I've seen reports that what's been signed on the FREMM purchase isn't actually a contract, but an LOI, a formal notification of intent to buy.
In Indonesia government procurement practices (not just in MinDef), the buyers and vendors can exercise what can be called 'preliminary contract's or some ministry called it 'technical contract's.
In sense it's already talking on the Investment amount of the contract, specifications of the procured assets, but not yet effective as there's still some precedent actions need to be taken.
The media already said that the contract has effective date by end of this year. This means if by end of this year, all the precedent actions specified in this preliminary contract has not yet effective, then the contract become void or has to be reinstated.
The precedent actions (condition precedent) including; financing scheme and workshare/offset agreement. Indonesian law dictate defense procurement from foreign sources has to involve either; counter trade agreement, or Offset/workshare agreement, or Tech Transfer agreement.
For example the previous contract with Russian on Su-35. It's included the counter trade agreement (as from what I gather, Russian not keen on offset and tech transfer). That's why the procurement Investment price has to be counter by Russian with their procurement of some Indonesian commodities. This which raise miss conception that Indonesia will paid the procurement with commodities. No the contract like any others will be paid by financial schemes, however Russian has also need to cover certain portion of the Procurement prices with their own commodities purchased.
That's why preliminary contract can still renegotiate, or stop in the process before can become effective contract. As example on Russian preliminary contract on Su-35, it is being delayed due to prolong negotiations on Russian counter trade deals. This added more with US CAATSA problem.
So under definition on Indonesian procurement practices, it's more than LOI or MOU stages. However not yet an effective contract stage.
Add:
The local media put it as Preliminary Contract only based on information that they got from some MinDef 'insiders'. There's no official announcement yet from MinDef for either Rafale or FREMM contract.
The problem with Condition Precedent/Precedent Actions, many of them are not under direct MinDef influence. Like Financing Schemes, it's more under 'Finance' people jurisdiction and not 'Defense' people/MinDef. The offset or tech transfer also has to be iron out by Foreign vendors with potential partner locally.
So whether they can sort it those conditions precedent out before December, that's remains to be seen. Su-35 preliminary contract is example how the sorting out condition precedent (in this case counter trade deals) taken years, at the same time that cause delay which make the timing falls into CAATSA.
If they can sort it out fast during 2016-2018, the contract timing will not face changes on Geopolitical situations.
Just to shown how condition precedent can make the deal falls into unresolved timing situation.