Establishing secure connection…Loading editor…Preparing document…

Partner Program Agreement

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

PARTNER PROGRAM AGREEMENT

This Partner Program Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into effective as of (the "Effective Date"), by and between:

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Company develops and markets products and services that may be resold, referred, or integrated by third parties; and

WHEREAS, Partner desires to participate in Company's partner program to promote, market, resell or otherwise refer Company's products and services under the terms set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, the parties wish to set forth their respective rights and obligations with respect to the Partner Program.

PARTNER TYPE

The Partner will participate as (select one or more):

SCOPE OF WORK

Partner obligations and permitted activities under this Agreement shall include lead generation, pre-sales support, resale, product integration, training, and other promotional activities as agreed in writing. Specific responsibilities, deliverables, and acceptance criteria are set forth below.

PAYMENT TERMS

Compensation to Partner will be as follows. Commission and fee calculations are inclusive of taxes only as required by law; each party is responsible for its own taxes unless otherwise agreed in writing.

All commissions are earned only upon receipt of cleared funds by Company from the end customer and are payable only for amounts actually received by Company. Commissions will not be paid on refunded, charged-back, or unpaid transactions.

TERM AND TERMINATION

The term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall continue until unless earlier terminated as provided below.

Either party may terminate this Agreement for convenience upon days' prior written notice to the other party.

Either party may terminate immediately upon written notice if the other party materially breaches this Agreement and fails to cure such breach within thirty (30) days of receipt of written notice. Termination will not relieve either party of obligations accrued prior to the effective date of termination, including payment obligations.

CONFIDENTIALITY

"Confidential Information" means non-public information disclosed by one party to the other that is designated as confidential or that reasonably should be understood to be confidential given the nature of the information. Each receiving party shall (i) protect Confidential Information of the disclosing party with the same degree of care it uses to protect its own confidential information, but in no event less than reasonable care; (ii) use Confidential Information only to perform its obligations or exercise its rights under this Agreement; and (iii) not disclose Confidential Information to any third party except as permitted herein.

Confidentiality obligations shall survive termination or expiration of this Agreement for a period of three (3) years, except that trade secrets shall remain protected for as long as they qualify as trade secrets under applicable law.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY; LICENSES

Company retains all right, title and interest in its trademarks, service marks, trade names, software, documentation and other intellectual property. Company grants Partner a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use Company's trademarks and marketing materials solely to perform Partner's obligations under this Agreement and in accordance with Company's brand guidelines provided to Partner. Partner shall not acquire any ownership interest in Company intellectual property by reason of this Agreement.

INDEMNIFICATION; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Each party shall indemnify and hold harmless the other party from and against third-party claims arising from the indemnifying party's gross negligence, willful misconduct, or breach of this Agreement. EXCEPT FOR LIABILITY ARISING FROM A PARTY'S GROSS NEGLIGENCE, WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, OR BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY OR INDEMNIFICATION, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, AND EACH PARTY'S AGGREGATE LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNTS PAID OR PAYABLE TO PARTNER UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IN THE SIX (6) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.

GOVERNING LAW; DISPUTE RESOLUTION

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to its conflict of laws principles. The parties will attempt in good faith to resolve disputes by negotiation. If unresolved, disputes shall be resolved by binding arbitration in the agreed forum unless otherwise required by law.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENT

This Agreement, including all exhibits and written attachments 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, proposals, and communications, whether oral or written. No modification, amendment, or waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless in a writing signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

MISCELLANEOUS

Assignment: Neither party may assign this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, except that either party may assign this Agreement in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of substantially all of its assets. Relationship of Parties: The parties are independent contractors and nothing in this Agreement creates a partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship. Notices: All notices must be in writing and delivered in accordance with the contact information on file or as otherwise provided in writing.

ADDITIONAL TERMS

Company Name:

By:

Date:

Partner Name:

By:

Date:

Enter text✕

What a Partner Program Agreement Covers

A Partner Program Agreement is a written contract that defines the commercial relationship between a vendor and its channel partners, resellers, or referral partners. It typically specifies roles and responsibilities, compensation and commission structures, territory and customer ownership, performance metrics, reporting obligations, term and renewal mechanics, confidentiality provisions, intellectual property rights, noncompetition or exclusivity clauses, and termination conditions. The agreement also sets compliance expectations for data handling, privacy, and regulatory controls when partners access or process customer information.

Why this Agreement Matters for Your Program

A clear Partner Program Agreement aligns expectations, reduces disputes, and protects commercial and intellectual property interests. It also documents consent for electronic execution under ESIGN (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA laws when applicable, supporting enforceability and auditability.

