Can the Business Services RA be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act and UETA when the parties consent and the signature can be attributed to the signer. Ensure consumer disclosures are provided where required and preserve an audit trail.

Do approvals require notarization or witnesses?

Not typically for standard procurement approvals. Notarization or witnesses are required only when state law or contract terms demand a notarized acknowledgement or when the document has statutory effect that falls under exceptions.

What happens if a signer lacks an email address?

Use an alternative authentication method such as in‑person signing with a tablet or a guest signing link managed by the platform. Document the chosen method in the RA workflow to preserve attribution.

How do I revoke or amend an RA after approval?

Create a written amendment or cancellation record that references the original RA, obtain the same approval trajectory as the original document, and retain both records for audit purposes.

How long should signed RAs be retained?

Retain signed RAs for the longer of the contract term plus three years or any industry or federal requirement that applies; healthcare and tax records often require longer retention.

What if an approver questions cost estimates?

Provide supporting quotes, vendor bids, and a cost justification memo. If material, route the RA for additional procurement or legal review before final approval.

Business Services RA

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

BUSINESS SERVICES RETAINER AGREEMENT

Effective Date:

Client Name: Service Provider Name:

Client Address Service Provider Address

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client Name: desires to retain the Service Provider to perform business advisory, consulting and related services under the terms set forth in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider Name: represents that it has the experience, personnel and resources necessary to perform such services and agrees to perform them in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties agree as follows:

SCOPE OF WORK

Service Provider shall perform the services described below and any additional related tasks as the parties may agree in writing. Specific deliverables, performance standards and acceptance criteria shall be set out in the Scope of Work.

Detailed Scope of Work Deliverables and Milestones

PAYMENT TERMS

Client shall pay Service Provider the fees and expenses in accordance with this section. All amounts due are exclusive of taxes unless otherwise stated.

Retainer / Fee Amount Payment Schedule Invoice Due Days Late Fee

All undisputed invoices not paid within the Invoice Due Days shall accrue the Late Fee specified above and Client shall also be responsible for reasonable collection costs and attorneys' fees incurred in collecting overdue amounts.

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 without cause upon written notice to the other party delivered at least days prior to the effective termination date. Either party may terminate immediately for material breach which remains uncured for a period of 15 days after written notice of such breach.

Upon termination, Service Provider shall be entitled to payment for all services performed and expenses incurred through the effective date of termination, including any non-cancellable commitments made in good faith.

CONFIDENTIALITY

For purposes of this Agreement, "Confidential Information" means non-public information disclosed by one party to the other that is marked confidential or that reasonably should be understood to be confidential given its nature. Confidential Information does not include information that: (a) is or becomes publicly available without breach of this Agreement; (b) was known to the receiving party prior to disclosure; (c) is received from a third party having the right to disclose; or (d) is independently developed by the receiving party without use of Confidential Information.

The receiving party shall: (i) use Confidential Information solely to perform its obligations under this Agreement; (ii) restrict disclosure to employees, contractors or agents who have a need to know and who are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those in this Agreement; and (iii) take reasonable measures to protect Confidential Information from unauthorized disclosure. Upon termination or upon the disclosing party's written request, the receiving party shall return or destroy Confidential Information and certify such return or destruction.

The obligations in this Section shall survive termination of this Agreement for a period of years, except that trade secrets shall be protected for so long as they retain trade secret status under applicable law.

INDEMNIFICATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Each party shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the other party from and against any third-party claims arising from its gross negligence or willful misconduct in performing its obligations under this Agreement. In no event shall either party be liable to the other for any indirect, incidental, consequential, punitive or special damages, except for liability arising from a party's gross negligence, willful misconduct or breach of confidentiality.

GOVERNING LAW; DISPUTE RESOLUTION

This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of without regard to its conflicts of law principles. The parties shall first attempt in good faith to resolve disputes by negotiation. If unresolved within 45 days, disputes shall be resolved by final and binding arbitration held in a mutually agreed location, or, if the parties cannot agree, in the county of the governing state.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT; MISCELLANEOUS

This Agreement, together with any attachments and written statements of work, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether oral or written. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, the remainder shall remain in full force and effect. Neither party may assign this Agreement without the other party's prior written consent, except that Service Provider may assign to an affiliate or in connection with a change of control.

NOTICES

Notices to Client (contact and address) Notices to Service Provider (contact and address)

Notices shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when delivered personally, sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) or when sent by overnight courier to the addresses set forth above, or to such other address as either party may designate in writing.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Business Services RA is and when it’s used

The Business Services RA is a standardized request-for-authorization document used to propose, document, and obtain formal approval for business services, projects, or third-party engagements. It captures the requester, scope, estimated cost, timeline, and required approvals so procurement, finance, or operations teams can review consistently. The form supports attachments such as statements of work, vendor quotes, and compliance checklists and is commonly routed through an approvals workflow that preserves an audit trail for internal control and recordkeeping.

Why a formal Business Services RA matters

A Business Services RA centralizes approval decisions, creates a record for budget and compliance reviews, and reduces ambiguity about scope and accountability. Using a consistent template improves transparency in procurement and makes audit and post‑award reviews more reliable.

