The contract expiration checklist.
Leverage in a bookstore renewal is a function of time. Here is what’s still fully actionable at each window before your contract expires — and what quietly lapses if you wait.
24+ months: the full option set
Analysis, pathways model, competitive RFP, or independent transition — all viable. This is when the analysis returns the most per dollar, because every finding is still leverage.
18 months: analysis and RFP
A Tier 1 diagnostic plus a disciplined RFP cycle fits comfortably. Operators know your calendar; starting here keeps the timeline yours rather than theirs.
12 months: renegotiate on benchmarks
A change of operating model gets tight, but a benchmark-backed renegotiation of rates, digital terms, and the MAG is fully achievable — if the analysis starts now.
6 months: enforce what you already have
Focus shifts to enforcement: invoice MAG shortfalls, correct gross-sales reporting, and negotiate a short extension on improved terms rather than a long renewal on old ones.
The deadline that outranks all of these
Many agreements auto-renew unless notice is given by a stated date — often 6–12 months before expiration. Missing that single sentence can cost the institution its entire negotiation window. Check it today; it’s usually in the Term article.
Know your window before you spend it.
The Tier 0 Discovery call places your renewal date on this timeline and identifies exactly what's still on the table — sixty minutes, no cost, no obligation.