Template

Outsourcing Contract Checklist Template — Essential Pre-Contract Review Items

Reviewing your contract with this checklist can prevent 90% of outsourcing disputes. Be sure to check every item before signing.

Freesi·2026-02-17 Updated

Copy and use the checklist below. Click the checkboxes to track your progress.

B. Timeline & Milestones

Is the total development period specified?Are milestones (phased schedule) clearly defined?Are completion criteria defined for each milestone?Are provisions for handling schedule delays specified?Is there a force majeure (natural disaster, etc.) clause?

Milestone Example

Phase	Duration	Completion Criteria
Planning & Design	__ weeks	Requirements finalized, ERD approved
Design	__ weeks	Design mockups approved
Development	__ weeks	Feature implementation complete
QA & Testing	__ weeks	Tests passed
Deployment & Handover	__ weeks	Production deployment, acceptance complete

C. Cost & Payment

Is the total contract amount specified?Is it clear whether the amount includes or excludes tax (VAT)?Is the payment schedule (deposit/progress payment/final payment) defined?Are payment conditions (e.g., milestone completion) clearly stated?Is the payment method (invoice/bank transfer) defined?Is there a late payment interest clause?

Recommended Payment Structure

Timing	Percentage	Condition
Contract signing	30%	Upfront deposit
Design completion	20%	ERD & API spec approved
Development completion	30%	Feature verification
Acceptance completion	20%	Acceptance test passed

D. Change Requests

Is the procedure for adding/changing features during development specified?Is the definition of a change request (what constitutes a change) clear?Is the method for calculating additional costs defined? (Per hour/per feature)Are change requests only valid in writing (email, etc.)?Are timeline extensions recognized for changes?Is the scope of minor modifications (UI text, etc.) defined?

E. Review & Acceptance

Is the review period specified? (Typically 5-10 business days)Are acceptance criteria (definition of completion) specifically defined?Are issue severity classifications defined? (Critical/Major/Minor)Is the re-review procedure after issue fixes specified?Is there an automatic approval clause if no response is given within the review period?Is there a formal acceptance sign-off procedure?

F. Intellectual Property & Ownership

Does source code ownership transfer to the client upon completion?Is the timing of ownership transfer clear? (Upon final payment)Is the developer's proprietary framework/library explicitly excluded?Is ownership of original design files specified?Is the scope of the developer's right to use the work in their portfolio defined?Have third-party library licenses been reviewed?

G. Warranty & Maintenance

Is the warranty period specified? (Typically 3-6 months)Is the warranty scope defined? (Developer-responsible bugs only)Is the response time during the warranty period defined?Is the maintenance contract separate? (Distinguished from warranty)Is the maintenance scope (bug fixes vs. feature additions) differentiated?Are maintenance costs and SLA specified?

H. Confidentiality & Dispute Resolution

Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

Is a confidentiality obligation specified?Is the scope of confidential information defined?Is the confidentiality period defined? (Typically 2-3 years after contract termination)Is there a damages clause for breach?

Termination & Disputes

Is the settlement method for early termination specified? (Up to completed milestones)Are termination grounds specifically defined?Is the termination notice period defined? (Typically 30 days)Is the governing jurisdiction designated for disputes?Is an arbitration/mediation procedure specified?

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