Use this template:

If you have a framework service contract in place with the customer.
When the customer asks for a project to be carried out on general lines, under identical or similar conditions to other past or future projects.
When the project consists of one or more tasks or stages, to be completed by an estimated or specific deadline.
When the assignment is invoiced with an exact price, a fee quote or an estimated price range.
Whether the customer is located in UK or abroad, and whether the customer is a private individual or a company.

Protect yourself legally as a supplier with the following options:

Indication of the quotation or estimated price with tolerated margin, and advance guarantee deposit.
Indication of materials and costs to be procured and invoiced, with amounts pre-approved by the customer.
Any other guarantees and restrictions contained in the framework service contract.

Safeguard your interests as a customer by using the following clauses:

Limitation of the estimated price or indication of the exact price, with no commitment to pay more even in unforeseeable circumstances.
Capping of costs that may be invoiced in addition to the price, and clear indication of the VAT to be invoiced.
Any other guarantees and restrictions contained in the framework service contract.

Use this contract:

To provide intangible services and advice of all kinds, either face-to-face or remotely.
When the services are performed with complete flexibility and independence, subject to the customer’s general instructions and requests.
Where the services relate to a specific project or are to be provided on a repetitive or ongoing basis.
If you wish to invoice the services at the standard hourly rate or according to staff seniority.
Whether the customer is based in UK or abroad, and whether they are a private individual or a company.

Protect yourself legally as a consultant with the following options:

Invoicing of fees according to staff seniority, annual indexation, and advance guarantee retainer.
Indication of costs to be invoiced in addition, on an actual basis, at a flat rate or as a percentage of fees.
Limitation of liability to the amount of fees paid and imposition of a short claims period for the client.

Authorisation to delegate, represent and sign on behalf of the client.
Reservation of the intellectual property created and the right to use it, even by assigning it to the client.

Safeguard your interests as a customer by using the following clauses:

Clear indication of how fees are calculated, billing period and due dates.
Capping of charges that may be invoiced in addition to fees, and clear indication of VAT to be invoiced.
Clear deadlines for the consultant’s reports and an extended period for acceptance and inspection of services.
Firm prohibition on subcontracting, non-disclosure, non-poaching and non-competition, even after the contract has ended.
Unequivocal treatment of the transfer and use of intellectual property created and protection of confidential information.

Hourly Rate Consulting Contract

A consulting contract template allows you to draft a legal document signed between a client and a consultant to outline the scope of services, remuneration, and respective liabilities of parties. With this sample, it’s possible to provide one-off or recurring advisory services while mitigating liability and guaranteeing the payment of the fees.

A service company uses a consultancy agreement form:

To provide consulting services of any kind (for example: accounting, advisory, technical expertise, or marketing research).
To provide services in view of a defined project or on an ongoing recurrent basis.
To create a legal agreement outlining all services, duties, responsibilities, and liability of the consultant.

Key Aspects of Consultancy Agreement Form by Hourly Rate

This template is principally used by a company or registered business to provide immaterial services, on premises or remotely.
The document should openly lay out the scope of services, the calculation of hourly fees and costs, as well as the start and termination of the agreement.
In particular cases, clients expect a restriction on any act of solicitation or competition, non-delegation, and non-disclosure of confidential information.
In others, the consultant is free to perform their duties without limitations, subject to diligent accomplishment of assignments.

Eight tips on Hourly Rate Consulting Services Contract

To protect your legal interests as a professional consultant, we recommend that you select from the following possibilities from our consulting agreement example:

Unambiguous definition of ancillary costs, VAT, and how the hourly fees shall be calculated.
Additional rights to represent the client and act on their behalf, to outsource all or part of services, to compete, and to use created intellectual property.
Strict limitations on the amount of liability, shortened review, and acceptance periods.
Retainer guarantee, default interest, reminder fee, and termination of agreement for default of payment.

