diff --git a/framework/monorailcontext.py b/framework/monorailcontext.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76ecff4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/framework/monorailcontext.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+# Copyright 2018 The Chromium Authors. All rights reserved.
+# Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+# license that can be found in the LICENSE file or at
+# https://developers.google.com/open-source/licenses/bsd
+
+"""Context object to hold utility objects used during request processing.
+"""
+from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import division
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import logging
+
+from framework import authdata
+from framework import permissions
+from framework import profiler
+from framework import sql
+from framework import template_helpers
+
+
+class MonorailContext(object):
+  """Context with objects used in request handling mechanics.
+
+  Attrributes:
+    cnxn: MonorailConnection to the SQL DB.
+    auth: AuthData object that identifies the account making the request.
+    perms: PermissionSet for requesting user, set by LookupLoggedInUserPerms().
+    profiler: Profiler object.
+    warnings: A list of warnings to present to the user.
+    errors: A list of errors to present to the user.
+
+  Unlike MonorailRequest, this object does not parse any part of the request,
+  retrieve any business objects (other than the User PB for the requesting
+  user), or check any permissions.
+  """
+
+  def __init__(
+      self, services, cnxn=None, requester=None, auth=None, perms=None,
+      autocreate=True):
+    """Construct a MonorailContext.
+
+    Args:
+      services: Connection to backends.
+      cnxn: Optional connection to SQL database.
+      requester: String email address of user making the request or None.
+      auth: AuthData object used during testing.
+      perms: PermissionSet used during testing.
+      autocreate: Set to False to require that a row in the User table already
+          exists for this user, otherwise raise NoSuchUserException.
+    """
+    self.cnxn = cnxn or sql.MonorailConnection()
+    self.auth = auth or authdata.AuthData.FromEmail(
+        self.cnxn, requester, services, autocreate=autocreate)
+    self.perms = perms  # Usually None until LookupLoggedInUserPerms() called.
+    self.profiler = profiler.Profiler()
+
+    # TODO(jrobbins): make self.errors not be UI-centric.
+    self.warnings = []
+    self.errors = template_helpers.EZTError()
+
+  def LookupLoggedInUserPerms(self, project):
+    """Look up perms for user making a request in project (can be None)."""
+    with self.profiler.Phase('looking up signed in user permissions'):
+      self.perms = permissions.GetPermissions(
+          self.auth.user_pb, self.auth.effective_ids, project)
+
+  def CleanUp(self):
+    """Close the DB cnxn and any other clean up."""
+    if self.cnxn:
+      self.cnxn.Close()
+    self.cnxn = None
+
+  def __repr__(self):
+    """Return a string more useful for debugging."""
+    return '%s(cnxn=%r, auth=%r, perms=%r)' % (
+        self.__class__.__name__, self.cnxn, self.auth, self.perms)