Can this be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures meet enforceability tests when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are present under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states.

Most design service agreements do not require notarization. Use a notary when contract clauses or local practice call for acknowledgement or where recorded documents are involved.

Who must sign for a corporation?

An authorized officer or representative with corporate signing authority should sign. Obtain a corporate resolution or signature authority documentation if the counterparty requests proof.

Can I use Remote Online Notarization?

RON is permitted in most states; verify the state's RON rules and identity proofing requirements before using remote notarization for documents that require notarization.

How do I handle change orders?

Require change orders in writing, include pricing and schedule impacts, and obtain signed authorization prior to commencing additional work to avoid payment disputes.

How long must records be kept?

Retain executed agreements and supporting records for the active term plus a post-termination period (commonly 3–7 years); HIPAA, IRS, or SEC rules may mandate longer retention.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Project Management
Project Management Design Services Agreement

Project Management Design Services Agreement

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

PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN SERVICES AGREEMENT

This Project Management Design Services Agreement (the "Agreement") is entered into as of Effective Date: by and between Client Name: ("Client") and Service Provider Name: ("Service Provider"). Project ID:

Contact and Project Identification

Client Primary Address Service Provider Primary Address Project Manager (Service Provider)

Scope of Work

The Service Provider will perform project management and design services as described below. Services include coordination of design disciplines, schedule management, risk mitigation, stakeholder reporting, and delivery of the specified design deliverables. The scope is limited to the tasks expressly set forth in the "Scope Description" field below.

Scope Description Out of Scope Items

Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria

List principal deliverables below. Each deliverable will be accepted by the Client only after written confirmation that the acceptance criteria are satisfied.

Deliverable 1 — Description Deliverable 1 — Acceptance Criteria

Due Date:

Deliverable 2 — Description Deliverable 2 — Acceptance Criteria

Due Date:

Deliverable 3 — Description Deliverable 3 — Acceptance Criteria

Due Date:

Timeline and Milestones

Project Start Date: Project End Date:

Milestone 1 — Description

Milestone 1 Date:

Milestone 2 — Description

Milestone 2 Date:

Milestone 3 — Description

Milestone 3 Date:

Budget and Payment

Total Contract Price:

Payment Schedule (describe amounts, milestones and due dates) Payment Terms

Change Order Process: All modifications to scope, schedule or price shall be effected only by written change order signed by authorized representatives of both parties. Change orders shall describe the change, impact on schedule, and cost adjustment.

Change Order Contact (Service Provider) Approval Threshold (amount above which formal change order required)

Written approval required for all change orders

Confidentiality

Each party shall keep confidential all proprietary information disclosed in connection with this Agreement. Confidential information excludes information that is or becomes public through no breach, is independently developed, or is required to be disclosed by law subject to prior notice. On termination, each receiving party shall return or certify destruction of confidential materials.

Confidentiality Duration (years)

Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, Service Provider grants Client a non-exclusive, perpetual license to use the final deliverables for the Project. Pre-existing tools, templates and methodologies provided by Service Provider remain the exclusive property of Service Provider.

Ownership Preference: Client owns final deliverables Provider grants license to Client

Liability; Insurance; Indemnity

Each party shall be responsible for its negligent acts or omissions. Except for willful misconduct or gross negligence, Service Provider's aggregate liability for direct damages under this Agreement shall not exceed the total contract price.

Liability Cap (amount) Insurance Requirements (coverage and limits) Required Insurance Limit

Termination

Either party may terminate this Agreement for material breach if the breaching party fails to cure within the notice period below. Termination shall not relieve Client of its obligation to pay for services performed and accepted prior to termination.

Cure/Notice Period (days)

Dispute Resolution; Governing Law

The parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve disputes through negotiation. If unresolved, disputes shall be submitted to arbitration in the location specified below, and the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the state identified below without regard to conflict of law principles.

Arbitration Location (City, State) Governing Law State

Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from causes beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, labor disputes, governmental actions, or other events of force majeure. The impacted party shall provide prompt notice and take reasonable steps to mitigate the effect.

