Agreement for Development of Software to Specifications
Agreement made on the _____________________ (date) , between
_______________________________ (Name of Developer) , a corporation organized and
existing under the laws of the state of _________________, with its principal office located at
____________________________________________________________________________
(street address, city, state, zip code) , referred to herein as Developer , and
_________________________ (Name of Customer) , a corporation organized and existing
under the laws of the state of ________________, with its principal office located at _________
____________________________________________________________________________
(street address, city, state, zip code) , referred to herein as Customer .
Whereas, Developer has acquired specific expertise in the development of application
software in the field of (description of field) ________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________; and
Whereas, Customer has a need for certain application software as identified below; and
Whereas, Developer is ready, willing, and able to undertake the development of such
software and to grant Customer a license to utilize same on the terms and conditions set forth in
this Agreement; and
Whereas, Customer desires to have developed and to acquire a license to utilize the
software on the terms and conditions set forth below.
Now, therefore, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants contained in this
agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is
hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1. Development Undertaking
A. Development Undertaking. Developer shall, within ______ (number) days of
final execution of this Agreement, commence work on and diligently proceed with the
development of the Subject Programs according to and in conformity with the
specifications and performance standards set forth in Exhibit A (Specifications and
Performance Standards). The term Subject Programs shall be deemed to include all
error corrections, modifications, and enhancements. The term Enhancements shall
mean revisions to or new functions of the Subject Programs that are developed under
the Enhancements Development Addendum, executed by the parties.
B. Development Budget and Timetable. Developer shall commit and utilize
sufficient resources to meet the milestones and to complete development of the Subject
Programs within the development timetable set forth in Exhibit B and within the
development budget set forth in Exhibit C . Developer shall notify Customer of any
circumstances, when and as they arise, that may reasonably be anticipated to lead to a
material deviation from the development timetable and development milestones.
Developer shall devote sufficient time and effort and shall allocate sufficient personnel
resources to the Subject Programs as may be required for development and testing.
Developer shall conduct and conclude such development and tests in a professional
manner, incorporate into the final version such modifications as the tests indicate are
necessary, and conduct such further tests as may be required in the circumstances.
C. Restrictions on Developer Activities. During the term of this Agreement,
Developer shall not, without the prior written consent of Customer, contract to provide
similar services to any third party (excluding Customer or any affiliate or subsidiary of the
parties). Developer shall not apply or divert any funds or other resources budgeted to the
development of the Subject Programs to any services or products to be provided to any
third party. Developer shall not contract with any third party that is engaged in the
development, licensing, sale, or use of computer software functionally similar to the
Subject Programs and that is, or may be, in direct competition with Customer.
D. Use of Third-Party Consultants. Developer may retain third parties to furnish
services to Developer in connection with Developer's work on the Subject Programs if
necessary as only an incident to such development activities; provided, however, that all
third parties who perform work in furtherance of the development of the Subject
Programs shall execute appropriate documents acknowledging their work-for-hire status,
effecting assignments of all rights with respect to such work, and undertaking obligations
of confidentiality respecting such work.
2. Delivery; Installation; and Acceptance
A. Delivery and Installation. Immediately on the completion of each development
milestone set forth at Exhibit B, Developer shall deliver and install the Subject Programs
at the (e.g., data-processing operations center of Customer) __________________
___________________________________________, and shall deliver to Customer at
that address all documentation and other materials required to be provided in
accordance with the milestone. Developer shall inform Customer of the availability of
each portion of the Subject Programs for testing by Customer __________________
(the date of notification referred to as Acceptance Test Date ) .
B. Acceptance Tests. Promptly after the Acceptance Test Date, Customer shall
perform the tests specified in Exhibit D (Acceptance Tests) , during the period specified
within Exhibit B , to determine whether each module of the Subject Programs:
1. Conforms to the Specifications and Performance Standards for that
module; and
2. Performs repetitively on an appropriate variety of data without failure.
On completion of the final development milestone, the Acceptance Tests shall be
performed on the Subject Programs in their entirety in order to determine whether the
Subject Programs:
1. Meet all Specifications and Performance Standards; and
2. Operate with internal consistency.
In the event that the Acceptance Tests establish that the Subject Programs do
not conform to and perform in accordance with the Specifications and Performance
Standards, Customer shall immediately notify Developer, and Developer shall modify the
Subject Programs to ensure that they will so perform. Customer shall subsequently
undertake further Acceptance Tests of equal duration. Failure of the Subject Programs
to comply with the Specifications and Performance Standards after the second round of
Acceptance Tests shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement by Developer
under Section 10 .
