Next update will change the contract so that the caravan provides provisions to your men for the duration of the journey.
I don’t know whether the orc marauders were part of the contract or just on their way elsewhere when they spotted the caravan. The contract may sometimes spawn enemies because not running into any opponents at all was a problem for the previous incarnation of this contract, but it doesn’t always do so. It’s usually enemies going about their business in the world that you run into while escorting caravans.
