Understanding Your Implementation Contract 

As the name implies, an implementation contract details the implementation phase of a software project. This contract is established between an IT vendor and their customer to clarify the expectations and accountabilities that will guide the implementation work. 

An implementation contract is typically used in conjunction with a Master Service Agreement (MSA), which will contain many of the overarching terms of the relationship. For that reason, this contract will focus on terms and conditions specific to the implementation project itself. Some of the things you should expect to see defined in this contract include: 

• Definitions of key roles and terms 

• Fees and payment expectations 

• Scope of the work 

• Implementation timelines 

• Project team members/key contacts 

• Design assumptions  

• Necessary integrations and migrations 

• Deliverables (documentation, training, etc.) 

• Service/support availability 

• Issue reporting and resolution process 

• Assignment of certain rights 

• Compensation for potential issues 

• Termination and abandonment terms 

It is important that the implementation process should not begin until all parties have agreed to and signed the contract. With this in place, all parties understand their roles and responsibilities, and the expectations of the customer can be successfully met. Ultimately, a good implementation contract ensures a good working relationship throughout this phase, leading to a strong long-term relationship as the software moves into future phases.