kontraktowy

Kontraktowy is an adjective used in Polish to describe something that relates to a contract or is governed by a contract. It can refer to relationships, obligations, or arrangements created by contract rather than by statute, law, or direct employment. The noun form is kontrakt (contract), which comes from a loanword—from French contrat—via Latin contractus.

In legal and business usage, kontraktowy appears in phrases such as warunki kontraktowe (contractual terms) and stosunek kontraktowy (contractual relationship). It is commonly used to distinguish activities, duties, or arrangements that operate under a defined contract from those based on other legal forms or on administrative provisions. The term is often encountered in procurement, project management, supply chains, and formal service agreements.

In employment contexts, kontraktowy can describe a worker engaged under a contract rather than with a traditional employment contract. This includes arrangements such as contract work or civil-law contracts (for example, umowa zlecenie or umowa o dzieło). However, the exact meaning can vary by sector and jurisdiction, and Polish practice frequently prefers terms like umowa o pracę, umowa zlecenie, or umowa o dzieło to specify the legal basis of the relationship.

Contrasted with related terms, umowny denotes something agreed or stipulated by contract, while kontraktowy emphasizes that the item, relationship, or process is governed by a contract. In economic and public procurement contexts, kontraktowy may describe activities conducted under contractual arrangements rather than state-operated or non-contractual methods.