General Provisions

Entire Agreement: This Agreement, including any executed change orders, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes prior proposals and communications. Amendments must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives. Severability: If any provision is held unenforceable, remaining provisions remain in force.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What this agreement covers and when it's used

A Project Management Design Services Agreement is a contract between a client and a designer or project manager that defines scope, responsibilities, deliverables, schedule, payment terms, change control, and intellectual property for design-related work. It governs coordination between stakeholders, design review cycles, milestone approvals, and acceptance criteria for deliverables such as drawings, specifications, and construction administration. The agreement reduces ambiguity, allocates risk, and forms the baseline for dispute resolution, insurance coverage, and payment remedies during the design and pre-construction phases of a project.

Why a clear agreement matters for design projects

A well-drafted Project Management Design Services Agreement clarifies roles, limits exposure to scope creep, establishes payment and approval triggers, and provides a defensible record for claims or disputes. It helps preserve project schedule and budget by aligning expectations up front and defining procedures for change orders and liability allocation.

Who typically prepares and signs this agreement

Typical parties include owners, design firms, project managers, general contractors, and specialty consultants; each party has specific responsibilities and signing authority to formalize engagement.

Owner representatives and procurement teams who need to control scope, milestones, and payment terms with external design providers.
Design firm principals and project managers who must establish deliverables, review cycles, and liability limits before starting work.
General contractors and specialty consultants who rely on clear interfaces and schedule coordination to avoid downstream claims.

Ensure the person signing has legal authority to bind the organization and that signatory names match corporate records to avoid enforceability issues.

Representative signers and their responsibilities

Project Manager

A Project Manager signs to confirm operational control of scope and schedule, accepts milestone responsibilities, and oversees deliverable review. Their signature indicates agreement to coordinate resources, approve progress-linked payments, and manage day-to-day change requests on behalf of the firm or owner.

Design Principal

A Design Principal signs to accept professional obligations, represent the design firm for intellectual property assignments, warranty disclaimers, and indemnity clauses. Their signature confirms the firm will deliver specified documents, comply with applicable codes, and maintain required professional liability insurance limits.

Essential clauses to include in the agreement

A professional agreement groups key contractual elements so responsibilities and remedies are explicit. Include clauses that address deliverables, schedule, fees, changes, risk allocation, and termination procedures.

Scope of Work

Detail specific services, phases, and exclusions. Clear boundaries prevent scope creep and form the basis for change orders and fee adjustments if additional work is requested.

Deliverables

List all deliverables, formats, and acceptance criteria including number of revisions, electronic file types, and handover documentation to avoid disputes at completion.

Schedule & Milestones

Define milestone dates, review periods, and approval deadlines. Tie payments to milestones to align incentives and provide remedies for missed dates.

Fees & Payment

Specify fee structure (lump sum, time-and-materials, or phased), invoicing cadence, retainers, and late payment interest. Include reimbursable expense rules.

Change Orders

Describe process for proposing, pricing, approving, and documenting changes. Require written authorization before additional work begins to preserve claims rights.

IP & Licensing

Allocate ownership or license rights for drawings and models, including permitted reuse, derivative works, and post-completion document possession.

Step-by-step: completing and executing the agreement

Follow these sequential actions to prepare, approve, and sign the agreement reliably.

01

Draft: Prepare scope, schedule, fees, and exhibits in a single document for review.
02

Review: Internal legal and operational review for risk, insurance, and compliance.
03

Authorize: Obtain signatory signatures and any required corporate approvals or resolutions.
04

Execute: Sign, date, and distribute fully executed copies to all parties and retain originals.

Configuring an online signing workflow for this agreement

Set up the digital workflow so roles, order of signing, and authentication strength match project risk levels.

Field	Configuration
Signer Order	Sequential or parallel depending on approvals
Authentication	Use email + SMS or stronger methods for high-risk files
Required Fields	Signature, date, initials, and deliverable acceptance checkboxes
Audit Trail	Enable IP, timestamp, and action logging for each signer

Where to send and how signatures flow

Outline the routing so every stakeholder gets the correct role and copy of the signed agreement.

