A consulting contract is a document that is legally binding, which affirms a client’s request from a consultant. It’s a contract that details the terms of service between a consultant operating as an independent contractor and a client.
This contract is very important because it gives the consultant free range to do what he/she feels would make the work easier. It changes the dynamic from one of an employer-employee relationship to one that is more of a partnership.
This contract keeps both parties involved accountable when it comes to the type of work and compensation expected.
Contracts are structured in different ways. It could be a short, concise one-page document or could be a 50 page document depending on the exact subject matter or how complicated the issues are.
That being said, here are the ways to properly structure a consulting contract irrespective of the complexity of the subject;
- The Full Name And Title Of The People Involved; remember that when writing any contract, there should be a high level of formality involved. The full name of the involved parties should be written boldly and spelled correctly.
- Project And Objectives; This makes achieving the set goals of the project easier. Try to lay them out according to their importance to raise efficiency.
- A Detailed Description Of The Project; After laying the project objectives out, give a detailed description of each of them. This makes the consulting contract easier to understand and more eye-catching.
- The List of responsibilities; record what you and the consultant would be expected to do. It would be some sort of checkpoint in which you can refer to your work.
You can also make it so that the client would sign off after each phase of activities has been completed. This is to ensure satisfaction and that every activity on the consulting contract is done to the letter.
- Fees; Your consulting contract should show the fees of the consultant and any other purchases that would be made during that period. A payment structure should be included also.
- Timeline; the consulting contract should specify the beginning and end of the project. It should also include anything that would help fast-track the project and keep everyone focused on one thing.
- The Page numbers; this might seem as basic and unnecessary but the fact is it isn’t. Page numbers are important because. it keeps you or the client from adding anything to the consulting contract.
- It should contain an offer; your consulting contract should contain an offer. It should show on paper that something was proposed by the business.
- It should contain an acceptance from both parties; Your consulting contract is an agreement, and it should show that both parties are on the same wavelength all the time.
Conclusion
This list is not all-inclusive, and you can have some things added or removed by your lawyer. This list though has the required tools to help you learn how to write and structure your consulting contract and make it a very good piece. So you would do well to follow this list meticulously.
