Can the agreement be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states; ensure the signer demonstrates intent, consents to electronic records, attribution is captured, and the record is retained.

When is notarization required?

Notarization is rarely required for pure service contracts but may be necessary for related real property exhibits or powers of attorney; verify state notary rules before execution.

How to handle PHI in a network agreement?

If protected health information is present, include a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement and specify encryption, breach notification, and retention controls consistent with 45 CFR §164.530(j).

Who provides the audit logs and evidence for SLA breaches?

The agreement should identify monitoring tools, acceptable data sources for validating incidents, and a joint review process to reconcile disputed events within a defined timeframe.

What if a signer lacks authority after signature?

Contracts usually become voidable if signed without proper authority; include a warranty of authority clause and require evidence of delegated signing authority to mitigate this risk.

How to revoke or amend the agreement?

Include amendment procedures requiring written agreement of both parties; revocation or termination should follow the contract's termination for convenience or cause provisions and include transition obligations.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Managed Networks Agreement

Managed Networks Agreement

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

MANAGED NETWORKS AGREEMENT

Parties

Client Name: Client Address: Primary Client Contact (Name & Title): Service Provider Name: Service Provider Address: Primary Provider Contact (Name & Title):

Recitals

WHEREAS, Client Name: desires to retain Service Provider to deliver managed network services described herein; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider Name: represents that it has the expertise and resources to provide management, monitoring, maintenance, and support for Client's network infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, the parties agree that the services shall commence on Effective Date: and be provided pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

Scope of Work

Service Provider shall provide managed network services including, but not limited to, proactive monitoring, configuration management, firmware and security patch management, intrusion detection, backup and recovery of network configurations, remote troubleshooting, on-site escalation per the schedule set forth below, and regular reporting. Specific deliverables and exclusions are identified in the Scope of Work below.

Detailed Scope of Work:

Payment Terms

Client agrees to pay the Service Provider the fees set forth below in consideration for the Services. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, all fees are exclusive of applicable taxes.

Monthly Management Fee (USD): Billing Cycle: Payment Due (days from invoice): Late Fee (percentage per month on overdue amounts): Invoicing and Payment Instructions:

Term and Termination

Term: This Agreement shall commence on Start Date: and continue until End Date: unless earlier terminated as provided herein.

Termination for Convenience: Either party may terminate this Agreement for convenience upon written notice delivered to the other party not less than Notice Period (days): days prior to the intended termination date.

Termination for Cause: Either party may terminate upon written notice if the other party materially breaches this Agreement and fails to cure such breach within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice specifying the breach.

Confidentiality

Each party shall maintain in confidence all Confidential Information disclosed by the other party and shall not use or disclose such information except as required to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Confidential Information shall include network configurations, security credentials, monitoring data, and other information designated as confidential or which by its nature should reasonably be considered confidential.

Confidentiality Term (months): months from termination or expiration, except that trade secrets shall remain protected for so long as they qualify as trade secrets under applicable law.

Data Breach Notification: Service Provider shall notify Client within Data Breach Notification (hours): hours of becoming aware of any unauthorized access to or disclosure of Client data and shall provide reasonable assistance in investigation and mitigation.

Service Levels

Service Provider shall use commercially reasonable efforts to meet the following response and resolution objectives for incidents: Major outage response time (hours): hours; Non-critical incident response time (hours): hours.

Service Credits: If Service Provider fails to meet materially the service levels set forth above, Client may be entitled to service credits as the parties may agree in writing, which shall be Client's sole and exclusive remedy for such failure.

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification

Except for liability arising from gross negligence, willful misconduct, or breach of confidentiality, the aggregate liability of Service Provider for any claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall not exceed Liability Cap (USD): . In no event shall Service Provider be liable for lost profits, loss of business, or consequential damages.

Each party shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the other party from claims, liabilities and expenses arising from the indemnifying party's breach of this Agreement, negligence, or willful misconduct.

Change Orders

Changes to the Scope of Work shall be governed by written change orders signed by authorized representatives of both parties. Change orders shall specify any changes to fees, schedule, deliverables, and acceptance criteria.

Change Order Procedure:

Governing Law; Entire Agreement

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of: without regard to conflict of laws principles. Exclusive venue for disputes arising hereunder shall be the state or federal courts located in that state.