C. Completion of Development Phases . If and when the Acceptance Tests
establish that the Subject Programs delivered on completion of any phase of
development comply with the applicable provisions of the Specifications and
Performance Standards, Customer shall promptly notify Developer that Customer
accepts the Subject Programs, and the date of the notification shall be the date on which
Customer shall be obligated to make the applicable milestone payment specified in
Exhibit B .
3. Compensation
A. Installment Payments for Development. Customer shall pay Developer the
sum of $____________ in installments in accordance with the payment schedule set
forth in Exhibit B , and each installment shall be payable on completion of each
milestone by Developer and acceptance by Customer.
B. Support Services Payment. Customer shall pay fees to Developer for error-
correction and support services (Support Services Fees) in the annual sum of
$__________ quarterly installments beginning on the first day of the first month
following expiration of the warranty period set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement.
Developer shall be entitled to increase the Support Services Fees at any time after the
________ (number) -year period beginning on acceptance by Customer of all
Subject Programs on prior written notice to Customer of not less than ______ (number)
days.
C. T axes. The fees set forth above are exclusive of taxes. Customer shall be
responsible for all taxes, levies, and assessments, excepting taxes based on the net
income of Developer, and shall, on receipt of notice from Developer, promptly pay, or if
Developer has paid any such amounts, reimburse Developer for all such taxes, levies, or
assessments.
4. Grant of License
A. Perpetual License. Developer grants to Customer, subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, a perpetual, nontransferable license (without the right to
grant sublicenses) to the Subject Programs in object code form. The license granted
under this Agreement shall be exclusive for a period of one year following acceptance by
Customer of all of the Subject Programs as set forth in Section 2 . The license shall
automatically revert to a nonexclusive license following the one-year period of
exclusivity.
B. Scope of License. The license granted pursuant to Section 4-A shall authorize
Customer to:
1. Install the computer software portion of Subject Programs on computer
systems owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by Customer;
2. Utilize the Subject Programs for its internal data-processing purposes (but
not for time-sharing or service bureau purposes); and
3. Copy the Subject Programs only as necessary to exercise the rights
granted in this Agreement.
5. Proprietary Protection of Subject Programs
A. Limited Right of Use. This Agreement does not provide Customer with title or
ownership of the Subject Programs, but only a limited right to use and copy the Subject
Programs as provided in this Agreement. Customer shall keep the Subject Programs
free and clear of all claims, liens, and encumbrances.
B. Reservation of Rights; Acknowledgments. Customer acknowledges that the
Subject Programs and all program documentation relating the Subject Programs to be
developed under the Agreement and provided by Developer under this Agreement are
commercially valuable, proprietary products of Developer, the design and development
of which reflect the effort of skilled development experts and the investment of
considerable time and money. Customer acknowledges that the Subject Programs and
all program documentation relating to it contain and shall contain substantial trade
secrets of Developer, which Developer shall entrust to Customer in confidence to use
and copy only as expressly authorized by this Agreement. Customer further
acknowledges that Developer claims and reserves all rights and benefits afforded under
federal copyright law in all Subject Programs and program documentation as
unpublished works. Any copying, modification, or distribution of such copyrighted works
not expressly authorized by this Agreement is strictly forbidden.
C. Confidentiality Obligations. In addition to those limitations on Customer's rights
set forth in Section 4, Customer shall not, at any time, disclose or disseminate the trade
secrets embodied in the Subject Programs or any supporting program documentation to
any other person, firm, organization, or employee who does not need to obtain access to
them consistent with Customer's rights under this Agreement. Under no circumstances
may Customer modify, reverse compile, or reverse assemble the object code contained
within the Subject Programs. Under no circumstances may Customer disclose or
disseminate such trade secrets to any competitor of Developer. Customer shall devote
Customer's best efforts to ensure that all persons afforded access to the Subject
Programs and all supporting program documentation protect Developer's trade secrets
against unauthorized use, dissemination, or disclosure.
D. Proprietary Legends. Customer shall reproduce and include in all copies of the
Subject Programs prepared by Customer the copyright notice(s) and proprietary
legend(s) of Developer as they appear in the Subject Programs and on the media
containing the Subject Programs supplied by Developer.
E. Survival of Obligations. Customer's obligations under this Section 5 shall
survive termination of this Agreement for any reason and shall remain in effect for as
long as Customer continues to possess, use, or control the Subject Programs, any
supporting program documentation, or any trade secrets derived from them.
6. Limited Warranty; Limitation on Remedies
A. Limited Warranty. Developer warrants, for the benefit only of Customer, that the
Subject Programs shall conform in all material respects to the Specifications and
Performance Standards (except for subsequent modifications made at Customer's
request). This warranty shall apply only for a period of one year after acceptance of the
Subject Programs. Developer assumes no responsibility for obsolescence of the Subject
Programs.
