Can this agreement be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96, 2000) and by state UETA statutes in most jurisdictions, provided the four ESIGN elements (intent, consent, attribution, retention) are satisfied.

Do we need notarization or witnesses?

Most commercial PM working agreements do not require notarization or witnesses. If a state-specific law or contract clause requires notarization, use in-person or remote notarization consistent with state rules.

How should we update the agreement after signing?

Execute written amendments signed by authorized parties. Use the change-control section to record revisions; keep version history and ensure each amendment is signed and dated.

What happens if a signer disputes their signature?

Preserve audit trails showing signer identity, timestamps, IP address, and authentication method. Stronger authentication (SMS, KBA, or certified digital signatures) improves attribution and reduces successful challenges.

How long must we keep the signed agreement?

Retain the executed agreement per applicable law: generally three years for tax and commercial records (IRC §6501(a)), longer for HIPAA-covered records (45 CFR §164.530(j)) and as required by contract.

What signer authentication is recommended?

Match authentication to risk: email links for low-risk transactions, SMS or KBA for higher-risk signings, and certificate-based digital signatures where non-repudiation is required under industry rules.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Project Management
Project Management Working Agreement

Project Management Working Agreement

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

PROJECT MANAGEMENT WORKING AGREEMENT

Project Identification

Project Title:

Project ID Client Name Client Address Service Provider Name Service Provider Address

Effective Date: Project Manager (Client):

Project Manager (Provider): Contact (Phone/Email):

Scope of Work

The Service Provider will perform project management services as described below. The parties agree the activities shall include project planning, schedule management, resource coordination, risk and issue tracking, status reporting, stakeholder communications, and quality assurance as specifically identified in the Deliverables section.

Detailed Scope of Work Out-of-Scope Items

Deliverables and Acceptance

Deliverables will be produced in accordance with the schedule below. Each deliverable is subject to Client acceptance in accordance with the Acceptance Procedure described in this Agreement.

Deliverable 1 — Title

Due Date: Acceptance Criteria:

Deliverable 2 — Title

Due Date: Acceptance Criteria:

Timeline and Milestones

Project Start Date: Project End Date:

Milestone 1

Planned Completion Date:

Milestone 2

Planned Completion Date:

Budget and Payment

Total Project Fee

Billing Method: Fixed Price Time & Materials

Payment Schedule / Milestones Retainer or Initial Payment Expense Reimbursement

Change Orders

Any change in scope, schedule, deliverables, or price must be documented in a written change order signed by authorized representatives of both parties. Change orders shall describe the change, impact on schedule, and any adjustment to fees. The Service Provider shall not commence work on a change order until it is executed by both parties.

Change Order Authority

Acceptance Procedure

Upon delivery of each deliverable, Client shall have ten (10) business days to review and either accept the deliverable in writing or provide a written list of deficiencies. Unless Client provides written deficiencies within the review period, the deliverable will be deemed accepted. Accepted deliverables will trigger invoicing as set forth in the Payment Schedule.

Confidentiality

Each party agrees to hold confidential any non-public information disclosed by the other party in connection with the Project and to use such information solely for performance under this Agreement. Confidentiality obligations survive termination for a period of three (3) years, except for trade secrets which shall be protected for as long as they qualify as trade secrets under applicable law.

Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, Client will retain ownership of Client-provided materials. Service Provider hereby assigns to Client all rights, title and interest in deliverables developed specifically for Client under this Agreement upon full payment. Service Provider retains ownership of pre-existing tools, templates, and methodologies and grants Client a non-exclusive license to use such materials as incorporated in the deliverables.

Representations, Warranties and Liability

Each party represents that it has authority to enter this Agreement. Service Provider warrants that services will be performed in a professional manner consistent with industry standards for a period of thirty (30) days following acceptance. EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS WARRANTY SET FORTH HEREIN, SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND PROVIDER DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES.

