Is an electronic signature valid here?

Yes. Electronic signatures are enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states if intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.

When is notarization required?

Notarization depends on the instrument and state law; notarize when the Gap Group amends notarized contract components or when a state statute requires acknowledgement for effect.

Can we use remote online notarization?

Many states permit RON with identity proofing and audio‑video recording; verify the state's notary rules and retention requirements before proceeding.

What if party names differ from tax records?

Mismatched legal names can delay verification and payments; use exact legal entity names and include DBA information where applicable.

How do we revise an executed Gap Group?

Create a new amendment or replacement Gap Group signed by the same authorized parties; avoid unilateral edits to an executed document without consent.

How long must we store the signed Gap Group?

Retain per applicable federal and industry rules: at least 3 years for tax purposes, 6 years for HIPAA-related records, and longer if state law requires it.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Business Agreement Gap Group

Business Agreement Gap Group

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

BUSINESS AGREEMENT GAP GROUP

This Business Agreement Gap Group (the Agreement) is entered into as of Effective Date: by and between Client Name: and Provider Name: .

WHEREAS

WHEREAS, Client operates a business and requires an independent analysis of operational, compliance and performance gaps (the Services) to inform a plan for remediation and improvement; and

WHEREAS, Provider possesses professional expertise and resources to perform a gap analysis, deliver recommendations and related implementation support; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth the terms, conditions and obligations governing Provider’s performance and Client’s payment for the Services.

SCOPE OF WORK

Provider shall perform the gap analysis and related activities described below. Provider will furnish deliverables that may include written reports, prioritized recommendations, implementation roadmaps and presentation to Client stakeholders as set forth in the Scope of Work.

Detailed Scope of Work

PAYMENT TERMS

Client shall pay Provider the compensation set forth below in consideration for performance of the Services. Provider will submit itemized invoices in accordance with this section and Client will pay in accordance with the payment schedule.

Total Compensation Payment Schedule Payment Due Late Fee / Interest

All payments are exclusive of taxes. Client shall pay applicable sales, use or similar taxes unless Client provides a valid exemption certificate prior to invoicing.

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Agreement commences on Start Date: and continues until End Date: unless earlier terminated as provided herein.

Either party may terminate this Agreement for convenience upon written notice delivered to the other party at least days prior to the effective date of termination. Either party may also terminate immediately upon material breach by the other party that remains uncured for a period of 15 days after written notice of breach.

Upon termination, Client will pay Provider for Services performed and reasonable costs incurred through the effective date of termination. Sections that by their nature survive termination shall survive.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party acknowledges that in connection with performance of this Agreement it may receive Confidential Information of the other party. "Confidential Information" means non‑public information disclosed in any form that is clearly designated as confidential or that by its nature should reasonably be treated as confidential. Confidential Information excludes information that (a) is or becomes publicly available other than by breach of this Agreement, (b) is lawfully obtained from a third party without restriction, or (c) is independently developed by the recipient without use of the discloser's Confidential Information.

The recipient shall (i) maintain the confidentiality of the discloser’s Confidential Information using at least the same degree of care it uses to protect its own confidential information, (ii) use such Confidential Information solely to perform under this Agreement, and (iii) not disclose it to third parties except to employees, contractors or professional advisors who have a need to know and are bound by confidentiality obligations no less restrictive than this Agreement. The recipient must promptly notify the discloser of any unauthorized use or disclosure.

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to conflict of laws principles.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement, including all exhibits and attachments expressly incorporated herein, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, negotiations and communications, whether oral or written. No amendment or modification of this Agreement will be effective unless in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

NOTICES

All notices required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered to the addresses below by personal delivery, certified mail, or reputable overnight courier, or by electronic mail with confirmation of receipt.

Client Contact Name Client Address for Notices Client Email Provider Contact Name Provider Address for Notices Provider Email

MISCELLANEOUS

Assignment: Neither party may assign this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, except that either party may assign to a successor in connection with a merger or sale of substantially all of its assets.

Independent Contractor: Provider is an independent contractor. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create an employment, partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship between the parties.

Client Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Provider Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What the Business Agreement Gap Group Is and When It Applies

The Business Agreement Gap Group is a structured checklist and agreement addendum used to identify, document, and allocate responsibility for gaps between an existing contract and required business outcomes. It captures the parties, the specific gap(s) in scope or performance, proposed mitigation steps, timing, and ownership for remediation. Organizations use it alongside primary contracts to reduce ambiguity, record interim responsibilities, and create an auditable trail that supports internal approvals, vendor management, and future dispute resolution.

Why documenting gaps matters for contracts and compliance

Formalizing gaps clarifies expectations, assigns corrective responsibilities, and preserves an auditable record for compliance or dispute resolution. A focused Gap Group reduces downstream rework and helps link remediation actions to payment, SLA, or warranty terms.

Typical users and where the Business Agreement Gap Group fits

Teams that commonly complete or review this document include contract managers, procurement, project managers, legal counsel, and vendor account teams.

Contract managers ensuring obligations are tracked across amendments and exhibits.
Project managers documenting deliverable gaps against milestones and schedules.
Legal or procurement teams allocating liability and acceptance criteria.

Use this form when a contractual mismatch is identified or when an amendment or corrective plan must be recorded alongside the primary agreement.

Who signs and endorses the Gap Group

Vendor Representative

A named officer or authorized account manager with delegated signing authority must sign to accept remediation tasks and timelines; include title, email, and phone for verification and audit purposes.

