What to check: Required policy types and limits spelled out in the contract (for example, general liability, professional liability, and cyber liability), policy numbers, effective and expiration dates, and any required endorsements such as additional insured or waiver of subrogation. Evidence to collect: Certificate of insurance and endorsement copies, emailed confirmation from the agency or contracting officer that limits and endorsements satisfy the contract. Store these with the contract file and link them to the NTP request.

What to check: Performance and payment bonds or other surety instruments required by the solicitation, with correct penal sums and surety signatures. Evidence to collect: Executed bond forms and the surety company contact information. Confirm the bond is accepted by the contracting officer before mobilizing.

What to check: Contract language on required screenings, acceptable databases or vendors, clearance levels, and whether checks apply to primes and subs. Evidence to collect: Redacted screening confirmation, dated clearance certificates, and a roster of assigned personnel with clearance status. Keep a secure log for audit review.

What to check: Required attestations or certifications (for example, references to NIST SP 800 series or a specific state cybersecurity exhibit), incident notification obligations, and any required security plan or SOC report. Evidence to collect: Attestation letters, completed security exhibits, SOC2 or similar reports if requested, and written acceptance or acknowledgement from the agency. Remember the prime is accountable for subcontractor security posture as well, so flow down requirements and verify subs’ attestations.

What to check: A formally issued, written NTP signed or authorized by the contracting officer or authorized official. No verbal directions substitute for the NTP. Evidence to collect: The signed NTP document, and any related COR or agency email confirming the NTP. Do not begin billable work, site access, or subcontractor deployment until you hold the written NTP. Mobilization that touches deliverables or agency systems counts as performance and is non-billable without the NTP.

• SOW reference: exact exhibit, section, or line item identifier for traceability.
• Deliverable title and short description: one sentence that matches contract language.
• Acceptance criteria: the objective test or deliverable artefacts the agency must accept.
• Due date and calendar anchor: hard date with timezone and any milestone window.
• Owner (name and role): the single person accountable for delivery and status updates.
• Current status: small controlled set of values (Not started, In progress, Submitted, Under review, Accepted, Rejected, Overdue).
• Evidence links: file names, report IDs, or URL to the acceptance packet.
• Acceptance date and signer: who accepted and when, stored as written evidence.
• Billing reference: invoice line or milestone ID that can be used when creating an invoice.
• Last updated and change log: who changed the record and why.

• Keep one authoritative register shared with the agency when contract terms require it. Update at every reporting interval.
• Never rely on verbal approvals. Capture any agency decision, waiver, or scope adjustment in writing and attach it to the record. Verbal direction carries no contractual weight in SLED contracts.
• Link each invoice submission to the register entry and the acceptance evidence, because missing deliverable references are a common cause of invoice rejection.

• Update frequency: at least weekly, and always after any deliverable submission, agency review, or change.
• Status changes: require short rationale and evidence link for any change from Submitted to Under review, or Under review to Accepted/Rejected.
• Version control: keep immutable snapshots of the register at every reporting period so auditors can see the historic state.
• Escalation path: define who is notified automatically when a deliverable becomes Overdue, Rejected, or when acceptance is not received within the contract review window.

• Start every deliverable record with the exact contract text, then add your operational details.
• Use short, consistent status values and a mandatory evidence field for Submitted and Accepted states.
• Run a weekly register review with the contract manager and the agency POC when appropriate. Early disclosure of schedule or quality risk usually leads to cooperative remedies rather than penalties.
• Archive written agency approvals with the corresponding deliverable record to support closeout and future audits.

Agency review usually begins with documented deliverable acceptance and the performance evidence that supports the invoice. Agencies rely on reports and milestone confirmations to verify work before they approve payment.

Missing or late required reports. Agencies treat reports as documentary proof of performance and will hold invoices until reports are current. Improper invoice format or numbering. Small format errors cause rejections or routing delays. Absent deliverable or milestone references. Every billed line should point to the SOW item or accepted milestone. Billing outside the approved period of performance or before the Notice to Proceed. Such charges are nonbillable and invite clawback or rejection.

Internal preflight checklist. Verify NTP date, accepted deliverable evidence, report submission status, invoice format, SOW line references, and required backup (timesheets, acceptance letters, or test reports depending on contract type) before submitting. Maintain a live deliverable register that records acceptance dates and owners. Link each invoice line to a register entry so reviewers can cross-check quickly. Treat administrative SLAs as mandatory. Track report deadlines and invoice turnaround times alongside performance SLAs to avoid avoidable penalties.

Verify NTP and period of performance alignment. Confirm required reports and acceptance evidence are on file. Check invoice numbering, format, and SOW references. Attach supporting documentation tied to each line item. Log submission, expected review dates, and follow up commitments.