Limitation of Liability: Except for liability arising from gross negligence, willful misconduct, or breach of confidentiality, the total aggregate liability of a party for any claim arising out of this Agreement shall not exceed the total fees paid by Client to Service Provider under this Agreement. Enter liability cap amount:

Termination

Either party may terminate this Agreement for convenience upon thirty (30) days' prior written notice. In the event of termination, Service Provider shall be compensated for services performed and approved expenses incurred through the effective date of termination, subject to Client's acceptance of work performed.

Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from causes beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, war, governmental action, strikes, or internet or telecommunication failures. The affected party shall notify the other promptly and use commercially reasonable efforts to resume performance.

Notices

Client Notice Contact Provider Notice Contact

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state indicated below without regard to conflict of law principles. The parties shall attempt to resolve disputes through good faith negotiation, followed by non-binding mediation. If unresolved, disputes shall be finally resolved by binding arbitration.

Governing Law State

Miscellaneous

Entire Agreement: This Agreement, including any executed change orders, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes prior agreements. Amendments must be in writing and executed by authorized representatives. If any provision is found unenforceable, the remainder shall continue in full force and effect.

Additional Provisions

Authorization and Signatures

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Project Management Working Agreement Is

A Project Management Working Agreement is a written operational document that defines how a project team will work together throughout a program or project. It sets out roles, decision authorities, escalation paths, meeting cadence, reporting formats, acceptance criteria, change-control procedures, and information-security expectations to reduce ambiguity, speed decisions, and limit scope creep before execution begins.

Why a Working Agreement Matters for Project Outcomes

A Project Management Working Agreement reduces role confusion, shortens approval cycles, and limits scope disputes by documenting responsibilities and escalation rules. Clear governance and documented sign-off authority improve accountability and support enforceability under U.S. electronic signature law.

Who Typically Creates and Signs This Agreement

Typical users include internal project managers, sponsors, PMO staff, and external vendors who collaborate on delivery.

Project managers and PMOs — set responsibilities, meeting cadences, and acceptance criteria for project teams.
Sponsors and stakeholders — confirm decision authority, reporting needs, and escalation contacts to avoid delays.
Vendors and subcontractors — agree on deliverables, handoffs, change control, and invoicing triggers.

Use the agreement early during project setup and revisit at major phase gates or when contracts are amended.

Core Sections to Include in the Working Agreement

A professional Project Management Working Agreement organizes governance, scope, communications, controls, and risk management so stakeholders share a single execution model and expectations.

Governance

Define roles, approval authorities, delegated decision rights, and escalation tiers. Include review points and criteria for changing team membership or authority levels to avoid ambiguity during execution.

Scope & Deliverables

List included and excluded work, acceptance criteria, deliverable formats, and handoff procedures. Tie deliverables to payment milestones and testing or acceptance steps to reduce disputes.

Change Control

Specify how change requests are submitted, reviewed, costed, approved, and documented. Set response SLAs and identify who signs scope amendments to ensure controlled modifications.

Communication

Set meeting cadence, reporting templates, decision logs, stakeholder distribution lists, preferred communication channels, escalation rules, and file retention schedules, including version control requirements.

Risk & Issues

Describe risk identification, tracking, owner assignment, mitigation plans, and issue escalation paths. Require documented acceptance of residual risk for high-impact items and contingency funding.

Security & Data

Outline data classification, access controls, encryption expectations, third-party vendor obligations, incident reporting, and any compliance addenda such as HIPAA or nondisclosure provisions.

Step-by-Step: Completing the Working Agreement

Follow these steps to prepare, review, and finalize a Project Management Working Agreement so all parties are aligned.

01

Draft the document: Populate roles, scope, controls, and cadence.
02

Review with stakeholders: Circulate draft to PMO, sponsor, and key vendors.
03

Resolve comments: Address feedback and update version control.
04

Execute signatures: Collect signatures and record date of execution.

Configuring an Online Signing Workflow

Set up templates and authentication so eSignatures meet legal and internal controls for the agreement.