Client Contract Owner

The internal contract owner or project sponsor signs to confirm acceptance of the proposed remediation, responsibilities, and any related payment or schedule changes; signatory must match internal delegation of authority.

Essential security and compliance details to record

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Audit Trail: Detailed event log with timestamps

Authentication: Email, SMS code, or advanced MFA

BAA Support: HIPAA BAA available when required

Regulatory Certs: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001

Retention Controls: Immutable record retention and export

Key legal and operational risks if gaps are undocumented or incorrect

Contract Ambiguity: Increased dispute risk; unclear remedies

Regulatory Exposure: Noncompliance with HIPAA or industry rules

Financial Penalties: Late performance penalties or withholding

Tax Reporting Risk: Incorrect vendor classification impact

I-9 / Employment Risk: Documentation gaps trigger fines

Audit Failures: Missing evidence for external audits

Common preparation errors to avoid

Vague remediation language that lacks measurable actions and dates, leaving performance subjective and unenforceable.
Mismatched party names or signatory authority that prevent acceptance or trigger TIN/identity verification issues with payables.
Failure to attach relevant exhibits, schedules, or acceptance test criteria so remediation cannot be validated against objective standards.
Not documenting who bears costs for remediation, which often leads to disputes over invoicing, credits, or withheld payments.

How to complete a Business Agreement Gap Group — step by step

Follow these sequential steps to prepare a clear, enforceable Gap Group that links to the underlying contract and enables efficient approvals.

01

Identify Gap: Describe the exact contract clause or deliverable that is unmet.
02

Define Remediation: List specific actions, owners, and measurable acceptance criteria.
03

Set Deadlines: Provide precise completion dates and any staged milestones.
04

Obtain Signatures: Collect authorized signatures and store signed copies securely.

Typical workflow for routing and approval

A repeatable routing flow helps ensure the Gap Group is reviewed, accepted, and implemented without delays.

Drafting: Originator prepares the Gap Group with references.
Review: Legal and procurement validate terms.
Approval: Authorized signers accept remediation obligations.
Archive: Final signed record saved for audits.

Core components to include in a professional Gap Group

A complete Gap Group organizes facts, responsibilities, timing, and acceptance criteria so it can be enforced alongside the main agreement and relied on during audits or disputes.

Parties

Full legal names and contact details for each contracting party; include legal entity type and primary contract reference.

Gap Description

Concise statement of the deviation from contract requirements with clause citations and impacted deliverables.

Remediation Plan

Action list with specific tasks, assigned owners, success metrics, and attachments for technical specs or test scripts.

Schedule

Clear milestones and final completion date; include escalation timelines for missed milestones.

Financial Terms

Any credits, withheld payments, or additional costs associated with remediation and how invoicing will occur.

Acceptance Criteria

Objective tests or sign-offs that confirm remediation is complete and acceptable to the receiving party.

Configuring an online Gap Group workflow

When using an electronic platform, configure fields and routing to match your internal approval matrix and evidence requirements.

Field	Configuration
Signer Roles	Assign primary signers and approvers in sequence
Authentication	Email link, SMS code, or stronger MFA
Attachments	Allow technical exhibits and test results
Retention Policy	Set automatic archival after approval

Digital delivery and platform considerations

Choose a platform that supports secure signing, audit trails, conditional fields, and integrations with your systems.

Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
File Formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML
Authentication: Email, SMS, or KBA

Ensure the chosen solution provides exportable audit records and retention controls consistent with your legal and compliance obligations.

Typical timing and submission expectations

Set clear internal and external deadlines so remediation can be tracked and tied to payment or SLA adjustments.

Immediate Acknowledgment:

Acknowledge the gap within 48–72 hours of discovery.

Remediation Plan Due:

Deliver remediation plan within 7–14 days unless otherwise agreed.

Milestone Reviews:

Schedule interim reviews aligned with project reporting cadence.

Final Completion:

Complete remediation by the agreed final date in the Gap Group.

Archive Signed Document:

Store the executed Gap Group in contract repository immediately.

Key milestones from identification to closure

Track these stages as discrete milestones to maintain visibility and to link remediation to contractual remedies.

01

Gap Identified

Document the issue and notify stakeholders for triage.

02

Remediation Planning

Agree tasks, owners, and timelines with the counterparty.

03

Execution

Complete tasks, capture evidence, and run acceptance tests.

04

Closure

Obtain final sign-off and update contract records.

Common eSignature vendor pricing and feature comparison

Basic pricing and feature availability for common eSignature providers. signNow is listed first per comparative convention; confirm vendor plans and billing terms directly with each provider.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day trial	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about the Business Agreement Gap Group

Answers to common questions about validity, signing, revisions, and storage for the Gap Group when used with electronic signing platforms.

Need help? Contact support

Is an electronic signature valid here?
Yes. Electronic signatures are enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states if intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.
When is notarization required?
Notarization depends on the instrument and state law; notarize when the Gap Group amends notarized contract components or when a state statute requires acknowledgement for effect.
Can we use remote online notarization?
Many states permit RON with identity proofing and audio‑video recording; verify the state's notary rules and retention requirements before proceeding.
What if party names differ from tax records?
Mismatched legal names can delay verification and payments; use exact legal entity names and include DBA information where applicable.
How do we revise an executed Gap Group?
Create a new amendment or replacement Gap Group signed by the same authorized parties; avoid unilateral edits to an executed document without consent.
How long must we store the signed Gap Group?
Retain per applicable federal and industry rules: at least 3 years for tax purposes, 6 years for HIPAA-related records, and longer if state law requires it.

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