Can an RPM be electronically signed?

Yes. Electronic signatures meet the ESIGN Act standard (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are satisfied.

Is notarization required for the RPM?

Not usually. Notarization is only required when the RPM incorporates documents that require notarized execution under state law or when a notary acknowledgement is contractually specified.

What makes an eSignature legally valid?

Valid eSignatures meet the four-part test: intent to sign, consent to electronic records, attribution to the signer, and reproducible retention as described in ESIGN and UETA.

How should I correct a signed RPM?

Execute an amendment or addendum signed by the same authorized parties. Avoid overwriting signed originals; retain version history for audit purposes.

Which retention period applies to RPMs?

Follow federal minimums (IRS three years) and industry rules (HIPAA six years for health records); extend retention where state law or contract requires longer periods.

How to verify signer authority quickly?

Check corporate resolutions, delegated authority matrices, or procurement limits before signature. When in doubt, require a countersignatory with documented delegation.

Business Services RPM

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

BUSINESS SERVICES RPM AGREEMENT

This Business Services RPM Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into as of Effective Date: by and between Client Name: and Service Provider: .

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client desires to engage Service Provider to perform business services related to RPM (revenue and performance management) as set forth in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider represents that it possesses the experience, personnel, systems and resources required to perform the Services in a diligent and professional manner; and

WHEREAS, the parties wish to set forth the terms and conditions under which the Services will be provided and compensated.

SCOPE OF WORK

Service Provider shall perform the services and deliverables described below and in any attachments executed by the parties. Service Provider shall perform all Services in accordance with professional standards and in compliance with applicable law.

Detailed Scope of Work

PAYMENT TERMS

Client shall pay Service Provider the fees and expenses specified below in consideration for the Services. Unless otherwise stated, fees are exclusive of applicable taxes.

Fixed or Base Fee (if applicable) Payment Schedule and Invoicing Late Payment

Invoices shall be submitted in writing and are payable within the agreed payment term following receipt. If Client disputes any portion of an invoice in good faith, Client shall provide written notice of dispute within ten (10) days and shall pay any undisputed portion in accordance with this Agreement.

TERM AND TERMINATION

The term of this Agreement shall commence on Start Date: and shall continue until End Date: unless earlier terminated in accordance with this Section.

Notice Period for Termination without Cause

Either party may terminate this Agreement for material breach by the other party if such breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after written notice specifying the breach; provided that certain breaches that are incapable of cure may permit immediate termination. Termination will not relieve Client of the obligation to pay for Services performed through the effective date of termination.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party (the "Receiving Party") shall hold in confidence and not disclose or use any Confidential Information of the other party (the "Disclosing Party") except as necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement. "Confidential Information" includes nonpublic business, technical, financial, and customer information marked or identified as confidential or that should reasonably be understood to be confidential.

The Receiving Party shall take reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of such information, not less than those it uses to protect its own confidential information of similar nature. Confidentiality obligations shall survive termination of this Agreement for Confidentiality Period (years): years, except that trade secrets shall remain protected for as long as they qualify as trade secrets under applicable law.

Confidential Information does not include information that (i) is or becomes publicly known without breach of this Agreement, (ii) was rightfully received from a third party without obligation of confidentiality, (iii) is independently developed by the Receiving Party, or (iv) is required to be disclosed by law, provided the Disclosing Party is given prompt written notice and assistance in seeking a protective order or other remedy.

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction selected below, without regard to conflicts of law principles. Governing Jurisdiction:

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

Independent Contractor. Service Provider is an independent contractor and shall be solely responsible for all taxes, withholdings, employee benefits and insurance for its personnel. Nothing in this Agreement creates an employment, partnership or joint venture relationship.

Limitation of Liability. Except for liability arising from gross negligence, willful misconduct, or a breach of confidentiality, neither party shall be liable to the other for consequential, incidental, special or punitive damages, and aggregate liability shall be limited to the amounts paid or payable under this Agreement in the twelve (12) month period preceding the claim.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

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

NOTICES

Client Notice Address Service Provider Notice Address

Notices shall be in writing and delivered to the addresses above (or other addresses designated in writing) and shall be deemed given when delivered personally, by nationally recognized overnight courier, or by confirmed electronic transmission.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Business Services RPM is and when it's used

The Business Services RPM is a standardized record used to capture recurring project metrics, service terms, pricing schedules, and approval routing for business services engagements. It documents parties, scope, billing rates, performance milestones, and authorization details so internal teams and external clients share a single source of truth. The RPM can be exchanged as a printable form or submitted electronically and is often attached to invoices, proposals, and service orders to reduce ambiguity about deliverables and billing. It supports auditability, versioning, and conditional approvals across contract lifecycles.

Why a clear Business Services RPM matters

A complete RPM reduces disputes, speeds approvals, and centralizes pricing and milestone data so operations, finance, and clients reference the same terms. It also creates an auditable record that supports compliance and post-engagement reconciliation.

Who prepares and who signs the RPM

The RPM is prepared by operational or account teams and routed to authorized signers for consent and billing approval.

Account managers and project leads who define scope and acceptance criteria for services.
Finance or billing staff who verify rates, tax treatment, and invoicing instructions before approval.
Authorized executives or procurement officers with delegated signature authority for contract commitments.

