Navigating the Biggest Year-End Headaches in Contracting

In contracting, there’s always that one moment, often late in the year, when everything bottlenecks at once. You’re rushing to issue tenders while half your team’s on holiday, the “oh no” moment of a surprise contract renewal that slipped under the radar, or the sudden end-of-year RFP that lands on your desk with a ticking clock.

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Let’s break these down and show how we can tackle them head-on with a bit of contract intelligence.

Headache #1: The Holiday Tender Chaos  

"People want to run tenders over Christmas, but we have skeleton crews. We get inconsistent results and have to scramble with whoever’s available."

What SimpliContract brings to the table is the ability to analyze those key terms in tenders that usually require manual review. Think of the high-stakes clauses—performance guarantees, LDs, compliance terms—and benchmarks them against similar tenders in your portfolio.  

That means you instantly see where you might be getting short-changed or where you have leverage.

That insight flows directly to the right legal or operational expert, so you’re not chasing reviews, you’re accelerating them. Even with lean teams, you can confidently move from bid to decision without the year-end bottleneck.

Headache #2: The “Oops, It’s Renewal Time” Surprise  

"My 'I wish this could be easier' moment? Definitely when a vendor contract is up for renewal, and I only realize it last minute because it wasn't on anyone’s radar."

We’ve all had that “oh no” moment. SimpliContract keeps renewals on your radar, with smart nudges well in advance, tied directly to budget impact. It flags outdated terms and helps you avoid unnecessary auto-renewals. You stay ahead of the curve, with time to renegotiate and realign terms proactively.

Headache #3: The Last-Minute RFP Rush  

And then there’s that all-too-familiar scenario: ‍

“The business hits me with last-minute RFP contracts that have to be signed by year-end because a sales guy promised a deal that’s about to go up in price.”

SimpliContract steps in by analyzing the RFP right away, flags which terms or clauses pose a risk, and explains why the term is considered risky.  It’s like having a first-pass RFP review done for you, with the context your team needs to act fast. You get to “yes” faster, without manually combing through pages. But it doesn’t stop at just flagging risks. It then routes those flagged terms to the right internal approver, removing manual reach-outs and delays.

In short, whether it’s holiday staffing headaches, surprise renewals, or last-minute RFPs, these hidden pain points don’t have to be a nightmare.  

With a little help from contract intelligence, you can turn them into smooth sailing. And that’s exactly what we’re here for: to make sure your contracting process is as stress-free and efficient as it can be, no matter the season.

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Author: Ed Berger

Chief Growth Officer, SimpliContract

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