Consulting Scope of Work Template

Fully editable with custom branding and templated offering.

Consulting Scope of Work Template

Fully editable with custom branding and templated offering.

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First Name
Last Name
Acme LLC.
Client
First Name
Last Name
Corporation Corp.
First Name
Last Name
Acme LLC.
Client
First Name
Last Name
Corporation Corp.

Consulting Scope of Work Template

Fully editable with custom branding and templated offering.

Consulting Scope of Work Template

Fully editable with custom branding and templated offering.

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Date: March 8th 2023


Between:

Coach:

First_name
Last_name
Acme LLC.
Client:

First_name
Last_name
Corporation Corp.

This Contract is between Client (the "Client") and Acme LLC, a California limited liability company (the "Coach").

The Contract is dated January 23, 2023.

1. WORK AND PAYMENT.

1.1 Project. The Client is hiring the Coach to develop a coaching relationship between the Client and Coach in order to cultivate the Client's personal, professional, or business goals and create a plan to achieve those goals through stimulating and creative interactions with the ultimate result of maximizing the Client's personal or professional potential.

1.2 Schedule. The Coach will begin work on February 1, 2023 and will continue until the work is completed. This Contract can be ended by either Client or Coach at any time, pursuant to the terms of Section 4, Term and Termination.

The Coach and Client will meet by video conference, 4 days per month for 2 hours.

1.3 Payment. The Client will pay the Coach an hourly rate of $150. Of this, the Client will pay the Coach $500.00 (USD) before work begins.

1.4 Expenses. The Client will reimburse the Coach's expenses. Expenses do not need to be pre-approved by the Client.

1.5 Invoices. The Coach will invoice the Client in accordance with the milestones in Section 1.3. The Client agrees to pay the amount owed within 15 days of receiving the invoice. Payment after that date will incur a late fee of 1.0% per month on the outstanding amount.

1.6 Support. The Coach will not be available by telephone, or email in between scheduled sessions.

2.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

- A coaching relationship is a partnership between two or more individuals or entities, like a teacher-student or coach-athlete relationship. Both the Client and Coach must uphold their obligations for the relationship to be successful.

- The Coach agrees to maintain the ethics and standards of behavior established by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

- The Client acknowledges and agrees that coaching is a comprehensive process that may explore different areas of the Client's life, including work, finances, health, and relationships.

- The Client is responsible for implementing the insights and techniques learned from the Coach.

3. REPRESENTATIONS.

3.1 Overview. This section contains important promises between the parties.

3.2 Authority To Sign. Each party promises to the other party that it has the authority to enter into this Contract and to perform all of its obligations under this Contract.

3.3 Coach Has Right To Give Client Work Product. The Coach promises that it owns the work product, that the Coach is able to give the work product to the Client, and that no other party will claim that it owns the work product. If the Coach uses employees or subcontractors, the Coach also promises that these employees and subcontractors have signed contracts with the Coach giving the Coach any rights that the employees or subcontractors have related to the Coach's background IP and work product.

3.4 Coach Will Comply With Laws. The Coach promises that the manner it does this job, its work product, and any background IP it uses comply with applicable U.S. and foreign laws and regulations.

3.5 Work Product Does Not Infringe. The Coach promises that its work product does not and will not infringe on someone else's intellectual property rights, that the Coach has the right to let the Client use the background IP, and that this Contract does not and will not violate any contract that the Coach has entered into or will enter into with someone else.

3.7 Client-Supplied Material Does Not Infringe. If the Client provides the Coach with material to incorporate into the work product, the Client promises that this material does not infringe on someone else's intellectual property rights.

4. TERM AND TERMINATION

This Contract is ongoing until it expires or the work is completed. Either party may end this Contract for any reason by sending an email or letter to the other party, informing the recipient that the sender is ending the Contract and that the Contract will end in 7 days. The Contract officially ends once that time has passed. The party that is ending the Contract must provide notice by taking the steps explained in Section 9.4. The Coach must immediately stop working as soon as it receives this notice unless the notice says otherwise.

If either party ends this Contract before the Contract automatically ends, the Client will pay the Contractor for the work done up until when the Contract ends. The following sections don't end even after the Contract ends: 3 (Representations); 6 (Confidential Information); 7 (Limitation of Liability); 8 (Indemnity); and 9 (General).

3. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.

The Client is hiring the Coach as an independent contractor. The following statements accurately reflect their relationship:

- The Coach will use its own equipment, tools, and material to do the work.