Why this Agreement Matters for Your Program

Who Typically Uses a Partner Program Agreement

Clear assignment of signatory authority and compliance obligations streamlines onboarding and reduces later contractual disputes.

  • Vendors and manufacturers establishing reseller or referral programs with commission schedules and territory assignments.
  • Channel partners and VARs who require clear pricing, support obligations, and marketing development funds.
  • Service integrators and ISVs that need IP, indemnity, and data processing terms defined for joint customers.

Core Sections to Include in a Professional Agreement

A complete Partner Program Agreement organizes terms into modular clauses so parties can quickly find obligations, payment mechanics, and rights reserved by the vendor.

Parties

Full legal names and entity types for each party, including dba names where applicable, and primary corporate addresses for service and notices.

Term

Start and end dates, auto-renewal rules, notice windows for nonrenewal, and early termination rights with associated cure periods.

Territory

Geographic or vertical limits on sales activity, customer ownership rules, carve-outs for existing accounts, and lead allocation procedures.

Compensation

Commission rates, payment schedule, reversal and clawback rules, conditions for bonuses or MDF, and reporting cadence for sales credits.

Performance

Minimum sales targets, certification or training requirements, and remediation steps or tier changes for underperformance.

Confidentiality & IP

Non disclosure obligations, permitted uses of marks and materials, ownership of jointly created IP, and data protection obligations.

How to Complete a Partner Program Agreement

Follow these sequential steps to prepare, review, and execute the agreement with minimal delays.

  • 01
    Gather documents: Collect partner legal name, W-9 or IRS documentation.
  • 02
    Draft terms: Populate core clauses, compensation, and territory language.
  • 03
    Legal review: Have counsel check indemnities and regulatory clauses.
  • 04
    Sign and distribute: Execute by authorized signatories and circulate executed copy.

Typical eSigning and Distribution Workflow

Electronic execution streamlines routing and creates an auditable completion record; follow these basic steps when eSigning the agreement.

  • Upload document: Place the final PDF or DOCX in the signing platform.
  • Add fields: Insert signature, date, and initial fields for each signer.
  • Invite signers: Send secure links or email invites with authentication.
  • Archive record: Store signed PDF and audit trail for retention.

Digital Workflow Settings to Configure

Configure signature authentication, reminders, and retention before sending to reduce friction and ensure compliance.

Field Configuration
Authentication Email link, SMS code, or KBA
Reminders Auto-reminders at 3 and 7 days
Bulk Send Enable for batch partner onboarding
Audit Trail Capture IP, timestamp, and actions

Digital Signing and File Format Requirements

Confirm chosen provider can produce a verifiable audit trail and export signed records in PDF/A for long-term storage.

  • Formats: PDF, DOCX, and HTML supported
  • Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365
  • Authentication: Email, SMS, or advanced options

Security and Compliance Checklist

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest
Certifications: SOC 2 Type II; ISO 27001
HIPAA: BAA available for covered entities
Audit Trail: Timestamped events and IP addresses
Access Controls: Role-based permissions and SSO
Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance

Penalties and Common Legal Risks

Tax Withholding: Backup withholding 24%
Incorrect Payments: Clawbacks and repayment obligations
Unauthorized Signatory: Contract may be voidable
Breach of IP: Injunctions and damages
Data Breach: Regulatory fines and notification costs
I-9 Noncompliance: Civil penalties per DHS rules

Frequent Preparation Errors to Avoid

  • Leaving compensation formulas ambiguous, which leads to disputes over payable commissions and audit difficulties.
  • Omitting the effective date or using different dates across signature blocks, creating uncertainty about when obligations start.
  • Not verifying authorized signatory authority, which can result in unenforceable agreements or the need to re-execute.
  • Failing to attach required exhibits such as price schedules, SOPs, or privacy addenda that the contract references.

Real-World Examples of Partner Agreements in Use

These sample scenarios show how organizations apply partner agreements to manage relationships and reduce execution friction.

Optica Ventures

Optica needed a streamlined contract for high-volume referrals.

  • The team standardized commission tables and automated execution.
  • Brian Fitzgibbons, COO, noted that a simpler agreement improved customer ease and internal processing while maintaining compliant signature records.

Tech Data

Tech Data required enterprise-grade controls and integrations.

  • They used template-based agreements with advanced audit trails.
  • Bob Dutkowsky, CEO, stated the approach improved internal and external service while supporting faster revenue recognition and easier audits.

eSignature Pricing and Feature Comparison

Compare base pricing and core features across common eSignature providers when selecting a platform to execute Partner Program Agreements.

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 Yes, 7-day free trial Yes Yes Yes Yes
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

Frequently Asked Questions About Partner Program Agreements

Answers to common questions about execution, enforceability, and practical administration of partner agreements.


Need help? Contact support

be ready to get more
Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users