The consulting services agreement sample may protect and give advantages to the client as well, for example:

Prohibition of competition, solicitation, or any other act that could cause a conflict of interest or be damaging to the client.
Option to include all costs and taxes in the fees for services.
Exclusive rights to any created intellectual property without additional remuneration.
Implementation of specific technical or organisational measures to protect the confidentiality of sensitive information.

Customizing Document Template for Your Needs

Whether a consultant or a client, you can draft a professional hourly consulting agreement in just a few minutes using AdminTech’s online document builder, and be confident about the legal protection you receive.

With AdminTech’s consulting services contract template, simply fill in the fields with the required information, and the document shall automatically adjust to your specific needs.

Create an Hourly Consulting Agreement with AdminTech

A professional hourly consulting agreement includes the following information:

Parties’ name and identification
Scope of services, responsibilities, and review periods
Term of agreement and notice of termination
Rebilling of taxes, expenses, and ancillary costs
Retainer guarantee, termination for default, and limitations of liability
Restrictive covenants and non-disclosure provisions
Transfer and ownership of intellectual property.

Consultancy Agreement Form FAQ

What’s an independent consulting contract?

A consulting services agreement example from AdminTech offers parties the opportunity to create a professional document for collaboration with consultants, providing greater flexibility compared to hiring employees. This consulting contract template UK version is made by a lawyer and complies with English law.

Should a consultant contract be made in written form?

While consulting may be legally binding even through an oral agreement, we recommend that you draft a professional consulting contract template UK version for the following reasons:

To document the parties’ terms, scope, purpose, and intentions
To establish clear legal titles determining all fees, expenses, and taxes for reporting purposes.
To avoid ambiguity in long-lasting a consulting agreement.

How many weekly hours can a consultant work?

In English legislation, there is no legal limitation on the number of working hours for an independent consultant. Despite a commitment of minimum or estimated weekly hours being possible in the consulting contract template, the consultant is free to define their timetable.

How is the consultant remunerated?

In a consultancy agreement form, the consultant is remunerated at an hourly fee, which may be fixed or depend on the seniority of staff employed to act under the consultant’s supervision.

What is the indexation of fees?

In some types of consulting business such as, for example, professional tax advisory, the hourly rate is increased by a fixed percentage every year, to offset inflation and accommodate the gradually increasing complexity of work. This practice, generally accepted as indexation fees, can be selected in our consulting agreement example.

What is the difference between an employee and a consultant?

A consultant may not necessarily be a business or a company, but self-employed. The main distinction from an employment contract lies in the absence of direct subordination and economic dependency. A self-employed consultant would usually:

Service multiple customers at a time
Define the working timetable without restrictions
Employ staff, hire subcontractors, and assume fixed costs.

Is the consultant liable for outsourced services?

Violation of restriction to outsource is a sufficient motive for damage claims. In the consulting services agreement sample, the client may restrict or allow this, in which case the consultant is liable for any negligence of employees or subcontractors as if they were that of the consultant.

How can a consultant agreement be terminated?

In our consulting services contract template, you may select a permanent option, subject to a termination notice, or a fixed-term option, in which case the agreement expires automatically. All work done up to termination should be remunerated, which is specified in our consulting contract template.

What compensation is the client entitled to?

A consultant must perform services in a professional and diligent manner, to the best of their ability. Although there is no guarantee for the result, the client may claim damages in case of fault or negligence in the accomplishment of the consulting services.

How can consultants ensure a successful cooperation experience?

To ensure a successful consulting experience, it is generally advisable to:

Outline the start and termination notices of consulting cooperation.
Clarify responsibilities and rights for representation, outsourcing, and competition.
Define the calculation of the fees, indexation, rebilling of taxes and costs, as well as a retainer amount.
Create a professional agreement based on our consulting services agreement example.
Specify limitations on liability, submission, and review notice, as well as penalties for violation.

Draft your legally binding consulting contract template with the AdminTech online document builder.