Entire Agreement: This Agreement, including any appendices and executed change orders, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, and communications, whether written or oral.

Miscellaneous

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

Subcontracting: Service Provider may engage subcontractors to perform portions of the Services provided that Service Provider remains responsible for the performance of its obligations under this Agreement.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What a Managed Networks Agreement Is and Why It Matters

A Managed Networks Agreement is a written contract that defines the scope, delivery, support, security, and payment terms for outsourced network management services. Typical provisions cover service levels (uptime, response times), permitted maintenance windows, change management, equipment ownership, access rights, confidentiality, liability limits, and termination. The agreement allocates operational responsibilities between the service provider and the customer, establishes performance metrics and remedies for breaches, and documents the commercial terms that affect pricing, escalation, and renewal. Clear, well-drafted agreements reduce disputes and support measurable operational outcomes.

Why a Formal Managed Networks Agreement Is Important

A formal Managed Networks Agreement creates predictable service expectations, clarifies financial obligations, and preserves legal remedies for performance failures. It also documents security and access rules needed for compliance with laws such as ESIGN (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state electronic transaction statutes.

Who Typically Drafts, Signs, and Manages This Agreement

Roles may vary by company size and industry; legal review is recommended for customized indemnity, data handling, or regulatory clauses.

MSPs and vendors responsible for delivering network operations and after-hours support.
Enterprise IT and infrastructure teams managing vendor performance and change requests.
Procurement, legal, and finance professionals negotiating commercial and liability terms.

Who Signs and Approves the Agreement

MSP Chief Operating Officer

The MSP COO or authorized contracting officer typically executes the provider side, confirming operational commitments, staffing models, and SLA metrics. Their signature binds the MSP to the service delivery and liability limits described in the agreement.

Client IT Procurement Director

The client-side signatory is usually the IT procurement or contracting manager with delegated authority to accept costs, approve SLAs, and attach procurement-specific exhibits such as pricing schedules and security addenda.

Core Provisions to Include in a Professional Managed Networks Agreement

A comprehensive agreement uses clear, measurable terms so both parties know obligations and remedies. Include operational, legal, and commercial sections that are specific rather than generic.

Scope of Services

Define covered devices, locations, monitoring responsibilities, and excluded items to prevent scope creep and billing disputes.

Service Levels

Specify uptime targets, response and resolution times, measurement windows, credits, and how incidents are reported and validated.

Change Management

Describe planned maintenance windows, emergency changes, approval workflows, and rollback procedures to reduce operational risk.

Security and Access

State authentication, remote access methods, patching responsibilities, vulnerability reporting, and breach notification timelines.

Fees and Payment

List recurring fees, one‑time charges, invoicing cadence, late payment interest, and any variable pricing tied to usage.

Liability and Termination

Limitations of liability, indemnities, termination for convenience and cause, transition assistance, and post‑termination data handling.

Essential Security and Compliance References

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

Audit Trail: Immutable signing timestamps and logs

Regulatory Compliance: ESIGN, UETA, HIPAA (BAA when PHI present)

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II; ISO 27001

Access Controls: Role-based access and SSO/SAML

Record Retention: Tamper-evident storage and e-discovery readiness

Step-by-Step: Complete a Managed Networks Agreement

Follow these core steps to prepare, review, and finalize the agreement with minimal rework and clear accountability.

01

Prepare Template: Start with a standard template and insert customer-specific exhibits.
02

Populate Parties: Enter full legal names, addresses, and authorized signers.
03

Define SLAs: Insert measurable metrics and remedies with examples.
04

Review and Sign: Route for legal and financial approval, then obtain signatures.

How to Configure Digital Workflow Fields

Typical digital workflows place responsibility, authentication, and sequencing so signatures occur in the intended order.

Field	Configuration
Signer Order	Sequential or parallel as required
Authentication	Email link or SMS code; use stronger auth for sensitive agreements
Conditional Fields	Show additional fees or exhibits when selected
Notifications	Auto-reminders at preset intervals

Where to Send or File the Signed Agreement

Decide a canonical final recipient and storage location to ensure a single source of truth and compliance with retention policies.

Primary Recipient: Send executed copy to procurement and the MSP contract administrator.
Contract Repository: Store final PDF in corporate contract management system.
Operational Handoff: Deliver network diagrams and credentials to the operations team.
Finance Archive: Send invoice and payment schedule to accounts payable.

