diff --git a/backend/models/__tests__/pingContract.test.js b/backend/models/__tests__/pingContract.test.js
index 4280fce..0f7c1a6 100644
--- a/backend/models/__tests__/pingContract.test.js
+++ b/backend/models/__tests__/pingContract.test.js
@@ -1,27 +1,39 @@
 const {
   createPingContractItem,
+  createConsumerPlan,
+  createProducerPlan,
+  createOpenPingPost,
   addNegotiation,
   addSignature,
-  addPerformanceUpdate
+  addPerformanceUpdate,
+  updateLbtasRating,
+  renewContract
 } = require('../pingContract');
 
 describe('pingContract model', () => {
-  test('creates item with required fields', () => {
-    const item = createPingContractItem({
+  test('auto assigns id and template types', () => {
+    const consumer = createConsumerPlan({
+      producerId: 'p1',
+      pingRate: 'daily',
+      shareType: 'fixed'
+    });
+    const producer = createProducerPlan({
       id: 'PING1',
-      contractType: 'producer',
-      producerId: 'prod1',
+      producerId: 'p2',
       pingRate: 'weekly',
-      shareType: 'fixed',
-      shareValue: 50
+      shareType: 'variable'
+    });
+    const open = createOpenPingPost({
+      producerId: 'p3',
+      pingRate: 'monthly',
+      shareType: 'fixed'
     });
 
-    expect(item.id).toBe('PING1');
-    expect(item.contractType).toBe('producer');
-    expect(item.pingRate).toBe('weekly');
-    expect(item.shareType).toBe('fixed');
-    expect(item.shareValue).toBe(50);
-    expect(item.attachments).toEqual([]);
+    expect(consumer.id).toBeDefined();
+    expect(consumer.contractType).toBe('consumer');
+    expect(producer.id).toBe('PING1');
+    expect(producer.contractType).toBe('producer');
+    expect(open.contractType).toBe('open');
   });
 
   test('throws when attachments exceed limit', () => {
@@ -37,22 +49,40 @@ describe('pingContract model', () => {
     ).toThrow('Attachments limit exceeded');
   });
 
-  test('negotiation, signature and performance updates append', () => {
-    const contract = createPingContractItem({
-      id: 'PING3',
-      contractType: 'open',
+  test('requires attachments to be an array', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      createPingContractItem({
+        id: 'PING5',
+        contractType: 'consumer',
+        producerId: 'prod1',
+        pingRate: 'daily',
+        shareType: 'fixed',
+        attachments: 'not-array'
+      })
+    ).toThrow('Attachments must be an array');
+  });
+
+  test('negotiation, signature, performance, rating and renewal work', () => {
+    let contract = createPingContractItem({
       producerId: 'prod1',
+      contractType: 'open',
       pingRate: 'monthly',
       shareType: 'variable'
     });
 
-    addNegotiation(contract, { partyId: 'user1', message: 'offer A' });
-    addSignature(contract, { partyId: 'user1', signature: 'sig' });
-    addPerformanceUpdate(contract, { update: 'on track', attachments: ['a'] });
+    contract = addNegotiation(contract, { partyId: 'user1', message: 'offer A' });
+    contract = addSignature(contract, { partyId: 'user1', signature: 'sig' });
+    contract = addPerformanceUpdate(contract, { update: 'on track', attachments: ['a'] });
+    contract = updateLbtasRating(contract, 5);
+    contract = renewContract(contract, { renewalDate: '2025-01-01', calendarEventId: 'cal1' });
 
     expect(contract.negotiationHistory.length).toBe(1);
     expect(contract.signatures.length).toBe(1);
     expect(contract.performanceUpdates.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(contract.lbtasRating).toBe(5);
+    expect(contract.autoRenew).toBe(true);
+    expect(contract.renewalDate).toBe('2025-01-01');
+    expect(contract.calendarEventId).toBe('cal1');
   });
 