Use this contract:

To carry out a defined project of any kind, such as development, design, layout or a one-off consultancy or assignment.
Whether the project consists of one or more tasks or stages, to be completed by an estimated or specific deadline.
When the services are invoiced with an exact price, a fee quote or an estimated price range.
Whether the customer is located in UK or abroad, and whether the customer is a private individual or a company.

Protect yourself legally as a supplier with the following options:

Indication of the quotation or estimated price with tolerated margin, and advance guarantee retainer.
Indication of materials and costs to be procured and invoiced, with amounts pre-approved by the customer.
Limitation of liability to the amount of fees paid and imposition of a short claims period by the customer.
Authorisation to delegate, represent and sign on behalf of the client.

Reservation of the intellectual property created and the right to use it, even by assigning it to the client.

Safeguard your interests as a customer by using the following clauses:

Limitation of the estimated price or indication of the exact price, with no commitment to pay more even in unforeseeable circumstances.
Capping of costs that may be invoiced in addition to the price, and clear indication of the VAT to be invoiced.
A firm prohibition on subcontracting, non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition, even after the contract has ended.
Unambiguous treatment of the transfer and use of intellectual property created and protection of confidential information.

Project Contract Agreement

A project agreement template allows you to draft a legal document signed between a client and a supplier of services to outline the scope of work, remuneration, and respective liabilities of parties. With this template, it’s possible to provide either a one-off short-term task or a long-term project development service.

A service company uses a project contract template:

To provide immaterial services of any kind (for example: software development, architectural plans, marketing campaigns, etc).
To provide services in view of a defined project on a short-term or long-term basis, to be accomplished in milestones or until a given deadline.
To create a legal agreement outlining all services, duties, responsibilities, and liability of the supplier.

Key Aspects of Project Agreement by Deadline

This sample project contract is principally used by a company or registered business to develop a project or carry out a single task assignment.
The document should clearly define the scope of the project, expected results, deadline, and remuneration calculation.
In particular cases, clients expect a restriction on any act of outsourcing, disclosure of confidential information, solicitation, or competition.
In others, the supplier is free to perform their duties without restrictions, subject to diligent execution of the project.

Eight tips on Project Based Contract

To protect your legal interests as a professional supplier of services, we advise you to choose from the following options of our project agreement example:

Flexible determination of project pricing, including an estimation of fees or hourly-based rates depending on the seniority of employed staff.
Supplementary rights to represent the client and act on their behalf, to outsource all or part of services, to compete and use created intellectual property.
Strict limitations on supplier’s liability, and a shortened verification period for defects.
Provisions for retainer, late payment interest, invoice reminder fees, and termination of the agreement in case of default of payment.

The project agreement sample may also protect and give advantages to the client, for example:

Restriction of competition, poaching of staff, or any other act that may result in a conflict of interests or be otherwise detrimental to the client.
Possibility to include all taxes and expenses in the fees for the project.
Exclusive ownership of any created intellectual property without further compensation.
Particular technical or administrative measures to keep the confidentiality of proprietary information even after the accomplishment of the project.

Customizing Document Template for Your Needs

Whether a subcontractor or a client, you can draft a professional project agreement contract in just a few minutes using AdminTech’s online document builder, and be confident about the legal protection you receive.

With AdminTech’s project based contract sample, simply fill in the fields with the required information, and the document shall automatically adjust to your specific needs.

Create a Project Contract by Deadline with AdminTech

A professional project development agreement includes the following information:

Parties’ names, addresses, and signatories
Scope of project, stages, milestones, and specifications
Start of agreement, date, and time of accomplishment
Form and terms of execution, including location, outsourcing, or the right to act on behalf of a client
Calculation of fees, expenses, and costs of materials for the project
Limitations on liability, review period, and tolerated delay
Restrictions on solicitation, competition, and non-disclosure obligations
Transfer, acquisition, and use of intellectual property rights.

Project Agreement Template FAQ

How is a project remunerated?

