Can the Baseline ESA be e-signed?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted. Exceptions such as wills or certain court filings may not be eligible; confirm with counsel for transaction-specific limits and state requirements.

What authentication is recommended for signers?

Use authentication proportional to risk. Email link or SMS codes are common for low-risk approvals; use two-factor authentication, knowledge-based verification, or SSO for high-value contracts or PHI. Stronger methods improve attribution and evidentiary weight in disputes.

Are notarization or witnesses required?

Notarization and witness requirements depend on state law and document type. Many states require notary acknowledgements for deeds and some powers of attorney; witness counts vary. Verify jurisdictional rules and consider remote online notarization where authorized.

How long must I keep the signed Baseline ESA?

Retention varies by purpose. Maintain operational records for the contract term plus at least three years; retain tax-related or financial records per IRC §6501(a); retain HIPAA-covered records six years per 45 CFR §164.530(j). Consult counsel for state-specific rules.

Can I rely on electronic storage for discovery?

Yes, if records are stored in an auditable, reproducible format with tamper evidence and retention controls. Ensure exportable signed PDFs, preserved audit trails, and defensible chain-of-custody for e-discovery and regulatory inspections.

How does signNow support compliance?

signNow provides audit trails, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications, AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit, and HIPAA support via a BAA. These controls assist in meeting ESIGN, UETA, and regulatory expectations.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Project Management
Project Management Baseline ESA

Project Management Baseline ESA

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

PROJECT MANAGEMENT BASELINE ESA

Project Identification

Project Title Project ID Client Name Client Address Service Provider Provider Address Project Manager (Client) Project Manager (Provider)

Contract Type: Fixed Price Time & Materials Cost Reimbursable

Scope of Work

Summary: The Service Provider will perform the services described below to achieve the project objectives for the Client in accordance with the acceptance criteria and schedule set forth in this Baseline ESA. Major responsibilities include project planning, execution, monitoring, reporting, and formal acceptance testing.

Detailed Scope of Work Out-of-Scope Items

Deliverables and Acceptance

Each deliverable must be accompanied by objective acceptance criteria. Acceptance testing will be executed by the Client; acceptance is formalized in writing and constitutes sign-off on the associated milestone invoice.

Deliverable 1 - Title Deliverable 1 - Description Deliverable 1 - Acceptance Criteria Target Delivery Date Deliverable 2 - Title Deliverable 2 - Description Deliverable 2 - Acceptance Criteria Target Delivery Date

Timeline & Milestones

Project Baseline Start Date: Baseline End Date:

Milestone 1 Milestone 2

Budget & Payment

Total Contract Value Payment Schedule Change Order Process

Invoices submitted in accordance with the Payment Schedule are due within days of receipt unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Confidentiality

Each party acknowledges that in performing this Agreement it may receive Confidential Information. Confidential Information shall include technical, financial, and business information disclosed in tangible or intangible form. The receiving party shall protect Confidential Information with at least the same degree of care it uses to protect its own confidential information and shall not use or disclose Confidential Information except as necessary to perform obligations under this Baseline ESA. This obligation survives termination for a period of three years from disclosure.

Special Confidentiality Requirements (if any)

Legal Terms

Governing Law: This Baseline ESA is governed by the laws of the jurisdiction of the Client, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising hereunder shall first be submitted to escalation between senior representatives of the parties and, if unresolved, resolved by the courts of competent jurisdiction in the Client's jurisdiction.

Limitation of Liability: Except for willful misconduct or gross negligence, neither party's liability for direct damages arising from this Agreement shall exceed the total amounts paid to the Service Provider under this Baseline ESA. In no event shall either party be liable for indirect, special, consequential, or punitive damages.

Indemnification: The Service Provider shall indemnify and hold harmless the Client from claims arising from the Service Provider's negligent performance, breach of confidentiality, or infringement of third-party intellectual property rights attributable to goods or services provided under this Baseline ESA.

Intellectual Property: Work product specifically developed for the Client under this Baseline ESA shall be owned by the Client upon full payment, except for pre-existing materials and Provider tools, which remain Provider's sole property. Provider grants Client a perpetual, non-exclusive license to Provider's pre-existing materials embedded in deliverables to the extent necessary to use the deliverables.

Termination: Either party may terminate for material breach if the breaching party fails to cure within 30 days after written notice. Upon termination, Client will pay for all work performed through the effective date of termination and any non-cancellable commitments properly incurred by the Provider.