Typical users and stakeholders for a Business Services RA

The RA is used by people who request, approve, or administer business services across functions.

Requestors and project managers submitting service or vendor requests for approval.
Procurement and purchasing teams reviewing vendor selection and contract terms.
Finance and budget owners authorizing spend and allocating funds.

Stakeholders vary by organization size; clarity about roles speeds review and reduces iteration.

Essential components of a professionally prepared Business Services RA

A complete RA organizes decision essentials so reviewers can act quickly. Include a clear scope, cost breakdown, timelines, assigned approvers, risk items, and supporting attachments to avoid follow‑up questions and delays.

Scope Summary

Concise description of services, deliverables, and acceptance criteria so approvers know exactly what is requested.

Cost Breakdown

Itemized estimated costs, one‑time and recurring fees, and budget code to enable accurate financial approval.

Schedule

Key milestones and target start/finish dates to coordinate resource availability and procurement lead times.

Approval Matrix

Named approvers with signatory authority levels and any delegated approval thresholds to prevent routing errors.

Supporting Docs

Vendor quotes, SOW, insurance certificates, and compliance attestations attached or referenced explicitly.

Risk & Controls

Material risks, mitigation steps, and required legal or security reviews listed to inform approver decisions.

Step-by-step: completing and routing the RA

Follow a consistent sequence to reduce review cycles and ensure approvers have the right information.

01

Prepare: Gather SOW, quotes, insurance, and budget codes before starting the RA.
02

Complete Fields: Populate all required fields and attach supporting documents to the RA.
03

Route: Select approvers in order and include alternates for out‑of‑office scenarios.
04

Record: Archive the signed RA and attachments in the approved storage location.

Configuring an online approvals workflow for the RA

When automating the RA, configure routing, authentication, and storage to match your control and audit requirements.

Field	Configuration
Signer Order	Sequential or parallel routing depending on policy
Authentication	Email + SMS code or stronger methods for high‑risk requests
Notifications	Automatic reminders and escalation after defined timeouts
Storage	Archive to document management or cloud storage with retention policy

Where to send the completed Business Services RA

The RA typically moves from requestor to approvers, then to procurement or finance for execution and archiving.

Primary Approver: Department head or designated budget owner who confirms need and funding
Procurement: Procurement team verifies vendor selection and contract requirements
Finance: Finance validates budget coding and processes purchase orders
Archive: Final signed RA and attachments stored in records repository

Digital signing and file format requirements

Use widely supported file types and ensure the signing platform meets authentication and audit needs.

File Types: PDF, DOCX, or TIFF
Integrations: CRM or ERP connections
Authentication: Email, SMS, or KBA

Select a platform that preserves an audit trail and stores a tamper‑evident copy for retention and compliance.

Comparing eSignature vendors for Business Services RA workflows

Basic capability and pricing vary by provider. The table summarizes common criteria to consider for RA approvals and recordkeeping.

	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 free trial	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes (Business Premium)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes (BAA)	Yes (BAA)	Yes (BAA)	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

Key security and compliance features to verify for RA eSigning

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256

Audit Trail: Detailed timestamps and IP logging

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001

Regulatory: ESIGN and UETA compliance

Healthcare: HIPAA support with BAA

FDA Records: 21 CFR Part 11 controls available

Common mistakes that delay Business Services RA approvals

Missing or incomplete cost breakdowns that force approvers to request revisions and stall procurement.
Incorrect or absent budget codes causing finance to reject or hold processing for reallocation.
Attachments not included or improperly labeled, making it impossible for reviewers to verify vendor terms.
Routing to the wrong approver or failing to include alternates during approver absence, causing approval bottlenecks.

Practical risks and consequences of incorrect or incomplete RAs

Contract Delays: Execution postponed until missing approvals are obtained

Budget Overruns: Unauthorized spend or misallocated funds

Compliance Gaps: Failure to attach required attestations or insurance

Procurement Audit Findings: Internal audit exceptions and remediation

Vendor Disputes: Scope ambiguity leading to later disputes

Recordkeeping Failures: Inability to demonstrate approvals during review

Frequently asked questions about the Business Services RA

Answers to common questions about execution, eSigning, notarization, and recordkeeping for the RA.

Need help? Contact support

Can the Business Services RA be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act and UETA when the parties consent and the signature can be attributed to the signer. Ensure consumer disclosures are provided where required and preserve an audit trail.
Do approvals require notarization or witnesses?
Not typically for standard procurement approvals. Notarization or witnesses are required only when state law or contract terms demand a notarized acknowledgement or when the document has statutory effect that falls under exceptions.
What happens if a signer lacks an email address?
Use an alternative authentication method such as in‑person signing with a tablet or a guest signing link managed by the platform. Document the chosen method in the RA workflow to preserve attribution.
How do I revoke or amend an RA after approval?
Create a written amendment or cancellation record that references the original RA, obtain the same approval trajectory as the original document, and retain both records for audit purposes.
How long should signed RAs be retained?
Retain signed RAs for the longer of the contract term plus three years or any industry or federal requirement that applies; healthcare and tax records often require longer retention.
What if an approver questions cost estimates?
Provide supporting quotes, vendor bids, and a cost justification memo. If material, route the RA for additional procurement or legal review before final approval.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now