Service Agreement Review Prompts

Summarise this service agreement

Summarise this service agreement in plain English. Who are the parties, what service is being provided, what are the main obligations on each side, and how long does the agreement last?

Define the scope of work

What services, deliverables, milestones, and responsibilities are included in the agreed scope of work? Summarise exactly what the service provider is required to deliver under this agreement.

List what falls outside the scope

Does this agreement explicitly exclude any services, deliverables, support, maintenance, travel, or additional work? List everything that falls outside the agreed scope and explain how those items would be charged if requested later.

Find what the client must provide

What responsibilities does this agreement place on the client? Include anything the client must supply, approve, or do to allow the service provider to perform their obligations.

Check service levels and performance standards

Does this agreement include any service level commitments, performance standards, or response time requirements? What happens if those standards are not met, and is there any remedy or penalty?

Understand the change order process

What does this agreement say about changes to the scope of work? How must a change be requested, agreed, and priced? Can either party request changes, and what happens if the client requests work outside the original scope?

Review payment terms and invoicing

How is payment structured in this agreement? Is it a fixed fee, retainer, time-and-materials, or milestone-based? When are invoices due, what triggers each payment, and what happens if payment is late?

Check termination and early exit rights

How can this service agreement be terminated? What notice is required, can either party terminate for convenience, and what happens to work in progress and outstanding payments if the agreement ends early?

Check confidentiality and disclosure rules

What confidentiality obligations does this agreement impose on each party? What information is covered, how long do the obligations last, and are there any exceptions that allow disclosure?

Review data handling and security obligations

Does this agreement include any obligations about how data is handled, stored, or protected? Which party is responsible for data security, and what must happen if there is a data breach?

Check who owns the deliverables

Who owns the deliverables, work product, and intellectual property created under this agreement? Does the service provider retain ownership of any pre-existing tools, templates, software, or methodologies used during the engagement?

Find warranties on the services

Does this agreement include any warranties about the quality or fitness of the services being delivered? What does the service provider guarantee, and what remedies does the client have if those warranties are not met?

Check sub-contracting and assignment rights

Can the service provider sub-contract or assign any part of this agreement to a third party? Is the client's consent required, and does the original provider remain responsible if a sub-contractor fails to perform?

Find required insurance coverage

Does this agreement require either party to carry specific insurance? What type of coverage is required, at what level, and must evidence of that insurance be provided before work begins?

Identify the key risks before signing

Based on this service agreement, what are the three to five most important things I should be aware of or negotiate before signing? Focus on anything that is unusual, one-sided, or could cause problems during delivery.