License Notice: This template is provided under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. It incorporates elements from SixArm/consulting-agreement (CC-BY-SA-4.0) and shimon/consulting-contract-template (Public Domain).
DISCLAIMER: This template is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult with a qualified legal professional before using this template for your business.
DISCOVERY PHASE AGREEMENT
This Agreement is made as of [Month Day, Year], by and between:
[Consultant Name/Company]
[Address]
[City, State/Province, ZIP/Postal Code]
[Country]
[Website]
("Consultant")
and
[Client Name/Company]
[Address]
[City, State/Province, ZIP/Postal Code]
[Country]
[Website]
("Client")
The Consultant will perform the following discovery services:
- Conduct stakeholder interviews to understand project requirements and objectives
- Review existing documentation and materials provided by the Client
- Research market and competitive landscape
- Identify key challenges and opportunities
- Document findings and recommendations
- Create a preliminary project plan
- Develop a comprehensive project proposal or pitch deck
- [Add any additional discovery activities relevant to your specific engagement]
All deliverables under this discovery phase are subject to the constraints of the allotted timeframe and are intended to inform the potential full project scope.
The discovery phase will take place over the course of [X days/weeks].
All discovery work will be completed by [End Date].
The project proposal/pitch deck will be delivered by [Delivery Date].
Option A: Hourly Rate
- The Consultant will charge $[Rate] per hour for discovery phase services.
- An initial estimate of [X] hours is provided, for a total estimated cost of $[Total].
- Hours exceeding the estimate will be approved by the Client before being incurred.
- The Consultant will provide a detailed time log with invoices.
Option B: Fixed Fee
- The total fee for this discovery phase is $[Amount].
- An initial payment of [X]% ($[Amount]) is due upon signing this agreement.
- The remaining [Y]% ($[Amount]) will be invoiced upon completion of the discovery phase.
For Both Options:
- Payment is due within [X] days of invoice date.
- Late Payment: Payments not received within [X] days will incur a late fee of [X]% of the unpaid amount.
- Payment Method: [Specify Method(s)]
- Any applicable taxes will be added to invoices as required by law.
Upon completion of the discovery phase, the Consultant will provide:
- A comprehensive discovery findings document
- A project proposal or pitch deck (as agreed with the Client)
- [List any other specific deliverables]
All deliverables will be provided in [format: digital/printed/etc.] form.
- Any materials, methodologies, or other intellectual property provided or developed by the Consultant during the discovery phase will be licensed to the Client under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, unless otherwise specified.
- The Client may use the deliverables from the discovery phase for internal, non-commercial purposes only. The Client may not use, distribute, or license the deliverables for any commercial purposes without explicit permission from the Consultant.
- The Consultant retains the right to reuse any general approaches, techniques, or methodologies developed during this engagement in future projects, as long as no confidential client information is revealed.
- If the Client chooses to proceed with the full project following the discovery phase, intellectual property rights will be addressed in the subsequent agreement.
- The Consultant agrees to maintain the confidentiality of any proprietary or sensitive information disclosed by the Client during the discovery phase.
- Confidential information refers to any business, technical, or financial data shared during the term of this Agreement that is marked confidential or would reasonably be understood to be confidential.
- This confidentiality obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement for a period of [X] years.
- Confidential information shall not include information that:
- Is already known to the Consultant prior to disclosure
- Is or becomes part of the public domain without breach of this Agreement
- Is obtained from third parties which have no obligations to keep confidential to the parties to this Agreement
- Is independently developed by the Consultant without use of the Client's confidential information
- The Consultant's total liability arising from or related to this Agreement shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client.
- The Consultant shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including loss of profit, data, or revenue.
- The Client acknowledges that any recommendations provided during the discovery phase are based on information available at that time and may not guarantee specific business outcomes.
Either party may terminate this Agreement by giving [X] days written notice to the other of such termination. In the event that work is postponed or terminated at the request of the Client, the Consultant shall have the right to bill pro rata for work completed through the date of that request. If additional payment is due, this shall be payable within [X] days of the Client's written notification to stop work.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of [State/Province, Country]. Any disputes arising out of or related to this Agreement shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation.
This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the parties regarding the discovery phase and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements or understandings, whether written or oral.