Under the terms of our project agreement template, the form of remuneration for the supplier may be, for example:

Fixed price for the whole project without right of deviation
Estimated price range depending on the time spent at an hourly rate.

For both the service company and the client, a fixed price is due in full even if the effective time spent and costs are smaller or higher than initially estimated. For a long-term or more complex project, a rather flexible price range is advisable.

Can the agreement be terminated prematurely?

Once the scope of the project and the terms of remuneration are defined and agreed by the parties, there are only a few circumstances in which the project contract template may be terminated prematurely:

Default of payment on deadline by the client
Statement of poor performance or significant damages by negligence of the supplier
Impossibility to continue the project due to unforeseen circumstances, such as force majeure
If the agreement has been concluded under the influence of error or fraud.

When is remuneration for the project due?

Depending on the choices you make in our project agreement example, the company has the following payment options:

Retainer amount as a full or partial guarantee of the project price
The invoice payment deadline from 5 to 90 days, according to your preference.

If you wish to receive partial payments after each milestone of the project, opting to draft a master services agreement and successive project assignments may be a more suitable option for you.

What costs and taxes can be billed for the project?

In our sample project contract, you may either include all ancillary expenses and VAT in the total price or convene the coverage of additional fees, for example:

Maximum limitation of the billable material costs for the entire project
Attached catalogue of materials and tools to procure
Restriction of the amount of additional costs that may be billed on top of the price
Preliminary client’s approval for anything else.

Who owns intellectual property created within the scope of the project?

As you will see in our project agreement sample, any created intellectual property may be assigned to the supplier or the client exclusively. In one or the other example, you may allow or restrict the use of intellectual property by the other party.

What are the responsibilities of the service provider?

The service provider is responsible for the professional and diligent execution of the project to the specifications of the client and should ensure that the client is protected from any damages or lost profits resulting from negligence or fault.

How can a company ensure a successful project assignment?

To ensure a successful project assignment, it is generally recommended to:

Outline the start and deadline of the project, including any tolerated delay.
Specify how the price shall be calculated and determine if you would allow a slight deviation depending on the effective work done.
Determine the scope of materials and expenses amount that can be billed to the client.
Create a professional project agreement based on our sample.
Specify limitations on liability, submission and review notice and penalties for violation.
Conserve every act or statement of work for the purpose of proof.

Draft your legally binding project agreement template with the AdminTech online document builder.

Use this contract:

To carry out general contracting work or services over a short or long period of time.
Whether the project consists of one or more tasks or stages, to be carried out by an estimated or precise deadline.
Whether the work is to be carried out on defined premises or remotely, on a customer’s movable property.
When the services are invoiced with an exact price, a fee quote, or an estimated price range.
Whether the customer is in UK or abroad, and whether they are a private individual or a company.

Protect yourself legally as a contractor with the following options:

Indication of the quotation or estimated price with tolerated margin, and advance guarantee retainer.
Indication of materials and costs to be procured and invoiced, with amounts pre-approved by the customer.
Limitation of liability to the amount of fees paid and imposition of a short claims period by the customer.

Authorisation to delegate, represent and sign on behalf of the client.
Reservation of the intellectual property created and the right to use it, even by assigning it to the client.

Safeguard your interests as a customer by using the following clauses:

Limitation of the estimated price or indication of the exact price, with no commitment to pay more even in unforeseeable circumstances.
Capping of costs that may be invoiced in addition to the price, and clear indication of the VAT to be invoiced.
A firm prohibition on subcontracting, non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition, even after the contract has ended.
Unambiguous treatment of the transfer and use of intellectual property created and protection of confidential information.

Use this contract:

To provide regular or repetitive services with different deadlines or pricing.
If you perform intangible services or consultancy of any kind, either face-to-face or remotely.
When the services are performed with complete flexibility and independence, subject to the customer’s general instructions and requests.
Whether the customer is in UK or abroad, and whether they are an individual or a company.
Whether the collaboration is short or long term, or even open-ended.