- The Client will not control how the job is performed on a day-to-day basis. Rather, the Coach is responsible for determining when, where, and how it will carry out the work.

- The Client will not provide the Coach with any training.

- The Client and the Coach do not have a partnership or employer-employee relationship.

- The Coach cannot enter into contracts, make promises, or act on behalf of the Client.

- The Coach is not entitled to the Client's benefits (e.g., group insurance, retirement benefits, retirement plans, vacation days).

- The Coach is responsible for its own taxes.

- The Client will not withhold social security and Medicare taxes or make payments for disability insurance, unemployment insurance, or workers compensation for the Coach or any of the Coach's employees or subcontractors.

6. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

6.1 Overview. This Contract imposes special restrictions on how the Client and the Coach must handle confidential information. These obligations are explained in this section.

6.2 The Client's Confidential Information. While working for the Client, the Coach may come across, or be given, Client information that is confidential. This is information like customer lists, business strategies, research & development notes, statistics about a website, and other information that is private. The Coach promises to treat this information as if it is the Coach's own confidential information. The Coach may use this information to do its job under this Contract, but not for anything else. For example, if the Client lets the Coach use a customer list to send out a newsletter, the Coach cannot use those email addresses for any other purpose. The one exception to this is if the Client gives the Coach written permission to use the information for another purpose, the Coach may use the information for that purpose, as well. When this Contract ends, the Coach must give back or destroy all confidential information, and confirm that it has done so. The Coach promises that it will not share confidential information with a third party, unless the Client gives the Coach written permission first. The Coach must continue to follow these obligations, even after the Contract ends. The Coach's responsibilities only stop if the Coach can show any of the following: (i) that the information was already public when the Coach came across it; (ii) the information became public after the Coach came across it, but not because of anything the Coach did or didn't do; (iii) the Coach already knew the information when the Coach came across it and the Coach didn't have any obligation to keep it secret; (iv) a third party provided the Coach with the information without requiring that the Coach keep it a secret; or (v) the Coach created the information on its own, without using anything belonging to the Client.

6.3 Third-Party Confidential Information. It's possible the Client and the Coach each have access to confidential information that belongs to third parties. The Client and the Coach each promise that it will not share with the other party confidential information that belongs to third parties, unless it is allowed to do so. If the Client or the Coach is allowed to share confidential information with the other party and does so, the sharing party promises to tell the other party in writing of any special restrictions regarding that information.

7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

Neither party is liable for breach-of-contract damages that the breaching party could not reasonably have foreseen when it entered this Contract.

8. INDEMNITY.

8.1 Overview. This section transfers certain risks between the parties if a third party sues or goes after the Client or the Coach or both. For example, if the Client gets sued for something that the Coach did, then the Coach may promise to come to the Client's defense or to reimburse the Client for any losses.

8.2 Client Indemnity. In this Contract, the Coach agrees to indemnify the Client (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against all liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of: (i) the work the Coach has done under this Contract; (ii) a breach by the Coach of its obligations under this Contract; or (iii) a breach by the Coach of the promises it is making in Section 3 (Representations).

8.3 Coach Indemnity. In this Contract, the Client agrees to indemnify the Coach (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of a breach by the Client of its obligations under this Contract.

9. GENERAL.

9.1 Assignment​. This Contract applies only to the Client and the Coach. Neither the Client nor the Coach can assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Contract to a third-party (other than by will or intestate), without first receiving the other's written permission.

9.2 Arbitration. As the exclusive means of initiating adversarial proceedings to resolve any dispute arising under this Contract, a party may demand that the dispute be resolved by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its commercial arbitration rules.

9.3 Modification; Waiver. To change anything in this Contract, the Client and the Coach must agree to that change in writing and sign a document showing their contract. Neither party can waive its rights under this Contract or release the other party from its obligations under this Contract, unless the waiving party acknowledges it is doing so in writing and signs a document that says so.

9.4. Noticies.

(a) Over the course of this Contract, one party may need to send a notice to the other party. For the notice to be valid, it must be in writing and delivered in one of the following ways: personal delivery, email, or certified or registered mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested). The notice must be delivered to the party's address listed at the end of this Contract or to another address that the party has provided in writing as an appropriate address to receive notice.