[Client Name/Company]
By: ________________________________
Name: ______________________________
Title: _______________________________
Date: _______________________________
[Consultant Name/Company]
By: ________________________________
Name: ______________________________
Title: _______________________________
Date: _______________________________
- Organization Name:
- Primary Contact:
- Contact Email:
- Contact Phone:
- Industry/Sector:
- Organization Size:
- Website:
- Project Name:
- Brief Description:
- What triggered this project?:
- Previous related initiatives:
- Relevant history or context:
| Name | Title/Role | Involvement | Contact Information |
|---|---|---|---|
- Primary Goal:
- Secondary Goals:
- How will success be measured?:
- Key performance indicators:
- What problems are you trying to solve?:
- What's not working in the current situation?:
- What are the consequences of these issues?:
- Previous attempts to address these challenges:
- Primary audience:
- Secondary audiences:
- User personas:
- Market segment(s):
- Geographic focus:
- Direct competitors:
- Indirect competitors:
- Market leaders:
- Competitive advantages/disadvantages:
- Existing systems/platforms:
- Integration requirements:
- Technical constraints:
- Compliance requirements:
- Security considerations:
- Budget range:
- Budget constraints:
- Available internal resources:
- Decision-making process for budget approval:
- Desired start date:
- Target completion date:
- Key milestones:
- Timeline constraints:
- Critical deadlines:
- Potential obstacles:
- Dependencies:
- Organizational constraints:
- Political/stakeholder concerns:
- Key questions to answer:
- Research methods:
- Stakeholder interviews planned:
- Documents to review:
- Analysis to perform:
Prepared for: [Client Name]
Prepared by: [Your Name/Company]
Date: [Date]
[A concise overview of the client's situation, their needs, your proposed solution, and the expected outcomes. This should be compelling and clearly communicate the value of your proposal. Keep this to 1-2 paragraphs.]
[Demonstrate your understanding of the client's business, industry, challenges, and goals. Show that you've done your homework during the discovery phase. Reference specific information gathered during discovery to show you've listened and understood their unique situation.]
[Describe the client's current state, challenges, and pain points as identified during the discovery phase.]
[Clearly articulate the client's goals and what they hope to achieve with this project.]
[Explain your methodology and how you plan to address the client's needs. This should outline your strategic thinking and demonstrate the value of your proposed approach.]
[Describe the framework or process you'll use to tackle the project.]
[Highlight any key strategic elements that will guide your work.]
[Provide a detailed breakdown of what you will deliver. Be specific about what is included and what is not included to set clear expectations.]
[List the specific deliverables, activities, and responsibilities that are part of this proposal.]
[Clearly state what is out of scope to avoid misunderstandings later.]
[List and describe each deliverable in detail, including format, content, and purpose.]
| Deliverable | Description | Format | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
[Provide a detailed timeline with key milestones, activities, and deadlines.]
[Break down the project into phases with clear start and end dates.]
[List key milestones and associated deadlines.]
[Identify any dependencies that could affect the timeline.]
[Introduce the team members who will work on the project and their roles.]
| Team Member | Role | Responsibilities | Expertise |
|---|---|---|---|
[Clearly outline your pricing structure, payment schedule, and any additional costs.]
[State the total cost of the project and break it down if applicable.]
[Outline when payments are due and the amounts.]
[Identify any potential additional costs not covered in the base price.]
[Include the key legal and operational terms that will govern the project.]
[Explain how changes to the scope will be handled.]
[Clarify ownership of the work produced.]
[State your commitment to confidentiality.]
[Explain how either party can terminate the agreement.]
[Make a compelling case for why the client should choose you for this project. Highlight your unique qualifications, relevant experience, and any competitive advantages.]
[Describe what makes you uniquely qualified for this specific project.]
[Briefly mention similar projects or relevant experience without breaching confidentiality of other clients.]
[Explain what sets you apart from competitors.]
[Clearly outline what happens next if the client decides to proceed with your proposal.]
- [Step 1]
- [Step 2]
- [Step 3]
To accept this proposal, please sign below:
[Client Name/Company]
By: ________________________________
Name: ______________________________
Title: _______________________________
Date: _______________________________
[Your Name/Company]
By: ________________________________
Name: ______________________________
Title: _______________________________
Date: _______________________________
gantt
title Project Timeline
dateFormat YYYY-MM-DD
section Discovery
Initial Meeting :a1, 2025-01-01, 7d
Stakeholder Interviews :after a1, 14d
Research & Analysis :a2, after a1, 14d
section Planning
Strategy Development :a3, after a2, 10d
Preliminary Design :a4, after a3, 14d
Client Review :a5, after a4, 7d
section Implementation
Development :a6, after a5, 30d
Testing :a7, after a6, 14d
Client Review :a8, after a7, 7d
section Launch
Final Refinements :a9, after a8, 7d
Launch :a10, after a9, 3d
Post-Launch Support :a11, after a10, 14d
flowchart TD
A[Discovery Phase] --> B[Planning Phase]
B --> C[Implementation Phase]
C --> D[Launch Phase]
A --> A1[Stakeholder Interviews]
A --> A2[Market Research]
A --> A3[Requirements Analysis]
B --> B1[Strategy Development]
B --> B2[Preliminary Design]
B --> B3[Project Plan Creation]
C --> C1[Development]
C --> C2[Testing]
C --> C3[Client Review]
D --> D1[Final Refinements]
D --> D2[Launch]
D --> D3[Post-Launch Support]
| Risk Category | Risk Description | Probability | Impact | Mitigation Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Delays due to stakeholder feedback | Medium | High | Build buffer time into schedule, establish clear feedback deadlines |
| Technical | Integration issues with existing systems | High | Medium | Conduct thorough technical assessment early, plan for additional testing |
| Resource | Key team member unavailability | Low | High | Cross-train team members, document processes thoroughly |
| Budget | Scope expansion without budget adjustment | Medium | High | Clear change management process, regular scope reviews |
| External | Market changes affecting project relevance | Low | Medium | Regular market monitoring, flexible project approach |