Upload: Upload final draft to your eSignature platform or document repository
Assign Roles: Assign signing order: client, design lead, project manager, legal
Authenticate: Choose verification level: email, SMS code, or KBA when needed
Distribute: Send completed execution copies to all signers and file in records

Technical considerations for digital signing and storage

Choose a platform that supports required authentication, audit trails, and the file formats you use for design deliverables.

File Formats: PDF, DOCX, and DWG support
Integrations: Connectors for CRM, ERP, and cloud storage
Security: TLS and AES encryption

Confirm the platform supports long-term export of signed PDFs and secure archival; ensure access controls and role-based permissions are configured for project teams.

Required data elements and security posture

Signer Identity: Full name and title

Entity Details: Legal business name and address

Effective Dates: Start and end dates

Payment Info: Fee schedule and billing terms

Security Standard: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data Encryption: AES-256 at rest

Common errors to avoid when preparing the agreement

Vague scope descriptions that leave key tasks undefined and invite scope disputes or unpaid extra work.
Missing or inconsistent signer names and titles that delay enforcement or raise authentication questions during a claim.
No change-order process, which lets small requests accumulate into large uncompensated work and schedule impact.
Failure to tie payments to clear milestones, leading to disagreements over acceptance and invoicing timing.

Contractual and regulatory risks if the agreement is incorrect

Payment Disputes: Late or withheld payments; potential for mechanic's lien claims

Scope Claims: Uncompensated change orders and delay claims

Insurance Gaps: Coverage denials for noncompliant contract language

Enforceability: Invalid signatures or mismatched parties may affect enforceability

Regulatory Risk: HIPAA or privacy violations when health data is involved

Retention Violations: Failing to retain records per regulators

Contract examples from common project scenarios

Two illustrative scenarios show how clauses are applied in practice and what to document to reduce disputes.

Architect-Led Renovation

An owner hires an architect for phased design work, with milestone-based payments and two revision rounds allowed

Change orders require written approval and separate pricing
The contract included deliverable exhibits, acceptance criteria, and a 30-day warranty on design deliverables, reducing later claims about omitted scope.

Construction Management

A construction manager provides design coordination and submittal review services under time-and-materials billing

Weekly progress reports and approval gates were required
Reimbursement of consultant fees and an explicit schedule for shop drawing reviews prevented payment disputes and schedule delays.

E-signature vendor pricing and capability snapshot

Compare basic pricing and key capabilities relevant to signing Project Management Design Services Agreements. signNow is listed first per vendor comparison rules.

	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
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Typical project milestones and timing expectations

Map schedule milestones and payment triggers so parties understand deliverable timing and acceptance windows.

Effective Date:

Agreement start date; establishes payment and milestone baselines

Design Phase:

Typical 30–90 day period per phase depending on complexity

Review Periods:

Client review windows often 7–14 days per submission

Final Deliverables:

Handover schedule and acceptance testing dates

Payment Terms:

Invoicing tied to milestones with stated due dates

Frequently asked questions about execution and enforceability

Answers to common questions about electronic execution, notarization, signature authority, and record retention for this agreement.

Need help? Contact support

Can this be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures meet enforceability tests when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are present under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states.
Do I need a notary?
Most design service agreements do not require notarization. Use a notary when contract clauses or local practice call for acknowledgement or where recorded documents are involved.
Who must sign for a corporation?
An authorized officer or representative with corporate signing authority should sign. Obtain a corporate resolution or signature authority documentation if the counterparty requests proof.
Can I use Remote Online Notarization?
RON is permitted in most states; verify the state's RON rules and identity proofing requirements before using remote notarization for documents that require notarization.
How do I handle change orders?
Require change orders in writing, include pricing and schedule impacts, and obtain signed authorization prior to commencing additional work to avoid payment disputes.
How long must records be kept?
Retain executed agreements and supporting records for the active term plus a post-termination period (commonly 3–7 years); HIPAA, IRS, or SEC rules may mandate longer retention.

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