B. Exclusive Remedy. As the exclusive remedy of Customer for any nonconformity
or defect in the Subject Programs for which Developer is responsible, Developer shall
utilize Developer's best efforts to correct or cure the nonconformity or defect. However,
Developer shall not be obligated to correct, cure, or otherwise remedy any
nonconformity or defect in the Subject Programs if: (a) Customer has performed any
maintenance to the Subject Programs without Developer's authorization; (b) the Subject
Programs have been misused or damaged in any respect other than by personnel of
Developer; or (c) Developer has not been notified of the existence and nature of the
nonconformity or defect promptly upon its discovery.
C. Disclaimer. DEVELOPER DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL PROMISES,
REPRESENTATIONS, AND WARRANTIES, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN
THIS AGREEMENT, WITH RESPECT TO THE SUBJECT PROGRAMS OR ANY OTHER
MATERIAL FURNISHED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, OR ANY COMPONENT OF THE
PROGRAMS OR OTHER MATERIALS, INCLUDING THE CONDITION, THE CONFORMITY
TO ANY REPRESENTATION OR DESCRIPTION, THE EXISTENCE OF ANY LATENT OR
PATENT DEFECTS, AND THE MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
USE FOR THEM.
D. Limitation of Liability. The cumulative liability of Developer to Customer for all
claims whatsoever related to the Subject Programs or this Agreement, including any
cause of action sounding in contract, tort, or strict liability, shall not exceed the total
amount of all fees paid to Developer by Customer under this Agreement. This limitation
of liability is intended to apply to all claims of Customer, without regard to which other
provisions of this Agreement have been breached or have proven ineffective.
E. Consequential and Special Damages. In no event shall Developer be liable for
any loss of profits; any incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages; or any
claims or demands brought against Customer, even if Developer has been advised of
the possibility of such claims or demands. This limitation on damages and claims is
intended to apply to all claims of Customer, without regard to which other provisions of
this Agreement have been breached or have proven ineffective.
7. Error-Correction and Support Services
A. Support Services Undertakings. Beginning on the first day of the first month
following expiration of the warranty period set forth in Section 6 , Developer shall
provide the error-correction and support services as set forth in this Section 7 .
B. Delineation of Support Services. The error-correction and support services
provided shall include the following:
1. Telephone hot-line support during Developer's normal days and hours of
business operation. Such support shall include consultation on the
operation and utilization of the Subject Programs. Customer shall be responsible
for all telephone equipment and communication charges related to such
support; and
2. Error-correction services, which shall consist of Developer using
Developer's best efforts to design, code, and implement programming
changes to the Subject Programs and modifications to the documentation to correct
reproducible errors in the Subject Programs such that the Subject
Programs are brought into conformance with the Specifications and
Performance Standards.
C. Customer Role in Support Services. The provision of error-correction services
set forth in this Section 7 shall be expressly contingent on:
1. Customer promptly reporting any errors in the Subject Programs or
related documentation to Developer in writing, utilizing the Error Report
Form furnished by Developer to Customer;
2. Customer not modifying the Subject Programs absent the express written
consent of Developer; and
3. Customer utilizing the Subject Programs only as authorized under this
Agreement.
D. Place of Service Performance. All services provided under this Section 7 shall
be provided from Developer's facility unless Developer, in Developer's sole discretion,
determines that it is necessary to provide such services at Customer's facility.
E. Period of Support Undertaking. Subject to the timely payment by Customer of
the Support Services Fees and the absence of a material breach by Customer of any
other terms of this Agreement, Developer shall offer to Customer the services set forth in
this Section 7 of this Agreement for a minimum of ______ (number) years after
completion of development work under this Agreement.
F. Customer Termination of Support Services . Customer shall have the right to
discontinue the services set forth in Section 7 of this Agreement on not less than
______ (number) days' prior written notice to Developer.
8. Infringement of Third Party Rights
A. Indemnification. Developer agrees to provide Customer with the following
protection against claims of proprietary right infringement of the Subject Programs:
1. Nature of Indemnification. Developer shall: (i) indemnify Customer from
and against any liability, cost, loss, or expense of any kind; (ii) hold
harmless Customer and save Customer from any liability, cost, loss, or
expense of any kind; and (iii) defend any suit or proceeding against
Customer arising out of or based on any claim, demand, or action alleging that
the Subject Programs or any portion of them as furnished under this Agreement and
used within the scope of the license under this Agreement infringes any
third-party rights in copyright or issued patent or the trade secret rights of
any third party in the United States. Additionally, Developer shall pay any costs,
damages, or awards of settlement, including court costs, arising out of any such
claim, demand, or action, provided that Customer promptly gives written notice
of the claim, demand, or action to Developer and that Developer may direct
and fully participate in the defense to any settlement of such claim,
demand, or action.
