Part of the ASF policy framework, aligned with the equivalent PHIG policy. To raise a concern: see the ASF Complaints and Reporting Channel.
Only an Authorised Signatory may commit ASF to a contract, payment or obligation, and only within the limits below; every commitment needs two people — one to approve and one to check. Owner: Board Chair.
Source of authority: the ASF Charter and written Board resolutions. The Board keeps ultimate authority and may act directly at any time. Consultants and contractors can never bind ASF.
Approval matrix
Thresholds are per transaction or contract (including all its amendments), in euro (EUR).
| Decision | Up to 5,000 EUR | 5,001–30,000 EUR | 30,001–150,000 EUR | Over 150,000 EUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase orders and supplier contracts | the Board Chair | the Board Chair + Finance review | the Board Chair + Chair | Board resolution |
| Payments (release of funds) | the Board Chair + second signatory | the Board Chair + second signatory | the Board Chair + Chair | the Board Chair + Chair |
| Grant and donor agreements (income) | the Board Chair | the Board Chair | the Board Chair + Chair | Board resolution |
| Sub-grants to partners | the Board Chair | the Board Chair + Ethics and Compliance check | the Board Chair + Chair | Board resolution |
| Staff contracts and salaries | the Board Chair | the Board Chair | the Board Chair + Chair | Board resolution |
| Leases, loans, guarantees, bank accounts | Chair | Chair | Board resolution | Board resolution |
| Legal claims and settlements | the Board Chair + Chair | the Board Chair + Chair | Board resolution | Board resolution |
Board Chair. No one may approve a payment to themselves, a relative or an organisation in which they have an interest.
Rules for every Signatory
- In writing: every commitment involving money is written; no oral contracts.
- No splitting: dividing a purchase to stay under a threshold is prohibited.
- Budget first: a Signatory may only commit funds that are in an approved budget.
- Sub-delegation: allowed only in writing, for a stated period and amount, and never beyond the Signatory’s own limit.
- Register: the the Board Chair keeps a register of current delegations and specimen signatures, updated within five working days of any change.
- Electronic signatures and click-through terms count as signatures.
Breaches
A commitment made without authority may be declared void by the Board and is a disciplinary matter. The person responsible may be liable for any resulting loss.