Protect yourself as a service supplier with the following choices:

Indication of the standard hourly rate for any additional requests outside the pricing package indicated.
Indication of costs to be invoiced in addition, effectively, at a flat rate or as a percentage of the fees.
Limitation of liability to the amount of fees paid and imposition of a short claim period for the client.

Authorisation to delegate, represent and sign on behalf of the client.
Reservation of the intellectual property created and the right to use it, even by assigning it to the client.

Safeguard your interests as a customer by using the following clauses:

Clear indication of how fees are calculated, billing period and due dates.
Capping of charges that may be invoiced in addition to fees, and clear indication of VAT to be invoiced.
Clear deadlines for supplier reports and extended periods for acceptance and inspection of services.
Firm prohibition on subcontracting, non-disclosure, non-poaching and non-competition, even after the contract has ended.
Unambiguous treatment of the transfer and use of intellectual property created and protection of confidential information.

Use this contract:

To delegate all or part of a service or task to an individual or company.
Whether the services relate to a particular project or are to be provided on a repetitive or constant basis.
If the tasks are to be carried out flexibly and independently, subject to the general instructions and requests of the principal.
Where the sub-contractor is to be remunerated on a regular basis, hourly, monthly, annually or otherwise.
Whether the expenses or costs of the materials are borne by the principal, the subcontractor or re-invoiced.

Protect yourself legally as a principal with the following options:

Commitment to minimum hours per week, availability and frequency of reports.
Firm prohibition on subcontracting, non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition, even after the end of the contract.
Capping of costs that may be invoiced in addition to fees, and clear indication of the VAT to be invoiced.

Unambiguous treatment of the transfer and use of intellectual property created and protection of confidential information.
Declaration and undertaking to notify any change of status when the subcontractor is reclassified as an employee.

Safeguard your interests as a subcontractor by using the following clauses:

Minimum monthly remuneration notwithstanding hours actually worked.
Indication of costs to be invoiced in addition, on an actual basis, at a flat rate or as a percentage of fees.
Limitation of liability to the amount of fees paid and imposition of a short claim period by the principal.
Authorisation to delegate, represent, and sign on behalf of the principal.
Reservation of the intellectual property created and the right to use it, even by assigning it to the principal.

A subcontractor agreement template allows to draft a legal document signed between a principal and a subcontractor to outline the rights, duration, and scope of outsourced work. With this document, it’s possible to delegate main or ancillary tasks to an independent service provider for a specific task or a certain period.

A company uses a subcontractor contract template:

To delegate all or part of services or works to an independent service provider (for example: construction, sales, or consulting).
Engage a subcontractor for a specific project, for a fixed term, or on an ongoing basis.
To establish a secured cooperation, on an exclusive full-time basis or part-time non-exclusive grounds.

Key Aspects of Subcontractor Contract

This subcontractor agreement sample is primarily used to delegate ancillary services or works to an independent service supplier, whether a company or registered business.
The document should clearly outline the scope of work, start and termination, as well as additional responsibilities of the subcontractor.
Our sample includes provisions for a regular fee, rebilling of costs and taxes, material prices, and a down payment retainer.
In contrast to an employee, a subcontractor operates independently, managing their schedule and bearing both the costs and economic risks associated with the work.

Seven tips on Subcontractor Agreement

To legally protect yourself as a principal, we encourage you to opt for the following points in our subcontractor contract template UK version:

Clear definition of taxes, costs, and prices for materials that can be rebilled by a subcontractor.
Restrictions on any act of competition, solicitation, and non-disclosure duties with lump-sum penalties for breach.
Prohibition to delegate work to unauthorised parties.

The subcontractor form template should offer protection and benefits to the subcontractor as well. These might be:

Right of representation by signature, to act on behalf of the principal, and authorisation to delegate work to third parties.
Flexible remuneration policy and calculation of fees, with a down payment retainer amount.
Termination effect for the end of a period to ensure minimum remuneration until the term.
Limitation of liability, acquisition, or transfer of intellectual property and a shortened review period.

