Contract for project by deadline for Switzerland

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 Switzerland 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 agreement

A project contract 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 agreement 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 a project agreement 

• This project-based contract template 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 a project agreement 

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. 

Create a project agreement with AdminTech 

Using AdminTech online document builder and a project contract template, only provide the necessary information in the relevant fields, and the document shall automatically be tailored to your specific requirements. 

A professional project contract 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. 

FAQ on a project agreement 

How is a project remunerated? 

Under the terms of our project contract 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 agreement 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-based contract template, 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 project agreement template, 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 example, 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.