Scope-of-Work (SOW) Specification Template
A formal Statement of Work detailing exact deliverables, acceptance criteria, client responsibilities, and out-of-scope boundaries.
Freelancers delivering complex projects where scope creep and fuzzy deliverables pose financial risks.
Attach as Exhibit A to a master services contract or append to formal freelance agreements.
Specify concrete acceptance criteria for every deliverable. Avoid subjective words like "intuitive" or "clean".
# Statement of Work (SOW): Exhibit A **Project Title:** [Project Title] **Master Contract Reference:** Agreement dated [Contract Date] **Client:** [Client Name, Entity] **Contractor:** [Your Legal Business Entity Name] --- ## 1. Scope Description & Deliverables Matrix Contractor shall perform the services described below. Each deliverable shall be subject to the specified acceptance criteria. | Deliverable ID | Deliverable Title | Detailed Specification | Objective Acceptance Criteria | |---|---|---|---| | DEL-01 | UI Design System | Complete Figma library with buttons, typography, colors, and form elements | Delivered in Figma with 100% token coverage for light/dark modes | | DEL-02 | Responsive Front-End | 6 responsive page templates coded in Vue/Tailwind | Passes W3C HTML validation and displays correctly across 375px–1440px | | DEL-03 | Content Migration | Transfer 85 existing blog posts to new headless CMS | 100% of posts formatted with intact author, dates, and media assets | | DEL-04 | Search Engine Migration | 301 URL redirect mapping spreadsheet and implementation | Zero 404 crawl errors for indexed legacy URLs | --- ## 2. Milestone Payment Schedule Payments are tied to deliverable completion milestones: 1. **Milestone 1 ($[Amount]):** Payable upon execution of this SOW and prior to kickoff. 2. **Milestone 2 ($[Amount]):** Payable upon client written approval of DEL-01 and DEL-02. 3. **Milestone 3 ($[Amount]):** Payable upon successful deployment to staging and completion of DEL-03 and DEL-04. --- ## 3. Client Dependencies & Responsibilities Contractor's schedule depends on timely client fulfillment of the following obligations: - Provide high-resolution brand vectors and product data exports by [Date]. - Provide access to DNS management panel and staging server by [Date]. - Designate [Authorized Client Name] as the sole consolidated reviewer. - Deliver consolidated milestone feedback within 3 business days of submission. *Note: Any delay in client deliverables will extend Contractor delivery deadlines on a day-for-day basis.* --- ## 4. Change Control Procedure Any modification, addition, or deletion to the deliverables listed above shall require a written **Project Scope Change Request** signed by both parties, detailing cost and timeline adjustments.
Usage Assumptions & Legal Qualification
Ensure any referenced timelines depend on client delivery of assets to protect yourself from client delays. This template is published for educational and organizational clarity. It does not constitute formal legal, accounting, or tax advice. For high-stakes contracts, consult a qualified attorney in your governing jurisdiction.
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