Acceptance & Baseline Certification

By signing below, the parties acknowledge that this document constitutes the agreed project baseline. Changes to scope, schedule, or budget shall be governed by the Change Order Process set forth herein and require written approval from authorized representatives of both parties prior to implementation.

Notices

Notices to Client:

Notices to Provider:

Client Name:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Project Management Baseline ESA Is

Project Management Baseline ESA is a standardized project-management baseline agreement that documents scope, deliverables, acceptance criteria, schedule baselines, roles, responsibilities, and change-control procedures for professional services and capital projects. The Baseline ESA functions as the authoritative reference for project execution, establishing the initial budget, risk allocations, governance checkpoints, and reporting cadence. It is intended for use at project initiation or at the transition from planning to execution, and it supports auditability and traceability of subsequent change requests. When used with electronic signatures and secure storage, the Baseline ESA helps preserve evidentiary integrity across the project lifecycle.

Why a Baseline ESA Matters for Project Delivery

A Project Management Baseline ESA clarifies responsibilities, reduces scope creep, documents approved baselines, and creates an auditable record for governance and dispute resolution. It centralizes decision authority and provides a clear reference for change control throughout project delivery.

Typical Users and Teams Responsible for the Baseline ESA

Project managers, sponsors, contracting officers, and PMO staff use the Project Management Baseline ESA for baseline control.

Project managers document scope, schedule, and acceptance criteria for execution.
PMOs and governance teams establish baselines and approve change-control procedures.
Contracting officers and legal counsel verify obligations, signatures, and enforceability.

Use the Baseline ESA to reduce ambiguity, support internal and external audits, and expedite formal approvals across stakeholders.

Essential Sections to Include in a Professional Baseline ESA

A professional Project Management Baseline ESA typically includes scope statement, work breakdown structure, schedule baseline, cost baseline, acceptance criteria, and change-control clauses.

Scope Statement

Define deliverables, inclusions, exclusions, boundaries, and measurable success criteria. Use precise language to avoid later disagreements about what work is in scope and what requires a change request.

Work Breakdown

Organize project deliverables into hierarchical tasks with clear owners, estimated durations, dependencies, acceptance points, and associated resource assignments so progress can be measured against the baseline.

Schedule Baseline

Record the approved timeline including milestones, float allowances, critical path, reporting intervals, and escalation paths; changes require formal variance documentation and approval per governance rules.

Cost Baseline

Specify approved budget elements, contingency reserves, payment schedules, and cost-reporting requirements, including periodic forecasting; link expenditures to WBS and ensure traceability for audits and earned value analysis.

Acceptance Criteria

Define measurable quality standards, test protocols, acceptance signoffs, and deliverable handover conditions so that completed work can be objectively verified before payment or closure, and include any warranty obligations.

Change Control

Establish submission, impact assessment, approval authority, and documentation standards for baseline revisions; require signature, date, and version history to preserve auditability and retention compliance requirements.

Step-by-Step: Finalize and Baseline the Agreement

Follow this sequential checklist to complete, approve, and baseline the Project Management Baseline ESA before project execution.

01

Prepare Draft: Compile scope, schedule, resources, and risk register.
02

Review Stakeholders: Circulate draft for technical and contractual review.
03

Approve Baseline: Obtain formal signoffs and record approved version.
04

Register Baseline: Store signed baseline, update registry, notify project team.

How Electronic Completion and Routing Typically Works

Typical electronic completion workflow streamlines editing, approvals, signing, and archival with traceability at each stage.

Upload Document: Add the Baseline ESA PDF or DOCX to the signing platform.
Place Fields: Insert signature, date, and initial fields for each signer.
Authenticate Signer: Choose email, SMS code, or stronger authentication as required.
Archive Record: Save final PDF with audit trail and version metadata.

Platform Capabilities to Support Signing and Storage

Ensure the platform supports secure e-signatures, audit trails, and appropriate authentication for signer verification.

File Formats: PDF and DOCX accepted.
Integrations: Connects with PM and storage systems.
Security: AES-256 at rest, TLS in transit.

Basic Online Workflow Settings for a Baseline ESA

Configure an online workflow to route drafts, collect approvals, enforce fields, and capture audit data before final signature.