Final signatories are typically account owners, finance approvers, or authorized executives depending on contractual thresholds and internal delegation rules.

Core elements included in a professional RPM

A well-constructed RPM groups commercial terms, performance milestones, billing mechanics, and approval gates so reviewers can validate obligations quickly.

Parties

Full legal names and entity types for each contracting party, including DBA names and taxpayer identification where required for invoicing and withholding.

Scope

Concise, numbered description of deliverables, acceptance criteria, and excluded work to avoid scope creep during project execution.

Pricing

Rate tables, unit definitions, discounts, and any price adjustment rules tied to milestones or change orders to ensure consistent billing.

Milestones

Dates, deliverables tied to each milestone, and payment triggers or holdbacks that define when invoicing and approvals occur.

Authorization

Designated approvers, their signature authority limits, and the order of approvals (conditional or sequential) for enforceable commitments.

Audit trail

Version history, signer identification, timestamps, and attachments that document changes and provide evidence for disputes or audits.

Step-by-step: completing and routing the RPM

Follow these sequential steps to populate, verify, sign, and archive the RPM for a compliant record.

01

Draft the RPM: Populate parties, scope, milestones, and pricing.
02

Internal review: Route to finance and legal for validation.
03

Obtain signatures: Collect approvals in the required order.
04

Archive and distribute: Store signed copy and send to stakeholders.

Typical electronic routing flow for an RPM

Electronic workflows replace paper routing with clear sender actions and automated notifications for each signer step.

Upload document: Sender uploads the RPM and attaches supporting files.
Place fields: Add signature, date, and conditional fields as needed.
Assign signers: Enter signer emails and required authentication methods.
Track completion: System logs timestamps, signer IPs, and sends final copies.

Common digital workflow settings to configure

Configure these workflow settings to match your approval policy and authentication needs before sending the RPM.

Workflow Field Configuration Header Row	Field Name \| Recommended setting and notes
Primary Signer Authentication Method	Email link \| SMS code for higher assurance
Sequential or Parallel Approval	Sequential \| Enforce signer order when needed
Conditional Field Visibility	Enable \| Show fields only when conditions apply
Retention and Copy Distribution	Auto-archive \| Send final PDF to configured recipients

Technical considerations for eSigning and submitting the RPM

Ensure the chosen eSignature platform supports required authentication, audit trails, and output formats used by your organization.

File formats: PDF and DOCX supported
Authentication options: Email, SMS, or advanced methods
Integration endpoints: CRM, ERP, cloud storage

Sample eSignature vendor comparison for RPM workflows

Compare basic plan costs and feature availability across common eSignature vendors to inform platform selection for RPM processing.

	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 plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Primary penalties and risks from errors in the RPM

Tax reporting gaps: Incorrect TINs can trigger backup withholding.

Late information returns: 1099 penalties range from $60–$330 per form.

I-9 documentation: Paperwork violations can incur fines of $281–$2,789 per violation.

HIPAA exposure: Improper PHI handling risks civil penalties and breach notification.

Contract unenforceability: Improper signatures or missing authority can void commitments.

Data breach liability: Poor storage or transmission can increase legal and remedial costs.

Common preparation mistakes to avoid

Using informal or abbreviated legal names that do not match tax or bank records, causing payment and identity verification delays.
Leaving effective dates or termination clauses blank, which creates ambiguity over when obligations begin or end.
Failing to specify units or billing increments, resulting in inconsistent invoices and disputes over billed amounts.
Skipping signer authority checks, which can lead to invalidated approvals and the need for retroactive ratification.

Real-world examples of RPMs in use

Below are examples showing how organizations applied RPM workflows to simplify approvals and ensure compliance.

Optica Ventures LLC

Optica used structured RPM templates to standardize client onboarding

Reduced approval time across deals by consolidating terms
"The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers." — Brian Fitzgibbons, COO

Martin Properties

A real estate firm digitized recurring service schedules using RPMs

Field agents accessed and signed on mobile devices
"I can process and execute all of these documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security." — Tim Martin, Founder

Frequently asked questions about the Business Services RPM

Answers to common issues encountered when completing, signing, or storing RPMs in electronic workflows.

Need help? Contact support

Can an RPM be electronically signed?
Yes. Electronic signatures meet the ESIGN Act standard (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are satisfied.
Is notarization required for the RPM?
Not usually. Notarization is only required when the RPM incorporates documents that require notarized execution under state law or when a notary acknowledgement is contractually specified.
What makes an eSignature legally valid?
Valid eSignatures meet the four-part test: intent to sign, consent to electronic records, attribution to the signer, and reproducible retention as described in ESIGN and UETA.
How should I correct a signed RPM?
Execute an amendment or addendum signed by the same authorized parties. Avoid overwriting signed originals; retain version history for audit purposes.
Which retention period applies to RPMs?
Follow federal minimums (IRS three years) and industry rules (HIPAA six years for health records); extend retention where state law or contract requires longer periods.
How to verify signer authority quickly?
Check corporate resolutions, delegated authority matrices, or procurement limits before signature. When in doubt, require a countersignatory with documented delegation.

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