The company server fails late on a Friday night. The manager calls the support provider and is told that weekend support is not part of the contract. Or the provider says backups were never its job. Both sides thought something else had been agreed, but the contract says nothing. A clear contract protects both parties before a problem ever happens.
Scope of Services
The first and most important section is a precise list of what is supported:
- Systems: Servers, virtual machines, network and firewall, user computers, printers, email, phones and specialized software.
- Scale: How many servers, users and branches.
- Preventive services: Updates, backup checks, health monitoring and periodic site visits.
- Out-of-scope items: For example new projects, setting up a branch, or support for software that is covered by its own vendor.
Spell out backup responsibility: who runs the backups, who checks the results, and how often and by whom restore tests are performed. Ambiguity in this clause can be the most expensive ambiguity in the contract.
Service Levels and Response Times
- Support hours: Business hours only, extended hours or 24/7, and how holidays are handled.
- Priority levels: Define what is critical (for example the whole company stopped), what is high (a problem affecting one department) and what is normal (a single user’s request).
- Response time and resolution time: For each level, write down the maximum time to start working on the issue and the target time to resolve it separately. A “response” is not the same as a “resolution”.
- How to submit requests: Ticketing system, email or phone, and the escalation path if a request goes unanswered.
- Remote or on-site support: When on-site presence is required and how travel costs to branches are charged.
Costs and Pricing Model
Common models include a fixed recurring fee, a block of hours, or a combination of both. Whichever model you choose, make these points clear:
- Which services are covered by the fixed fee and what is billed separately.
- Whether parts, licenses and equipment are included in the contract.
- How after-hours work is charged.
- The terms for adjusting the fee when the contract is renewed.
Security, Access and Ownership
- Confidentiality: The support provider has access to sensitive information, so a confidentiality commitment should be part of the contract.
- Ownership of passwords and accounts: Admin passwords, service accounts and domains belong to your company, and you should always keep a copy of them.
- Documentation: The support provider should be required to maintain and hand over documentation of the network and systems.
- Reporting: Regular reports on work performed, issues and recommendations.
Your Responsibilities and Ending the Contract
A contract has two sides. Your company’s responsibilities should also be clear: naming a point of contact, providing the necessary access and supplying legal software licenses. For ending the relationship, write down how and within what time frame passwords, documentation and access will be handed over, so that changing support providers does not turn your data and systems into hostages.
Checklist
- List of systems and services, and out-of-scope items
- Explicit responsibility for backups and restore testing
- Support hours, priority levels, and response and resolution times
- Pricing model and items outside the fixed fee
- Confidentiality commitment and ownership of passwords and accounts
- Regular reporting and handover of documentation
- Handover process at the end of the contract
It is a good idea to have the company’s legal advisor review the final contract text as well. ITPlus724 engineers can also help define the scope of services and a support level that fits your company.