Software support, maintenance and consultancy agreement
This agreement covers three different types of service: software-related support services, the maintenance of software (including updates / upgrades), and general consultancy.
Optional service level agreements (SLAs) for the support and maintenance are included as schedules to this document. The SLAs set out specific requirements in relation to the provision of those services. For example, the service provider may undertake to respond to support requests within some defined period, or to apply security upgrades within a specific period following release of the relevant patch.
The agreement is in traditional form, with the parties' details at the top and the signature block at the end of the main body of the agreement.
The agreement does not include provisions covering the development of software, the licensing or resale of software or the supply of hardware. It does however include a GDPR-friendly data processor clause.

Software support, maintenance and consultancy agreement contents
- Definitions: definitions.
- Term: commencement of term; end of term.
Consultancy Services : obligation to provide consultancy services; devotion of personnel to consultancy services; keeping customer informed of consultancy services; consultancy services: compliance with reasonable customer requests; suspension of consultancy services.Maintenance Services : maintenance services provision; standard of maintenance services; maintenance services in accordance with SLA; suspension of maintenance services; termination of maintenance services for convenience; discontinuing software maintenance services; consequences of termination of maintenance services.Support Services : support services provision; standard of support services; support services in accordance with SLA; suspension of support services; termination of support services for convenience; consequences of termination of support services.- Customerobligations: general second party obligations; access to computer systems.
- No assignment of
Intellectual Property Rights : no assignments of intellectual property rights. - Charges: obligation to pay charges; time-base charges limitations; amounts inclusive or exclusive of VAT; variation of charges.
- Timesheets: obligation to keep timesheets; obligation to supply timesheets.
- Payments: issue of invoices; time for payment of charges following invoice; payment methods; interest on late payments; interest on late payments.
- Confidentiality obligations: first party confidentiality undertaking; second party confidentiality undertaking; disclosure of confidential information to certain persons; exceptions to confidentiality obligations; disclosures of confidential information mandated by law etc; parties to stop using confidential information upon termination; parties to delete confidential information following termination; confidentiality obligations after termination.
- Data protection: compliance with data protection laws; warranty of Customer's right to disclose personal data (GDPR); details of personal data processed bythe Provider(GDPR); purposes of processing of personal data bythe Provider(GDPR); duration of personal data processing byProvider(GDPR); personal data processed byProvideron instructions (GDPR); authorised international transfers of personal data (GDPR); informingCustomerof illegal instructions (GDPR); personal data processed byProvideras required by law (GDPR); confidentiality obligations onProviderpersons processing personal data (GDPR); security of personal data processed byProvider(GDPR); appointment of sub-processor byProvider(GDPR); authorisation forProviderto appoint sub-processors (GDPR);Providerto assist with exercise of data subject rights (GDPR);Providerto assist with compliance (GDPR); obligation to notifyCustomerof personal data breach (GDPR);Providerto provide data protection compliance information (GDPR); deletion of personal data byProvider(GDPR);Providerto allow audit (GDPR); changes to data protection law.
- Warranties: first party general warranties; second party warranty of authority; exclusion of implied warranties and representations.
- Indemnities: indemnity upon breach: any provision or specified provisions (with definition); conditions upon first party indemnity; indemnity upon breach: any provision or specified provisions (with definition); conditions upon second party indemnity; limitations of liability vs indemnities.
- Limitations and exclusions of liability: caveats to limits of liability; interpretation of limits of liability; no liability for force majeure; no liability for loss of profits; no liability for loss of revenue; no liability for loss of use; no liability for loss of opportunities; no liability for loss of data or software; no liability for consequential loss; per event liability cap upon services contract; aggregate liability cap upon services contract.
Force Majeure Event : obligations suspended for force majeure; force majeure notification and information; mitigation of effects of force majeure.- Termination: termination without cause (optionally asymmetric); termination by either party without cause; termination upon breach; termination upon insolvency; termination upon non-payment; rights of termination supplemental or exclusive.
- Effects of termination: surviving provisions upon termination; termination does not affect accrued rights; charges on termination of contract.
- Notices: methods and deemed receipt of contractual notices; contact details for contractual notices; substitute contact details for notices.
- Subcontracting: no subcontracting without consent; subcontracting permitted; first party responsible for subcontracted obligations.
- General: no waiver; severability; variation written and signed; no assignment without written consent; no third party rights; entire agreement; governing law; exclusive jurisdiction.
- Interpretation: statutory references; section headings not affecting interpretation; calendar month meaning; no ejusdem generis.
SCHEDULE 1 (SOFTWARE AND CONSULTANCY PARTICULARS)
- Identification of
Software : identification of software prompt. - Specification of
Services : specification of services prompt. - Financial provisions: financial provisions prompt.
- Contractual notices: prompt for first party contractual notice address details; prompt for second party contractual notice address details.
SCHEDULE 2 (MAINTENANCE SLA)
- Introduction: introduction to maintenance SLA.
Updates : notice of software updates; provision of software updates; application of software updates; provision and application of software updates; consequences of not applying software update.Upgrades : upgrade release roadmap; obligation to release upgrades; notice of software upgrades; provision of software upgrades; application of software upgrades; provision and application of software upgrades; consequences of not applying software upgrade.
SCHEDULE 3 (SUPPORT SLA)
- Introduction: introduction to support SLA.
- Helpdesk: helpdesk obligation; purpose of support services helpdesk; access to helpdesk; times of helpdesk availability; all requests for support to go through helpdesk.
- Response and resolution: software support issue categorisation; allocation of support issue severity categories; support response times; contents of response to support request; support resolution times.
- Provision of
Support Services : support services to be provided remotely. - Limitations on
Support Services : excessive use of support services; specific exceptions to support services; support services and unrelated issues.
SCHEDULE 4 (DATA PROCESSING INFORMATION)
- Categories of data subject: prompt for categories of data subject.
- Types of
Personal Data : prompt for types of personal data. - Purposes of processing: prompt for personal data processing purposes.
- Security measures for
Personal Data : prompt for security measures for personal data. - Sub-processors of Personal Data: prompt for identifying sub-processors of personal data.



