Field	Configuration
Signing order and sequencing rules	Sequential or parallel signer order; specify mandatory signers.
Authentication and identity verification options	Email link, SMS code, or knowledge-based authentication as required.
Template reuse and variable mapping	Save as reusable template with field placeholders for rapid reuse.
Notification, reminders, and escalation settings	Auto-reminders, overdue escalation, and completion notifications to stakeholders.
Retention period and archival workflow	Set automatic export to enterprise repository and retention policy.

Where to Send the Signed Agreement and How It Circulates

Define distribution targets and archival steps so the executed agreement is available to all required parties.

Project repository: Upload final signed copy to project document store immediately.
Project sponsor: Notify sponsor with a copy and decision log entry.
Finance or procurement: Send to invoicing and contract management for payment setup.
Team distribution: Share summary, responsibilities, and meeting cadences with team.

Technical Requirements for eSubmission and Signing Platforms

For secure eSubmission and signing, choose a platform that supports standard file formats, tamper-evident audit trails, and configurable signer authentication.

File formats: PDF, DOCX, XLSX supported
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
Authentication: Email, SMS code, or KBA

Confirm the platform supports ESIGN and UETA compliance, audit-trail export, and any industry addenda such as a HIPAA BAA when handling protected health data. Verify SSO and API access if you need automated routing, archival, or integration with contract repositories.

Security and Compliance Considerations

Encryption: AES-256 at rest

Transport security: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Audit trail: Full timestamp and IP log

Access control: Role-based permissions

BAA availability: HIPAA BAA required

Standards: SOC 2 and ISO 27001

Typical Timelines and Deadlines in the Agreement

Specify timing expectations clearly to align execution, reviews, and archival obligations across stakeholders.

Effective date and start:

Effective on date of last signature.

Project kickoff:

Hold kickoff meeting within five business days.

Regular reviews:

Monthly status reviews unless otherwise agreed.

Change request SLA:

Respond to submitted changes within five business days.

Archival schedule:

Archive executed agreement three years after close.

Common Preparation and Execution Mistakes to Avoid

Leaving decision authority vague, which causes delays when approvals are needed and increases change-order disputes.
Failing to tie deliverables to acceptance criteria, leaving scope open to differing interpretations and late rework.
Using inconsistent project identifiers across documents, which breaks invoice processing and audit trails.
Skipping signer identity verification or insufficient authentication, which can raise enforceability questions under challenge.

Key Risks and Potential Consequences of Errors

Contract disputes: Delay claims, cost overruns

Payment delays: Invoices withheld or disputed

Scope creep: Uncontrolled requirement changes

Enforceability issues: Signature validity challenged

Compliance exposure: Breach of data rules

Recordkeeping failures: Audit or legal penalties

eSignature Vendor Pricing and Feature Snapshot

Comparison of typical entry-level pricing and common features across signNow and other major eSignature vendors; check vendor sites for plan details and enterprise options.

	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 env/user/yr	Varies	Varies	Varies

Frequently Asked Questions and Practical Answers

Answers to common execution, eSignature, and recordkeeping questions for Project Management Working Agreements.

Need help? Contact support

Can this agreement be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96, 2000) and by state UETA statutes in most jurisdictions, provided the four ESIGN elements (intent, consent, attribution, retention) are satisfied.
Do we need notarization or witnesses?
Most commercial PM working agreements do not require notarization or witnesses. If a state-specific law or contract clause requires notarization, use in-person or remote notarization consistent with state rules.
How should we update the agreement after signing?
Execute written amendments signed by authorized parties. Use the change-control section to record revisions; keep version history and ensure each amendment is signed and dated.
What happens if a signer disputes their signature?
Preserve audit trails showing signer identity, timestamps, IP address, and authentication method. Stronger authentication (SMS, KBA, or certified digital signatures) improves attribution and reduces successful challenges.
How long must we keep the signed agreement?
Retain the executed agreement per applicable law: generally three years for tax and commercial records (IRC §6501(a)), longer for HIPAA-covered records (45 CFR §164.530(j)) and as required by contract.
What signer authentication is recommended?
Match authentication to risk: email links for low-risk transactions, SMS or KBA for higher-risk signings, and certificate-based digital signatures where non-repudiation is required under industry rules.

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