelligence. Trusted by over 1,500 companies and 1 million users worldwide, Concord enables people to swiftly sign agreements and easily access crucial business data.