Free agency and consulting contract templates: SOW, retainer, proposal

STATEMENT OF WORK
Project: [Project name]   SOW no.: [001]   Date: [date]
Client: [Client legal name]   Provider: [Your company]
Governing agreement: [Master services agreement / contract reference]

1. OBJECTIVES
[Business goals this project must achieve, in 2-4 sentences.]

2. SCOPE
In scope: [list of work included]
Out of scope: [list of work explicitly excluded]
Assumptions: [client inputs, access, tools, third parties]

3. DELIVERABLES
# | Deliverable | Description | Due date
1 | [name] | [what it is] | [date]

4. TIMELINE AND MILESTONES
Start: [date]   End: [date]
Milestone 1: [name] - [date]   Milestone 2: [name] - [date]

5. ROLES
Client contact: [name, role]   Provider lead: [name, role]
Client responsibilities: [feedback within X business days, content, approvals]

6. ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
Each deliverable is accepted when [measurable criteria].
Client reviews within [X] business days and either accepts or lists
required fixes. No response within that period = [accepted / escalated].

7. CHANGE CONTROL
Changes to scope, timeline or fees need a written change request
describing the change, effect on cost and dates, and approval by both
parties before work starts.

8. FEES AND PAYMENT
Model: [fixed fee / time and materials / milestone-based]
Amount: [amount, currency]   Invoicing: [on milestones / monthly]
Payment due: [X] days from invoice. Expenses: [policy].

9. SIGNATURES
Client: [name, date, signature]   Provider: [name, date, signature]
--- end SOW ---

MONTHLY RETAINER AGREEMENT
Client: [Client legal name]   Provider: [Your company]
Effective date: [date]

1. SERVICES COVERED
[Describe the recurring services, e.g. design, consulting, support.]
Not covered: [work outside the retainer; quoted separately]

2. MONTHLY HOURS
Included hours: [X] hours per month at [rate/fee].
Hours are tracked by the Provider and reported to the Client [monthly].

3. ROLLOVER AND OVERAGE
Unused hours: [expire at month end / roll over up to X hours for Y months].
Extra hours beyond the allotment: billed at [rate] with Client approval.

4. RESPONSE TIMES
Requests acknowledged within [X] business hours.
Standard requests completed within [X] business days.
Urgent requests: [definition and target].
Availability: [days and hours, time zone].

5. FEES AND INVOICING
Monthly fee: [amount, currency], invoiced [in advance / in arrears]
on [day of month]. Payment due within [X] days.
Late payment: [policy].

6. TERM AND RENEWAL
Initial term: [X months] from the effective date.
Renewal: [auto-renews monthly / needs written renewal].

7. TERMINATION
Either party may end this agreement with [X] days written notice.
Fees are payable for work done up to the end date.
Immediate termination for [material breach not fixed within X days].

8. GENERAL
Confidentiality: [clause or reference]. Ownership of work: [clause].
Rate changes: [notice period].

9. SIGNATURES
Client: [name, date, signature]   Provider: [name, date, signature]
--- end retainer ---

CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT
Date: [date]

1. PARTIES
Client: [legal name, address]   Consultant: [legal name, address]
Relationship: independent contractor, not employee or partner.

2. SERVICES
The Consultant will provide the services described in [SOW / Schedule A].
Standard of work: [professional standard, applicable laws].
Changes to services need written agreement.

3. TERM
Starts [date] and runs until [date / completion of services]
unless ended earlier under section 10.

4. FEES AND PAYMENT TERMS
Fees: [rate or fixed fee]. Expenses: [approved in advance / not covered].
Invoices: [frequency]. Payment due within [X] days.
Late payment: [interest or fee, if any]. Taxes: [who pays].

5. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Client owns deliverables on [full payment / delivery].
Consultant keeps pre-existing materials and tools and grants the
Client a [licence terms] to use them within the deliverables.

6. CONFIDENTIALITY
Each party keeps the other's confidential information private,
uses it only for this engagement, and returns or deletes it on request.
Duration: [X] years after the end of this agreement.
Exclusions: [public, independently developed, legally required].

7. WARRANTIES
Consultant has the right and skill to perform the services.
No other warranties except [as stated].

8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
Liability is limited to [cap, e.g. fees paid in the last X months].
Neither party is liable for [indirect or consequential losses].
Exceptions: [as advised by your lawyer].

9. INDEMNITY
[Who indemnifies whom, and for what.]

10. TERMINATION
Either party may end with [X] days written notice, or immediately
for uncured material breach. Fees for work done remain payable.

11. GENERAL
Governing law and disputes: [to be set with your lawyer].
Entire agreement, amendments in writing, notices to [address].

12. SIGNATURES
Client: [name, date, signature]   Consultant: [name, date, signature]
--- end consulting ---

PROJECT PROPOSAL
Prepared for: [Client name]   Prepared by: [Your company]
Date: [date]   Valid until: [date]

1. SUMMARY
[Two or three sentences: the client's problem and your proposed answer.]

2. UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR NEEDS
[Goals, constraints and context in the client's own words.]

3. PROPOSED APPROACH
Phase 1 - [name]: [activities]
Phase 2 - [name]: [activities]
Phase 3 - [name]: [activities]

4. DELIVERABLES
[List with short descriptions.]

5. TIMELINE
[Start date, key milestones, end date.]

6. TEAM
[Names, roles, relevant experience.]

7. INVESTMENT
Item | Description | Amount
[item] | [detail] | [amount]
Total: [amount, currency]   Taxes: [included / extra]
Payment schedule: [deposit, milestones, final]

8. ASSUMPTIONS AND EXCLUSIONS
[What the price relies on and what it does not include.]

9. TERMS
[Reference to contract or SOW; validity; cancellation.]

10. NEXT STEPS
Accept this proposal by [date] to book a start date of [date].
Accepted by: [name, date, signature]
--- end proposal ---