Here Are the 5 Best Government Contract Management Software We’ve Tried

Helpful Summary

  • Overview: This guide covers the top 5 government contract management software solutions we’ve tested, so you can easily and effectively manage your contracts.
  • Why you can trust us: We’ve helped 61,000+ businesses streamline and automate their contract management process, so we know what works and what doesn’t.
  • Why this is important: Solid contract management is key for government organizations and contractors to maintain compliance and stay organized.
  • Action points: Our top picks are SignWell, Creatio, Odoo, Oneflow, and ContractHero.

Want to Find the Best Government Contract Management Software?

Governments rely on contractors for a variety of services—from construction projects to IT support. With so many contracts being managed at once, it’s crucial for both government organizations and contractors to have an efficient and reliable contract management system in place.

That’s where contract management software comes in.

These solutions streamline the complex process of managing contracts, ensuring compliance, and improving operational efficiency. They provide a centralized platform for tracking contract performance, managing risks, and maintaining a clear audit trail.

In this SignWell guide, we will explore our top five picks for government contract management software. The goal is to arm you with all the insights you need to make an informed decision.

Why Listen to Us?

At SignWell, we’ve helped more than 61,000 businesses simplify their contract processes—all without breaking the bank. Our software is designed to be affordable, secure, and easy to use. Plus, we offer a range of integrations so you can easily connect your existing tools and apps.

The bottom line—we know what to look for in great free contract management software. Plus, we’ve spent hours testing different products to make sure that we’re recommending the best of the best.

So, take a look at our list and see which free contract management tools might be perfect for you.

What Is Government Contract Management Software?

Government contract management software streamlines the administration of contracts for businesses that want to contract with government entities (and vice versa) by creating a centralized hub for easy access and organization. 

The following are key functionalities of this kind of software:

  • Audits: Maintains a comprehensive record of all actions and details about the people who interacted with the contracts.
  • Alerts: Sends notifications when deadlines or performance standards are not met.
  • E-Signing: Enables digital signatures for contracts, ensuring accuracy and maintaining an audit trail.
  • Reporting: Generates reports with customizable fields to show detailed contract information.
  • Automation: Saves time by automating routine tasks like generating forms or tracking compliance data.

This software also sometimes supports processes like requisition, bidding, rating, awards, monitoring, purchasing, source funding, budget management, payment, and closeout.

Benefits of Using Government Contract Management Software

Compliance and Standards

The utilization of contract management software has proven to enhance compliance by an impressive 55%. This becomes an important strategy for government entities aiming to adhere to strict standards and contractual requirements.

Cost-Effectiveness

Adopting efficient government contract management software is a financially prudent decision. 

Contract management software not only saves money by reducing the average cost of creating basic contracts, but also helps to improve an organization’s profitability by up to 9% of the annual revenue.

Automated Reporting and Audits

The software automates reporting and audit processes, reducing the time-consuming human review period, which averages 92 minutes. This automation saves time and ensures accuracy and consistency in the auditing process.

Criteria To Consider When Choosing A Government Contract Management Software

Adherence to Government Regulations

Government contracts are strictly regulated, and any non-compliance can result in severe penalties.

Look for information about the laws and standards each tool is compliant with. For example, SignWell is fully compliant with:

  • SOC 2 Type 2
  • HIPAA
  • GDPR
  • ESIGN
  • eIDAS
  • UETA

… and more.

Seamless Integration with Other Systems

The software should seamlessly integrate with various systems used by the contractor, including accounting, billing, procurement, and HR systems. This ensures efficient and accurate management across multiple functions, promoting a cohesive and streamlined workflow.

These integrations can either be native or via third-party tools. For example, Oneflow offers 20+ native integrations while SignWell offers 5,000+ through Zapier.

Customization

Customizability is paramount to cater to the specific needs of the contractor. The software should allow for the creation of custom workflows, forms, and templates, enabling a tailored approach to contract management that aligns with individual requirements.

For example, Odoo’s flexible and extendable architecture simplifies the creation of custom solutions, allowing users to customize the app by adding fields, creating new views, streamlining workflows, and more. 

5 Government Contract Management Software Options

  1. SignWell
  2. Sales Creatio
  3. Odoo
  4. Oneflow
  5. ContractHero

1. SignWell

SignWell is an e-signing solution that offers government bodies, contractors, and vendors a simple and secure way to create, sign, and manage contracts.

SignWell

With a comprehensive workflow management system that enables easy tracking of contract progress, SignWell eliminates the need for manual paperwork and helps contractors increase their operational efficiency.

You can easily set signing orders, automate notifications and reminders, track document statuses, generate audit reports, and more—all while adhering to the strictest e-signing and data privacy regulations. We also offer a range of contract templates that you can customize to meet your needs.

Key Features

  • E-Signature API: Embed e-signature capabilities in your website or app and automate your workflows.
  • Document Management: Keep documents secure and easily find what you’re looking for with advanced search.
  • Audit Reports: Generate comprehensive audit reports for all your contracts—complete with IP address tracking and timestamping.
  • Contract Templates: Access a library of customizable contract templates to make sure your contracts comply with all legal requirements.
  • Notifications & Reminders: Automate email notifications and reminders to make sure contracts are signed and returned promptly.
  • Workflow Automation: Automate complex workflows and manage the entire process—from document creation to signature.
  • Customer Support: Get help whenever you need it with our dedicated customer support.

Pricing

SignWell offers four main plans—Free, Personal ($8/month for 1 user), Business ($24/month for 3 users), and Enterprise (custom). All paid plans include unlimited documents, so you can choose the plan that offers the features you need without paying extra.

