A Consultant usually reaches for a Service Agreement when for a defined project with a clear start, deliverables and end. This free template does one job well: it defines the scope, timeline, payment and ownership for a one-off project. It is written for how consultants actually work — around a fixed-scope advisory engagement or diagnostic review, the familiar headache of the client acting on advice and blaming the consultant for the business outcome, and getting paid on a day rate or fixed engagement fee, invoiced in arrears or on milestones. Use a Service Agreement rather than something looser, because for open-ended ongoing work — use a retainer instead. Edit any line to fit your rates and terms, then send it for e-signature in a couple of minutes — no account for your client, and it is legally binding under the ESIGN Act and eIDAS.
SERVICE AGREEMENT — CONSULTANT
1. PARTIES
This Service Agreement ("Agreement") is made on ____________ between ____________ ("Client") and ____________ (the "Provider"), a Consultant. Together they are the "Parties".
2. SCOPE OF WORK
The Provider will deliver advice, analysis and a written recommendations report for a fixed-scope advisory engagement or diagnostic review. The agreed scope is: ____________. Anything not listed here is out of scope and is quoted separately before work begins.
3. TIMELINE
The Provider will start on ____________ and aim to deliver by ____________. Timelines assume the Client supplies everything needed on time; Client delays move the delivery date by the same amount.
4. FEES & PAYMENT
The fee is $____________. Payment terms: a day rate or fixed engagement fee, invoiced in arrears or on milestones. Invoices are due within ____________ days. Late payments may pause work and accrue interest at ____________% per month.
5. REVISIONS
The fee includes ____________ rounds of revisions. Additional rounds, or changes such as extra meetings, deliverables or implementation work beyond the diagnosis, are billed separately.
6. OWNERSHIP & IP
On full payment, the Client owns the final delivered advice, analysis and a written recommendations report. The Provider keeps ownership of tools, templates and any confidentiality of client information and clear limits on liability for advice given until paid, and may show the work in a portfolio unless agreed otherwise.
7. TERMINATION
Either Party may end this Agreement with ____________ days' written notice. On termination, fees for time already spent are payable and notice is required to end the engagement, and the Client pays for all work completed to that point.
8. GOVERNING LAW
This Agreement is governed by the laws of ____________, and any dispute will be handled in the courts of ____________.
9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The Provider's total liability is limited to the fees paid. The Provider is not liable for business outcomes from acting on its advice, which addresses the client acting on advice and blaming the consultant for the business outcome.
10. MUTUAL CONFIDENTIALITY
Both Parties keep each other's information confidential and use it only for this engagement.
11. NO GUARANTEE OF RESULTS
Advice is given in good faith using professional skill. The Provider does not guarantee any particular business result.
12. EXPENSES
Pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed at cost. Typical expenses for a Consultant engagement are listed here: ____________.
SIGNATURES
Signed by the Parties on the date first written above. Both Parties keep a copy. An electronic signature is legally binding under the ESIGN Act and eIDAS.
Client: ______________________ Date: __________
Provider: ____________________ Date: __________This Service Agreement ("Agreement") is made on ____________ between ____________ ("Client") and ____________ (the "Provider"), a Consultant. Together they are the "Parties".
The Provider will deliver advice, analysis and a written recommendations report for a fixed-scope advisory engagement or diagnostic review. The agreed scope is: ____________. Anything not listed here is out of scope and is quoted separately before work begins.
The Provider will start on ____________ and aim to deliver by ____________. Timelines assume the Client supplies everything needed on time; Client delays move the delivery date by the same amount.
The fee is $____________. Payment terms: a day rate or fixed engagement fee, invoiced in arrears or on milestones. Invoices are due within ____________ days. Late payments may pause work and accrue interest at ____________% per month.
The fee includes ____________ rounds of revisions. Additional rounds, or changes such as extra meetings, deliverables or implementation work beyond the diagnosis, are billed separately.
On full payment, the Client owns the final delivered advice, analysis and a written recommendations report. The Provider keeps ownership of tools, templates and any confidentiality of client information and clear limits on liability for advice given until paid, and may show the work in a portfolio unless agreed otherwise.
Either Party may end this Agreement with ____________ days' written notice. On termination, fees for time already spent are payable and notice is required to end the engagement, and the Client pays for all work completed to that point.
This Agreement is governed by the laws of ____________, and any dispute will be handled in the courts of ____________.
The Provider's total liability is limited to the fees paid. The Provider is not liable for business outcomes from acting on its advice, which addresses the client acting on advice and blaming the consultant for the business outcome.
Both Parties keep each other's information confidential and use it only for this engagement.
Advice is given in good faith using professional skill. The Provider does not guarantee any particular business result.
Pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed at cost. Typical expenses for a Consultant engagement are listed here: ____________.
Signed by the Parties on the date first written above. Both Parties keep a copy. An electronic signature is legally binding under the ESIGN Act and eIDAS.
If the agreement does not name exactly what advice, analysis and a written recommendations report is included, the client acting on advice and blaming the consultant for the business outcome follows. List the deliverables line by line.
Without a revision limit, extra meetings, deliverables or implementation work beyond the diagnosis quietly becomes unpaid work. Fix the number of rounds in writing.
Say that confidentiality of client information and clear limits on liability for advice given only pass on full payment, or a Consultant loses all leverage once the files are out.
Use it for a fixed-scope advisory engagement or diagnostic review — a defined job with a clear end. For continuing month-to-month work, a retainer fits better.
Yes. It fixes your fee and terms, which for consultants is usually a day rate or fixed engagement fee, invoiced in arrears or on milestones.
Yes. Once you and your client sign it — including with an electronic signature — this Service Agreement is a binding contract under the ESIGN Act, eIDAS and similar laws in most countries.
Point them back to the scope. Extra work such as extra meetings, deliverables or implementation work beyond the diagnosis is quoted separately — that is exactly what the written terms are for.
Yes. Paste it into Signr, drop the signature fields on, and send a link. Your client signs from any device with no account, and you both get a sealed, court-ready copy.
Paste the template into Signr, drop signature fields on, and send. Your client signs from any device, no account needed, and you both get a sealed, court-ready copy.
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