2. Undertakings if Infringement Found. In the event that the Subject
Programs or any portion of them, as furnished under this Agreement and
used within the scope of the license granted under this Agreement, are held in
a suit or proceeding to infringe a third-party proprietary right as set
forth in this Section 8 , and that the use of the Subject Programs or
portion is enjoined, Developer shall, at Developer's sole option and expense:
(i) procure for Customer the right to continue using the Subject Programs
or portions; (ii) replace the Subject Programs or portions with non-
infringing software of equivalent functions and efficiency; or (iii) remove
the Subject Programs or portions. In the event that Developer removes the
Subject Programs pursuant to (iii) above, Customer shall receive a refund
of that portion of the fees paid pursuant to Section 3 as Developer
determines is reasonable.
9. Term and Termination
A. Term. This Agreement shall commence on the date first written above and shall
continue in effect for _______ (number) years. All licenses under this Agreement shall
be perpetual, unless earlier terminated according to this Section 9 .
B. Termination for Cause. Either party may terminate this Agreement at any time
in the event of a material breach of the terms by the other party if that party shall fail to
cure the material breach within ______ (number) days of receipt of written notice.
C. Actions upon Termination. On termination of the Agreement for any reason by
either party, Customer shall immediately cease use of the Subject Programs and shall,
within _______ (number) days of termination, deliver to Developer copies of the Subject
Programs and related materials and documentation, or portions of them furnished by
Developer. Customer shall also warrant in writing that all use of Subject Programs or any
portion of them has been permanently discontinued. On termination of the Agreement,
Developer's obligation to provide warranty or other services under this Agreement shall
cease.
10. Miscellaneous
A. Force Majeure. Either party shall be excused from delays in performing or from
its failure to perform under this Agreement to the extent that those delays or failures
result from causes beyond the reasonable control of the party; provided that, in order to
be excused from delay or failure to perform, the party must act diligently to remedy the
cause of such delay or failure.
B. No Agency. Developer, in furnishing services to Customer, is providing services
as an independent contractor. Developer does not undertake by this Agreement or
otherwise to perform any obligation of Customer, whether by regulation or contract. In no
way is Developer to be construed as the agent or acting as the agent of Customer in any
respect, all other provisions of this Agreement notwithstanding.
C. Multiple Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several
counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one single Agreement between
the parties.
D. Section Headings; Exhibits. The article, section, and subsection headings used
in this Agreement are for reference and convenience only, and shall not enter into the
interpretation of the Agreement. The exhibits referred to in and attached to the
Agreement are incorporated and made part of this Agreement to the same extent as if
set forth in full.
E. Required Approvals. Where agreement, approval, acceptance, or consent by
either party is required by any provision of this Agreement, that action shall not be
unreasonably delayed or withheld.
F. No Waiver. No delay or omission by either party to exercise any right or power
occurring upon any noncompliance or default by the other party with respect to
any of the terms of this Agreement shall impair any such right or power or be construed to be a
waiver. A waiver by either of the parties of any of the covenants, conditions, or
agreements to be performed by the other shall not be construed to be a waiver of any
succeeding breach or of any covenant, condition, or agreement contained in this
Agreement. Unless stated otherwise, all remedies provided for in this Agreement shall
be cumulative and in addition to and not in lieu of any other remedies available to either
party at law, in equity, or otherwise.
G. Authority of Developer . Developer has the sole right and obligation to
supervise, manage, contract, direct, procure, perform, or cause to be performed all work
to be performed by Developer unless otherwise provided within this Agreement.
H. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of _________________ (name of state) .
I. Entire Agreement . This Agreement and the exhibits annexed to it constitute the
entire Agreement between the parties, and there are no understandings or agreements
relative to the subject matter other than those that are expressed in this Agreement, and
no change, waiver, or discharge of this Agreement shall be valid unless it is in writing
and is executed by the party against whom the change, waiver, or discharge is sought to
be enforced.
K. Notices . Under this Agreement, if one party is required to give notice to the
other, that notice shall be deemed given if mailed by U.S. mail, first class, postage
prepaid to the addresses set forth at the beginning of this Agreement.
L. No Assignment. Except for an assignment by Customer to a parent, subsidiary,
or affiliate entity, neither party shall without the prior written consent of the other party
assign or transfer this Agreement except by merger, reorganization, consolidation, or
sale of all or substantially all of the party's assets, and any attempt to do so shall be void
and of no force and effect.
WITNESS our signatures as of the day and date first above stated .
________________________ __________________________
(Name of Developer) (Name of Customer)
By:__________________________ By:___________________________
__________________________ ____________________________
(P rinted Name & Office in Corporation) (P rinted Name & Office in Corporation)
____________________________ _______________________________
(Signature of Officer) (Signature of Officer)
Attach Exhibits