SignWell Pricing

Our API is pay-as-you-go, with 25 API documents free each month. We offer free developer test accounts with unlimited test usage, volume-based discounts for high usage, and enterprise plans for large teams.

SignWell API Pricing

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • User-friendly interface for easy navigation
  • Customizable templates simplify workflows and enhance contract handling
  • Automated reminders aid in managing important deadlines.
  • Offers legally binding e-signatures
  • Implements strong security measures
  • Responsive customer service

Cons

  • Editing documents within the app isn’t possible (yet)

2. Creatio

Creatio is an adaptable no-code platform that offers sales teams a comprehensive contract management system.

Creatio

It allows you to store, track, and manage contracts in one place—no matter their complexity. You can also track key contract analytics and set up automated workflows to speed up your approval process. 

Key Features

  • Customization: Sales Creatio offers tons of no-code customization options to develop a near-custom contract management solution.
  • Workflow Automation: Set up automated notifications and reminders to ensure contracts get signed on time and you stay on top of managing important deadlines.
  • Security: Sales Creatio implements strong security measures so you can rest easy knowing your documents are safe.

Pricing

Creatio Pricing

The pricing for Creatio solutions varies depending on the platform plan and the number of users. The platform plans range from $25 to $85 per user per month, with additional costs for specific products and support plans.

Sales Creatio costs $15/user/month and needs to be added to a Creatio plan.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Easy implementation
  • Offers historical reporting
  • Helps organize complex processes from start to finish

Cons

  • Documentation could be more intuitive
  • Some limitations in reporting tools
  • Occasionally experience performance issues

3. Odoo

Odoo is a company that creates an impressive range of affordable business apps.

Odoo

In terms of contract management, Odoo offers two useful products—Documents and Sign. Documents is a document management system that features tags, collaboration tools, and more.

Sign is an e-signature solution designed to speed up the contract signing process. It allows users to upload any document, add signature fields with full compliance with legal standards, invite signees to agree digitally, and track progress in real-time.

Key Features

  • Document Storage: Keep all your important documents in one place, with secure access control.
  • Collaboration Tools: Create, share, and collaborate on projects with teams both inside and outside your organization.
  • E-Signatures: Streamline the contract signing process with e-signature capabilities that ensure legal compliance.

Pricing

Odoo lets users choose one app from their library of 24+ to use for free.

Odoo Pricing

Standard ($24.90/user/month) gives you access to all apps, while Custom ($37.40/month) offers all apps plus API access and a few helpful extras.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Consolidates diverse business functions into one accessible platform
  • Uses an open-source development model
  • Offers a vast selection of applications

Cons

  • The free plan allows only one app
  • The annual plan discount is applicable only for the first 12 months
  • Its pricing doesn’t automatically change with the gain or loss of users/employees

4. Oneflow

Oneflow enables users to generate dynamic digital contracts, collaborate in real time, and securely sign with legally binding signatures. The platform offers a centralized space for tracking all contracts, ensuring efficient management. 

Oneflow

With its advanced contract authoring and formatting editor, coupled with powerful collaboration and negotiation features, Oneflow is a solid choice for government contract management.

Key Features

  • Contract Creation: Enables quick and efficient creation of dynamic digital contracts.
  • Real-time Collaboration and Signatures: Facilitates seamless real-time collaboration within contracts and ensures secure, legally binding electronic signatures.
  • Audit Trail and Transaction Histories: Keeps a comprehensive audit trail and transaction history for all documents.

Pricing

Oneflow offers three pricing plans—Free, Essentials, and Business. 

Oneflow Pricing

The Free plan allows users to send, track, and sign PDF contracts for free forever. Essentials ($17/user/month) includes features like digital contracts, contract templates, and contract insights. 

Business ($45/user/month) includes additional features like data fields, lifecycle configuration, and premium integrations. Enterprise is customizable based on your needs.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • User-friendly, allowing efficient template creation
  • Seamlessly integrates with other systems
  • Storage of signed contracts

Cons:

  • Reported issues uploading specific documents
  • Can be difficult to decode the extracted data initially
  • Customization of the interface could be improved

5. ContractHero

ContractHero is an intuitive contract management software, offering full control over diverse contract types for a straightforward, efficient, and secure process. 

ContractHero

With features like digital contract management, automatic deadline reminders, and efficient user management for collaborative team efforts, it streamlines the entire contract handling process.

Key Features

  • Comprehensive Contract Control: Ensures complete control over all contract types.
  • 360° Contract Overview: Dashboard provides a complete overview of all contract details.
  • Automated Deadline Reminders: Automatically sends reminders for upcoming deadlines and contract renewals.

Pricing

Contact sales for a quote.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • The setup process is straightforward
  • Contracts are automatically analyzed
  • Conducts preliminary recording of contracts 

Cons

  • The import process may take a while
  • While customization is in the roadmap, there are currently limitations in this area
  • Individually added fields have somewhat restricted usage in terms of functionality

Conclusion

Contract management is essential for any business that currently has (or hopes to win) government contracts, as well as government organizations themselves. A good government contract management tool will comply with all applicable regulations and save a tremendous amount of time and effort through features like workflow automation and organized storage.

At SignWell, we offer a simple (but powerful) e-signing tool that allows you to quickly and easily manage government contracts. Store documents securely, find what you’re looking for with advanced search, get started quickly with contract templates, and track changes and deadlines all in one place.

Sign up for a free trial today.