Field	Configuration and recommended settings for Baseline ESA workflows
Signer Order	Sequential routing by role or parallel as needed
Authentication	Email link, SMS code, or SSO per policy
Required Fields	Make signatures, dates, and baseline ID mandatory
Retention Settings	Auto-archive PDF with audit trail and version tag

eSignature Vendor Snapshot for Baseline ESA Execution

Cost and capability snapshot for common eSignature providers relevant to completing and executing the Project Management Baseline ESA.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Key Risks and Potential Consequences

Signature Invalid: May impair enforceability under 15 U.S.C. §7001

Missing Notarization: State rejection or contract dispute risk

Unauthorized Signer: Possible breach of corporate authority rules

PHI Exposure: HIPAA penalties possible — 45 CFR §164.502

Incorrect Dates: May alter statute of limitations calculations

Intentional Fraud: Civil and criminal liability may follow

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing a Baseline ESA

Leaving scope language vague, such as 'as needed' or 'reasonable efforts,' which makes objective acceptance difficult and increases disputes over whether work is included.
Failing to capture the approved baseline version and identifier leads to multiple conflicting versions and undermines change-control records during audits.
Collecting signatures without validating signer authority or identity increases the risk of contract non-enforceability and may require re-execution under verified authority.
Not aligning payment schedules, milestones, and acceptance criteria causes payment disputes and complicates earned value or progress-based invoicing reconciliation.

Operational Features That Improve Baseline Management

These operational features support consistent execution, version control, and compliance for the Baseline ESA across teams, vendors, and regulatory reviews.

Version Control

Maintain numbered versions with change logs and approval stamps. Ensure signed baselines are immutable and prior drafts remain accessible for audit and dispute resolution requests.

Audit Trail

Capture timestamps, IP addresses, signer emails, and field-level actions. Preserve a non-editable certificate of completion alongside the signed PDF for compliance evidence and retention metadata.

Access Controls

Use role-based permissions, least-privilege access, and SSO where possible. Restrict editing to authorized roles and log administrative changes for security reviews and periodic access audits.

Template Library

Store validated baseline templates with prepopulated fields, lock required sections, and document optional fields to reduce input errors and accelerate approvals and compliance checks automatically.

Practical Examples of Baseline ESA Use

Organizations use the Baseline ESA to reduce rework, speed approvals, and create an auditable record across projects and vendors.

Martin Properties

Martin Properties needed a way to execute leasing and project agreements remotely without delaying closings or site work.

They adopted an e-sign workflow for on‑site execution.
Tim Martin said the platform enabled online processing and execution with compliance and security, supporting mobile and offline signing; this reduced turnaround and kept transactions moving without in-person meetings or travel.

Xerox

Xerox required flexible signing workflows integrated with NetSuite to route operational approvals and capture signatures across distributed teams.

They integrated signatures into their ERP-driven processes.
Kodi-Marie Evans reported that integrated signing provided the flexibility to obtain appropriate signatures in correct formats; tighter integration with NetSuite reduced manual handoffs and simplified record linkage for compliance and reporting needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Baseline ESA

Common questions about completing, signing, and managing the Project Management Baseline ESA are addressed below.

Need help? Contact support

Can the Baseline ESA be e-signed?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted. Exceptions such as wills or certain court filings may not be eligible; confirm with counsel for transaction-specific limits and state requirements.
What authentication is recommended for signers?
Use authentication proportional to risk. Email link or SMS codes are common for low-risk approvals; use two-factor authentication, knowledge-based verification, or SSO for high-value contracts or PHI. Stronger methods improve attribution and evidentiary weight in disputes.
Are notarization or witnesses required?
Notarization and witness requirements depend on state law and document type. Many states require notary acknowledgements for deeds and some powers of attorney; witness counts vary. Verify jurisdictional rules and consider remote online notarization where authorized.
How long must I keep the signed Baseline ESA?
Retention varies by purpose. Maintain operational records for the contract term plus at least three years; retain tax-related or financial records per IRC §6501(a); retain HIPAA-covered records six years per 45 CFR §164.530(j). Consult counsel for state-specific rules.
Can I rely on electronic storage for discovery?
Yes, if records are stored in an auditable, reproducible format with tamper evidence and retention controls. Ensure exportable signed PDFs, preserved audit trails, and defensible chain-of-custody for e-discovery and regulatory inspections.
How does signNow support compliance?
signNow provides audit trails, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications, AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit, and HIPAA support via a BAA. These controls assist in meeting ESIGN, UETA, and regulatory expectations.

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