Customizing Document Template for Your Needs

Whether a subcontractor or a client, you can draft a professional subcontractor agreement template in just a few minutes using AdminTech’s online document builder, and be confident about the legal protection you receive.

With AdminTech’s sample subcontractor agreement form, simply fill in the fields with the required information, and the document shall automatically adjust to your specific needs.

Create an Independent Subcontractor Contract with AdminTech

A professional subcontractor contract template covers the following information:

Parties’ name and identification.
Scope of work, responsibilities, and reporting regularity.
Terms of cooperation and termination notices.
Taxes, materials, and ancillary expenses.
Retainer, guarantees, and limitations of liability.
Restrictions and non-disclosure provisions.
Intellectual property rights.

Independent Subcontractor Form FAQ

What’s an independent subcontractor agreement?

An example of subcontractor contract template from AdminTech provides parties with an opportunity to create a professional document that can be used during the cooperation with subcontractors with more flexibility as opposed to hiring employees. This simple subcontractor agreement template is made by a lawyer and is governed by English law.

How many hours can a subcontractor work per week?

In English law, there are no legal limitations on the number of hours of work for an independent subcontractor. Although a weekly time commitment may be provided in the subcontractor agreement template, the subcontractor is generally free to organise the schedule.

What is the maximum duration for a subcontractor?

There are no legal restrictions on the duration of a contract for subcontractor. The parties may convene a fixed-term or a permanent relationship subject to a termination notice. Immediate termination for cause is reserved as per the clauses of our subcontractor contract template.

Should a subcontractor agreement be made in written form?

Subcontracting may be performed and is legally enforceable even on a verbal agreement basis, but it is advised to draft a professional subcontractor agreement sample for the following reasons:

Proof of parties’ intentions, purpose, and terms.
Legal title of due fees, costs, and expenses for reporting purposes.
Enhanced comprehensibility and clarity of parties’ rights and duties.

We advise using the subcontractor contract template UK version to best protect your legal interests.

What is the difference between a subcontractor and an employee?

An independent subcontractor could also operate as a registered business or company. In cases where they are individuals, the primary distinction from an employment arrangement lies in the lack of economic risk and subordination. An independent subcontractor generally:

Has several clients.
Assumes costs and expenses personally.
Defines working schedule freely.
Is allowed to delegate and outsource work.

Is the subcontractor liable for employees and third-party suppliers?

Breach of prohibition to delegate is sufficient grounds for damage claims. In the sample subcontractor agreement form, the principal may prohibit or allow this. In this second case, the subcontractor is liable for any fault of employees or delegates as if they were that of the subcontractor.

How can a subcontractor agreement be terminated?

Fixed-term agreements come to expiration upon their term without any notice.

Permanent contracts may be terminated with notice. In our example of subcontractor form template, you may specify shorter or longer notice periods, provided they are equal for both parties.

Termination for just cause is reserved, in particular for delay in payment, force majeure, or substantial breach of the contract by either of the parties.

What compensation is the principal entitled to in case of breach?

A subcontractor is liable for the diligent performance of services, although there is no guarantee of any objective result. Where the principal suffers damage or lost profits due to fault or negligence of the subcontractor, the former is entitled to monetary compensation, as well as coverage of legal fees, if any.

The principal reserves the right to withhold the payment of the fees as a guarantee.

How can subcontractors ensure a successful cooperation experience?

To ensure a successful subcontracting experience, it is generally advisable to:

Verify that the subcontractor does not have an employee status.
Clarify responsibilities, rights of delegation, representation, and competition.
Determine the regularity and amount of fees, taxes, costs, and material prices to be billed on top.
Create a professional subcontractor agreement template based on our sample.
Stipulate limitations on liability, defect inspection notice, and penalties for breach.
Outline the start and duration of subcontracting cooperation.

Draft your legally binding subcontractor agreement template with the AdminTech online document builder.