Contract Renewal & Expiration Manager

Framework: Renewal Readiness Protocol

Output: A proactive renewal calendar + decision framework + renegotiation prep package

Missing a contract renewal costs real money — auto-renewals at bad rates, emergency re-sourcing, lost leverage. This system gives you a structured process to manage every vendor contract renewal proactively: alert triggers, renewal decisions, renegotiation prep, and documentation.

Phase 1: Renewal Inventory & Calendar Setup

Step 1 — Build your renewal calendar

For every active vendor contract, capture:

Priority flag: Any contract with ACV > $10K or auto-renewal clause = Priority tier (review 90 days out). All others = Standard tier (review 60 days out).

Phase 2: The 90/60/30-Day Alert Protocol

90 days before renewal:

• Owner receives automated/calendar alert
• Trigger: Vendor Performance Audit (see Vendor Performance Audit skill)
• Decision: Is this vendor still the right solution? Flag for review.
• Action: Schedule renewal decision meeting

60 days before renewal:

• Complete renewal decision (renew vs. renegotiate vs. replace)
• If renewing as-is: confirm terms, draft renewal notice
• If renegotiating: begin prep (Phase 3)
• If replacing: begin vendor search, trigger parallel onboarding timeline

30 days before renewal:

• All paperwork finalized and signed
• If auto-renewal with notice clause: send written notice by this date
• Confirm successor vendor is ready (if replacing)
• Update renewal calendar for next cycle

Emergency Protocol (< 30 days discovered):

If a renewal is discovered < 30 days out:

1. Immediate owner notification
2. Assess: Can we extend month-to-month? Is auto-renewal acceptable short-term?
3. If replacing: begin emergency sourcing
4. Document the miss and add this vendor to Priority tier going forward

Phase 3: Renewal Decision Framework

For each renewal, score across 4 dimensions (1-5 each):

Decision matrix:

• 16-20: Renew, consider expanding scope
• 11-15: Renew, assess for renegotiation
• 6-10: Renegotiate or evaluate alternatives
• 1-5: Replace — begin sourcing

Phase 4: Renegotiation Prep

If decision is to renegotiate, complete this prep package before any vendor conversation:

Market positioning:

• What are 2-3 comparable alternatives? Get quotes.
• What's the market rate for this category today vs. when contract was signed?
• What's your BATNA (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement)?

Value ledger:

• What have you gotten from this vendor over the contract period? (Quantify where possible)
• What problems have occurred? Document with dates and business impact.
• What do you want changed? Rank by priority: price → terms → SLA → scope

Opening position:

• State your ask clearly before the first call
• Lead with value received, then the gap between current and desired terms
• Anchor to market data, not just preference

Concession ladder:

• What will you trade? (longer term for lower price, volume commitment for discount, etc.)
• What is non-negotiable? (Define in advance, not under pressure)

Phase 5: Documentation Templates

Renewal Notice Letter (for contracts requiring written notice):

[Date]
[Vendor Name]
[Address]

RE: Contract Renewal Notice — [Contract ID / Service Description]

Dear [Vendor Contact],

This letter serves as formal notice of our intent to [renew / not renew] the agreement dated [Contract Start Date] for [Service Description].

[If renewing:] We look forward to continuing our relationship under the same terms for an additional [term]. Please confirm receipt of this notice.

[If not renewing:] Please consider this our formal notice of non-renewal per Section [X] of our agreement. We will coordinate transition details separately.

Regards,
[Name, Title]
[Company]

Internal Renewal Summary (for stakeholder records):

• Vendor, Contract ID, Term, ACV
• Renewal decision + rationale
• Changes negotiated (if any)
• Next renewal date
• Owner sign-off

Implementation Checklist

• [ ] Build renewal inventory for all active contracts
• [ ] Set calendar alerts at 90/60/30-day marks for all Priority contracts
• [ ] Set 60/30-day alerts for Standard contracts
• [ ] Assign owners to every contract
• [ ] Complete renewal decision framework for any contracts due within 90 days
• [ ] Store all contracts in a single accessible location (Drive folder, Notion, etc.)