(b) The timing of when a notice is received can be very important. To avoid confusion, a valid notice is considered received as follows: (i) if delivered personally, it is considered received immediately; (ii) if delivered by email, it is considered received upon acknowledgement of receipt; (iii) if delivered by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested), it is considered received upon receipt as indicated by the date on the signed receipt. If a party refuses to accept notice or if notice cannot be delivered because of a change in address for which no notice was given, then it is considered received when the notice is rejected or unable to be delivered. If the notice is received after 5:00pm on a business day at the location specified in the address for that party, or on a day that is not a business day, then the notice is considered received at 9:00am on the next business day.

9.5 Severability. This section deals with what happens if a portion of the Contract is found to be unenforceable. If that's the case, the unenforceable portion will be changed to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, unless that change is not permitted by law, in which case the portion will be disregarded. If any portion of the Contract is changed or disregarded because it is unenforceable, the rest of the Contract is still enforceable.

9.6 Signatures. The Client and the Coach must sign this document using Bonsai's e-signing system. These electronic signatures count as originals for all purposes.

9.7 Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this document shall be governed by the laws of the United States of America.

9.8 Entire Contract. This Contract represents the parties' final and complete understanding of this job and the subject matter discussed in this Contract. This Contract supersedes all other contracts (both written and oral) between the parties.

THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE TO THE FOREGOING AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR SIGNATURES BELOW.

Coach

First_name
Last_name
Acme LLC.
Client

First_name
Last_name
Corporation Corp.
Table of contents

What is a consulting scope of work? 

A Scope of Work or SOW is a document that shows how a project will be executed through specific activities, timelines, deliverables, and tasks. A professional who wants to streamline their work process can use SOW. 

It works great for consultants who want to show their ideas and way of working to their clients before they start the project. As a consultant, you can create a digital SOW that will act as a portfolio that you can use to win new clients and showcase your style.  

An SOW also offers crucial legal protections for you and your client. Although most people associate SOWs with bigger company projects, they are equally crucial for small businesses. In fact, SOWs can help any consultant working with a client on a project with a deadline and specific price. 

It puts the foundation for any consultant-client relationship. This document- whether digital or physical- helps decide and set limitations, outlines payment terms, and provides guidelines for measuring and analyzing results and performance with a client. With SOW, a solutions architect or consultant offers a positive start to your working relationship with your customer and avoids misunderstanding and ambiguity in the process. 

Why is a scope of work important for consultants?

The primary objective of SOW is to break down the client’s vision and goal into concrete details. Consider SOW as a critical communication to get approval and discuss consulting project expectations, roles, and objectives that keep you and your client on the same page. When writing and designing an SOW, it’s imperative to consider the slightest details of the project because your client as well as you need to sign the document. This makes it a contractual obligation for both parties. 

With your experience, you may already know that client disagreements can occur without any reason. They can pinpoint issues in any project, even on the steps and ideas they have agreed to. A comprehensive and clear SOW can outline ideas, methods, and processes to prevent disputes if they arise, allowing a seamless work process and reducing the risk of frustration. 

For instance, some clients can also ask for changes, additions, or deliverables in a task, leading to scope creep over time. But you don’t need to face all these problems if you have an SOW. If they request any changes that are not present in the SOW, then you can discuss a new plan, timeline, and budget to incorporate additional tasks into the project. 

These documents can also help avoid billing problems. You need to include payment information, such as methods, project costs, and due dates so that your client doesn’t delay payments and you can hold clients accountable. Keep in mind that the contract has your client’s signatures, and they are agreed to permanent conditions.  

When creating a scope of work, you need to keep the following things in mind to set the tone and style for the document:

  • Be Specific - Write all the terms in detail with clear words. 
  • Add Visuals - Your consulting SOW should have images; if you are preparing a digital SOW, you can also add videos. Note that the graphic is worth of thousand words. 
  • Get Sign-Offs -   This allows you to ensure that you and your client agree to the work. 

Creating an SOW is not difficult, but you must be careful. Also, you need to focus on your work and ensure you don’t get catch-up with paperwork when you already have so much to do. 

How do you define the scope of a consulting project?

The scope of the consulting project is no different than other SOW. However, they have more images and graphs relative to others because of the nature of the project. consultant services involve decorating, revamping, and improving spaces. 

It contains small details to make the project aesthetically pleasing and attractive for spectators. Also, the design is based on the client’s vision, which can be anything. Therefore, you need to have examples and ideas in front of you to ensure what your clients want. Keep in mind that you can’t change the space once you complete the project. You and your client need to be clear from the beginning so that the outcomes are just what your client has imagined. 