   test('performance update attachments limit enforced', () => {
@@ -68,4 +98,18 @@ describe('pingContract model', () => {
       addPerformanceUpdate(contract, { update: 'fail', attachments: [1,2,3,4,5,6] })
     ).toThrow('Attachments limit exceeded');
   });
+
+  test('performance update attachments must be array', () => {
+    const contract = createPingContractItem({
+      id: 'PING6',
+      contractType: 'open',
+      producerId: 'prod1',
+      pingRate: 'monthly',
+      shareType: 'variable'
+    });
+
+    expect(() =>
+      addPerformanceUpdate(contract, { update: 'bad', attachments: 'oops' })
+    ).toThrow('Attachments must be an array');
+  });
 });
diff --git a/backend/models/pingContract.js b/backend/models/pingContract.js
index 880b8a7..3ffb9e3 100644
--- a/backend/models/pingContract.js
+++ b/backend/models/pingContract.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+const { randomUUID } = require('crypto');
+
 const PING_CONTRACT_TABLE_NAME = "PingContracts";
 
 /**
@@ -21,7 +23,7 @@ const PING_CONTRACT_TABLE_NAME = "PingContracts";
  * @param {string} [params.status]
  */
 function createPingContractItem({
-  id,
+  id = randomUUID(),
   contractType,
   producerId,
   consumerId = null,
@@ -38,6 +40,9 @@ function createPingContractItem({
   calendarEventId = null,
   status = 'open'
 }) {
+  if (!Array.isArray(attachments)) {
+    throw new Error('Attachments must be an array');
+  }
   if (attachments.length > 5) {
     throw new Error('Attachments limit exceeded (max 5)');
   }
@@ -62,6 +67,19 @@ function createPingContractItem({
   };
 }
 
+/** Convenience templates */
+function createConsumerPlan(params) {
+  return createPingContractItem({ ...params, contractType: 'consumer' });
+}
+
+function createProducerPlan(params) {
+  return createPingContractItem({ ...params, contractType: 'producer' });
+}
+
+function createOpenPingPost(params) {
+  return createPingContractItem({ ...params, contractType: 'open' });
+}
+
 /** Add a negotiation entry */
 function addNegotiation(contract, { partyId, message, timestamp = new Date().toISOString() }) {
   const negotiationHistory = [
@@ -82,6 +100,9 @@ function addSignature(contract, { partyId, signature, signedAt = new Date().toIS
 
 /** Add a performance update with optional attachments (max 5) */
 function addPerformanceUpdate(contract, { update, attachments = [], timestamp = new Date().toISOString() }) {
+  if (!Array.isArray(attachments)) {
+    throw new Error('Attachments must be an array');
+  }
   if (attachments.length > 5) {
     throw new Error('Attachments limit exceeded (max 5)');
   }
@@ -90,10 +111,30 @@ function addPerformanceUpdate(contract, { update, attachments = [], timestamp =
   return { ...contract, performanceUpdates };
 }
 
+/** Update LBTAS rating */
+function updateLbtasRating(contract, rating) {
+  return { ...contract, lbtasRating: rating };
+}
+
+/** Renew contract and link to calendar event */
+function renewContract(contract, { renewalDate, calendarEventId = null }) {
+  return {
+    ...contract,
+    autoRenew: true,
+    renewalDate,
+    calendarEventId
+  };
+}
+
 module.exports = {
   PING_CONTRACT_TABLE_NAME,
   createPingContractItem,
+  createConsumerPlan,
+  createProducerPlan,
+  createOpenPingPost,
   addNegotiation,
   addSignature,
-  addPerformanceUpdate
+  addPerformanceUpdate,
+  updateLbtasRating,
+  renewContract
 };
diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index e4b59f0..4a715c6 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@
     "twilio": "^4.21.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "aws-sdk": "^2.1534.0",
+    "jest": "^29.7.0",
+    "supertest": "^7.1.1"
+  },
+  "jest": {
+    "testEnvironment": "node"
     "aws-sdk": "^2.1534.0"
   }
 }