From Draft to Signature: How to Reduce Delays in Contract Approval

20 January 2026

Slow contract approvals cost public organizations time, money and service delivery. For governments and public agencies in Canada and Québec, where layered rules, delegated authorities and transparency obligations multiply steps, streamlining approvals is both a legal and operational priority. Below are practical, compliant tactics public procurement teams can use to move contracts from draft to signature faster without sacrificing control.

Map the approval path and own the authorities

Document who must approve what, and in what order, before you start drafting. Federal guidance identifies distinct roles (contract approval authority vs. signing authority) and emphasizes that approvals are the primary control points in procurement files. Clear mapping prevents last-minute surprises about who needs to approve the document or which level of Treasury Board submission is required. (canadabuys.canada.ca)

Use standardized templates and playbooks

Create one approved contract template per common contract type (services, IT, professional services, amendments). Standard clauses for indemnity, privacy, payment schedules and intellectual property reduce legal review cycles because lawyers review consistent language instead of reinventing each file. CanadaBuys’ procurement advice recommends using repeatable documents and checklists to limit rework. (canadabuys.canada.ca)

Digitize drafting and approval workflows

Centralizing drafting, version control and approvals in a secure digital workflow removes delays caused by email back-and-forth, document duplication and unclear versioning. Public organizations increasingly rely on structured drafting tools that guide users through approved clauses, track changes and document approvals, while ensuring compliance with internal governance and record-keeping requirements. A clear audit trail of approvals, separate from the act of signing, supports accountability and transparency throughout the process.

Parallelize reviews where possible

Instead of strict serial reviews, identify independent checks that can run in parallel (e.g., procurement compliance, technical acceptance and finance review). Parallel review reduces overall turnaround time; designate a file owner to reconcile comments and produce the consolidated final draft. Federal procurement modernization reviews recommend modular and collaborative approaches, especially for complex IT and service contracts. (govcanadacontracts.ca)

Clarify thresholds and delegation

Many delays stem from confusion about dollar thresholds, delegation limits or triggers for Treasury Board submissions. Regularly publish and train staff on the current delegation matrix and when a higher-level submission is required. When approvals must be escalated, create a “fast-track” briefing template so decision-makers receive the exact information they need without additional clarification rounds. (Gouvernement du Canada)

Measure, report and set SLAs

Track cycle times for each approval step and publish simple dashboards (e.g., average time in legal review, finance approval, final authorization). Public organizations that measure approval timelines can identify recurring bottlenecks, then set internal service-level targets and hold units accountable for meeting them.

Invest in training and front-loading risk analysis

Train contract authors on common legal and procurement pitfalls so first drafts require fewer corrections. Encourage teams to conduct a short risk assessment at the drafting stage, issues such as intellectual property, data residency or Indigenous procurement considerations are easier to manage early than after multiple review cycles.

Faster approvals do not mean weaker controls. By documenting approval paths, standardizing templates, digitizing drafting and approval workflows, parallelizing reviews, clarifying delegations and measuring performance, public organizations can reduce delays while preserving transparency and compliance. Small process improvements, supported by the right drafting tools and training, can generate significant time savings from draft to signature.

For more information and to learn how the Legalflo team can help streamline the drafting and approval of public contracts, request a demo with one of our experts.

Sources

  • CanadaBuys, Chapter 6: Approvals and authorities (Supply Manual). (canadabuys.canada.ca)
  • CanadaBuys, Procurement advice and best practices. (canadabuys.canada.ca)
  • Treasury Board Secretariat, Guidance for drafters of Treasury Board submissions. (Gouvernement du Canada)
  • Gouvernement du Québec, Regulation respecting certain supply contracts and public procurement governance. (Légis Québec)
  • Guides and commentary on modernizing public procurement and modular contracting. (govcanadacontracts.ca)
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