Performance Evaluation: Proven Approaches for Improving Program and Organizational Performance

THE CONTRACT

A contract is an agreement between two parties to provide something in exchange for a consideration—usually payment in money in exchange for goods and services. In principle, a handshake can seal a deal, but prudent people have recognized the value of written contracts that are clear and executed in front of a witness. This proves valuable if the parties are in disagreement about something and one claim or another ends up having to be settled in a courtroom. In fact, a written contract may prevent differences from ending up in legal confrontations at all, or at the least may provide a clearer basis for settling disputes that do arise.

Contract law is a complex field and will not be covered here. Instead, this chapter concentrates ...