By developing SOW at the begging of the work, you can use it to discuss and manage expectations. Although the content of your scope of work depends on the type of project, your service, and clients’ requirements, you will need to  include the following things:

  • The purpose of the work
  • The work that needs to be performed
  • The work that does not need to be performed
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • A process for change orders
  • A timeline for work 
  • Payment terms
  • How performance will be measured

If you plan to use the SOW as a portfolio, you must create it according to your services. Add your services and your previous work example under it. Provide detailed information about what things will be included in these services. 

You also need to add the rules and regulations of your way of working to give prospective clients an idea about your policy. Make sure to add your goals and visions for the business to show how devoted and immersed you are in work. As a consultant, you also need to incorporate your successes in the SOW, like awards and bigger projects. Add payment terms and a timeline you usually follow for consulting projects if possible. 

What not to include in a consulting scope of work

The scope of work should not include anything you and your client have not discussed and agreed upon. You can’t add reports, images, flows, diagrams, or anything your client hasn’t approved. Also, you should not incorporate what your client has refused, such as products to use, methods for the project, policies, and other things.  

Remember that the SOW should be easy to understand, have a good tone, and have detailed information. Therefore, it should not have any fluff that can confuse your client. Don’t use industry jargons that are hard to understand. Also, avoid using complex sentences that don’t give a clear idea. Complex design examples should also be avoided that give confusing messages. 

For instance, if you are creating a project timeline or report. You should avoid adding any visuals or details of anything you are unsure about. If you are not 100 percent sure to add anything to the design, don’t add it in the SOW to avoid confusing the client. They might believe that you will give them the same design in the decided cost and timelines, leading to conflicts in the future. 

What are the four components of a scope of work?

The scope of work has four components that the project expert or consultant provides. These components help you ensure the client’s expectations are clear and agreed upon.   It also helps you and your team to do things according to a plan. Here are the components that SOW should have:

1. Milestones

This is the most important thing you need to add to the SOW is milestones. What are the major phases or milestones of the project that you measure progress by and that you can track? When does it need to be finished? When do the projects need to start and conclude?  

Determining each phase of your project will help you choose steps and techniques based on your desired result. Milestones also help you progress towards your desired outcomes with a smooth process. It is a benchmark that encourages you to work hard to achieve your goal. You also need to decide how much you will charge for each milestone as you move to the next step.

2. Reports

You also need to add reports in your SOW that include the status of the project, methods and processes that you will use, products and services that will be included in the project, and the approach you will take for the work. The report will give a clear idea about your problem statement. It also includes the issues you might encounter and what you will achieve from the project. 

The thing that needed to be done to finish the project will also come in a report. Don’t forget to mention your terms and conditions and requirements for the project. When writing the project report, make sure to consider the points discussed in the client’s meeting so that your client gets to agree to your SOW. 

3. Deliverables

What do you need at the end of the task? Do you need to completely revamp the project or simply execute against the agreed upon scope? Do you need to provide reports, system diagrams or implementation tasks? You need to decide on deliverables to get a clear idea about the result of the project. 

This is important not only for the consultant but also for the clients. It helps clients understand whether you have understood their perspective and approach and whether you will offer the outcomes that they are expecting. With deliverables, you can ensure that your client will love the end results of your hard work. 

4. End products 

This is an answer to your problem statement. Are you looking for a change or just improvement? What are your objectives and aim for the project? How will you measure and analyze the report? Knowing the end product you and your client are expecting is important. It gives you a path to complete the project successfully. 

Try Bonsai consulting software for free for 7 days 

Worried about how you will create an SOW? Is the thought of designing and writing your scope of work stressing you out? Well, don’t worry. We are here to help you. At Bonsai, we offer consulting software that you can use to create SOW efficiently. The best part is that we offer a 7-day trial, so if you don’t find it useful, you can always cancel your subscription to save money. So, if you are looking for guidance, look no further than Bonsai.

Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about this template.

Can you create digital scope of work?

Like any other document, you can create digital scope of work. You can create it on a Microsoft word document and then upload it online or use online tools to create one. Digital SOW is effective as it’s easy to send to clients and get quick feedback. 

Do you and your client need to sign on SOW?

Signing on SOW is important for you and your client. This way, you and your client will adhere to the clause and information mentioned in the document. If you are using digital SOW, ask your client to sign it with digital tools, or you can deliver a hard copy to them and ask them to sign and send it back. 

Can consultants use the scope of work?

Yes. The scope of work is ideal for consultants who want to succeed in the industry. SOW help to get optimal results and gain success in every project. This will also satisfy your clients and build brand awareness and recognition. As a result, you can ensure to compete with your competitors and succeed in the industry.