Download Free AI Procurement Policy Template

The AI Procurement Policy Template is part of our growing AI Governance Template Starter Kit—built to help organizations establish clear, enforceable controls around how AI systems are evaluated, contracted, and managed throughout their lifecycle.

FairNow draws on decades of hands-on experience in AI, data science, compliance, and risk management. These templates reflect real-world lessons from governing third-party AI systems in high-stakes environments—shaped by direct work with legal teams, procurement officers, risk leaders, and technical stakeholders across industries.

This policy template gives organizations a structured way to assess AI vendors, negotiate strong data and IP protections, monitor model performance and bias, and reduce the risk of lock-in or compliance failures. It’s practical, editable, and designed by AI governance practitioners for teams responsible for procurement and oversight.

Template Cover for AI Procurement Policy Template
Template Cover for AI Procurement Policy Template

Template Page Count: 7 Pages

Technical Language Level: Moderate

Estimated Reading Time: 12 Minutes

FAQs for AI Procurement Policy Template

What’s included in the free AI Procurement Policy Template?

The template provides a full policy structure to guide how organizations evaluate, acquire, and manage third-party AI systems. It includes:

  • Vendor qualification and solution evaluation criteria
  • Contract terms covering IP, data rights, SLAs, and vendor lock-in prevention
  • Ongoing AI vendor performance monitoring, audit protocols, and bias mitigation
  • Security and privacy integration requirements
  • Organizational AI onboarding, training, and usage guidance
  • Ethical safeguards including explainability and human-in-the-loop (HITL) design

A policy review and update process for staying aligned with changing laws and standards

Why did we write this AI Procurement Policy template

AI procurement is one of the riskiest and least standardized parts of the AI lifecycle. Organizations increasingly depend on third-party vendors whose systems influence hiring, lending, fraud detection, and more. We created this template to help teams apply governance principles—like transparency, accountability, and security—before and after the contract is signed.

Why will you want to use an AI Procurement Policy template?

Because it works. The template is editable, field-tested, and built to align with emerging regulations like ISO 42001 and the EU AI Act. Whether you’re launching your first AI policy or formalizing a broader governance program, this gives you a fast, credible foundation.

What kinds of risks does an AI Procurement Policy help reduce?

  • Buying AI systems with embedded bias or legal blind spots
  • Entering contracts with unclear data rights or IP ownership
  • Lacking visibility into how AI vendors handle your data
  • Getting locked into underperforming or non-compliant vendors
  • Falling short of compliance requirements under ISO 42001, GDPR, or the EU AI Act

How is an AI Procurement Policy enforced in practice?

Enforcement happens through a combination of:

  • Mandatory vendor evaluations and security assessments
  • Contractual SLAs, audit rights, and data ownership clauses
  • Ongoing model performance reviews and compliance checks
  • Internal controls like HITL requirements and policy reviews
  • Structured exit strategies and data portability safeguards

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