Scope of Services
Clear description of deliverables, exclusions, acceptance criteria, and any attachments or statements of work that define what the provider will and will not perform.
A combined MSA and SLA clarifies roles, reduces negotiation friction on routine projects, and ties remedies to objective metrics. Using a single master agreement with an attached SLA reduces contract proliferation and makes renewals, audits, and change orders easier to manage while preserving enforceability under ESIGN/UETA.
Several organizational functions participate in drafting, approving, and signing MSAs and SLAs depending on contract value and risk profile.
Smaller vendors often combine these roles; larger enterprises use role-based approval workflows to ensure both operational and legal risk are addressed before signature.
An officer or employee with express corporate authority should sign on behalf of an entity. The signing person must be able to bind the entity contractually; attach a resolution or delegation of authority if internal records require it.
Legal counsel often provides final sign-off for liability caps, indemnities, and IP clauses. Where required, counsel should confirm delegation, review governing law, and advise on notarization or witness requirements for specific jurisdictions.
Clear description of deliverables, exclusions, acceptance criteria, and any attachments or statements of work that define what the provider will and will not perform.
Specific metrics (availability, response, resolution times) with measurement windows, monitoring methods, and data sources for determining compliance.
Defined financial credits, service extensions, or termination rights triggered by SLA breaches, including calculation method and claim procedure.
Pricing model, invoicing cadence, payment terms, late payment interest, and any pass-through costs or cost-recovery mechanisms.
Limits of liability, exclusions (consequential damages), and mutual indemnities with carve-outs for gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Data handling, encryption expectations, breach notification timelines, and requirements for regulatory compliance such as HIPAA or PCI where applicable.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signer Order | Sequential or parallel as required by approvers |
| Authentication | Email link, SMS code, or advanced verification |
| Audit Trail | Enable full event logging and downloadable certificate |
| Retention | Set automated export to secure storage |
Choose a platform that supports required authentication, audit trails, and the output formats your legal and IT teams need.
Confirm the vendor can supply compliance documentation (SOC 2, ISO 27001) and a reliable audit trail for each signed agreement and amendment.
Date when duties, payments, and SLAs commence.
Required notice, typically 30–90 days prior to renewal.
Timeframe for acknowledging incidents, e.g., within 1 hour.
Claim submission window, commonly 30 days after breach.
Payment terms such as Net 30 from invoice date.
Final terms agreed and redlines accepted.
All authorized parties have signed the MSA and SLA.
Service provider implements monitoring and reporting systems.
Performance and credits reviewed against KPIs.
| 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Envelope Cap | No envelope cap | 100 envelopes/user/year | Varies | Varies | Varies |