Distribution and eSubmission Options

Use integration links to centralize copies, preserve metadata, and support automated reminders and renewals.

Email Delivery: Secure email with signed PDF
Cloud Storage: Box, Google Drive, or NetSuite archive
Enterprise Integrations: Salesforce, Microsoft 365, NetSuite

Key Timelines and Notice Requirements

Track effective dates, SLA measurement windows, renewal notice periods, and invoicing schedules to avoid automatic renewals and billing disputes.

Effective Date & Commencement:

Services begin on the Effective Date or specified commencement date.

SLA Measurement Window:

Monthly or quarterly windows for uptime and response calculations.

Payment Terms:

Net 30 is common; specify late payment remedies.

Renewal Notice:

Provide written notice typically 30–90 days before expiry.

Termination for Cause:

Immediate for material breach after cure period defined in contract.

Common Preparation Errors to Avoid

Vague SLAs that lack measurement methods and credits
Missing or incomplete service location lists
Unclear escalation paths and emergency response obligations
Failure to attach exhibits that define equipment and pricing

Material Risks When the Agreement Is Incorrect or Incomplete

Service Interruption Liability: Potential compensatory damages

Data Breach Fines: Regulatory penalties and remediation costs

Contract Termination: Early termination fees and transition costs

Vendor Lock-In: Difficulty migrating services

Reputational Harm: Customer and partner distrust

Payment Disputes: Withheld invoices and collection actions

eSignature Pricing and Feature Comparison for Executing Managed Networks Agreements

Signatures and storage can be executed with many providers; the table compares starting price, trials, bulk-send support, audit trail availability, HIPAA support, and envelope caps with signNow listed first.

	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	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 cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

Real-World Examples of Managed Networks Agreement Use

These examples show how organizations adapt agreements to operational needs and integrations with enterprise systems.

Optica Ventures (Brian Fitzgibbons)

The team implemented a standardized agreement for multi-tenant networks to reduce negotiation time by centralizing exhibits.

Signed via digital workflows to maintain audit trails and speed.
The result was fewer disputes over responsibility boundaries and faster onboarding of new portfolio properties.

Xerox (Kodi-Marie Evans)

Xerox used an integration between contract management and its ERP to auto-populate pricing exhibits.

The integration enforced standard SLA language across deals.
This reduced manual entry errors, improved compliance with procurement terms, and simplified month-end reconciliation.

Practical Tips for Accurate and Efficient Agreement Completion

Adopt consistent templates, automate field population where possible, and require legal review for non-standard terms.

Define measurable SLA metrics up front

Use precise measurement windows, monitoring sources, and calculation formulas. Tie remedies to clear thresholds and use examples in an exhibit to avoid differing interpretations during disputes.

Attach technical exhibits

Include network diagrams, inventory lists, and access procedures as exhibits so responsibilities for specific devices and locations are unambiguous and can be updated separately.

Standardize signature authority

Maintain a signed delegation of authority matrix showing who can sign contracts to the dollar threshold. Validate signatory names against corporate formation records before final execution.

Document transition obligations

Include a migration plan and data transfer responsibilities in the termination section to ensure continuity and avoid operational gaps when changing providers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Executing a Managed Networks Agreement

Answers address common execution, compliance, and signing questions to reduce delays during contract finalization.

Need help? Contact support

Can the agreement be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states; ensure the signer demonstrates intent, consents to electronic records, attribution is captured, and the record is retained.
When is notarization required?
Notarization is rarely required for pure service contracts but may be necessary for related real property exhibits or powers of attorney; verify state notary rules before execution.
How to handle PHI in a network agreement?
If protected health information is present, include a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement and specify encryption, breach notification, and retention controls consistent with 45 CFR §164.530(j).
Who provides the audit logs and evidence for SLA breaches?
The agreement should identify monitoring tools, acceptable data sources for validating incidents, and a joint review process to reconcile disputed events within a defined timeframe.
What if a signer lacks authority after signature?
Contracts usually become voidable if signed without proper authority; include a warranty of authority clause and require evidence of delegated signing authority to mitigate this risk.
How to revoke or amend the agreement?
Include amendment procedures requiring written agreement of both parties; revocation or termination should follow the contract's termination for convenience or cause provisions and include transition obligations.

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