A statement of work should be very specific.
A Statement of Work (SOW) is a formal document to be agreed upon between a provider and a client. Often included as part of a formal contract, it is designed to clearly define and delineate the entire scope of a project, including deliverables, responsibility, delivery timelines and milestones, costs, and final approval. Each SOW is specific to the parties concerned, but a well-written SOW should have no ambiguities and contain certain key sections. Does this Spark an idea?
Purpose
This section describes overall information about the project, including background information, the reasons why the project must be done and generally provides a high level view of the expectations for its completion.
List of Deliverables
This is a detailed, comprehensive listing of the deliverables agreed upon between provider and client.
Scope of Work
This describes the exact nature of the tasks to be accomplished by the contractor or provider. This is a critical section, because it provides detailed information, such as who carries specific responsibilities for certain tasks, technical requirements such as what hardware or software will be used, and how the work will be evaluated and by whom. Its inclusion ensures that all members of the team are on the same page and have a clear understanding of what needs to be done.
Location of Work
This section is about where the work will be done, i.e., on-site or off-site, and where meetings will be held. The client may prefer that all work be performed at their headquarters or facilities, for example. If the provider works on the project from home or another location, that might be considered outside the scope of the project.
Schedule or Timeline
This section provides information on scheduling and milestones. It details exactly which deliverables will be accomplished at which stage of the project. It might include information on billable hours and how much time has been allotted for each aspect of the project.
Special Circumstances
This section is important because every SOW is unique and relevant only to the parties involved. Therefore, there may be special circumstances to be considered or important aspects of the project that are not covered elsewhere in the document, such as travel arrangements, corporate requirements, or other miscellaneous information.
Costs and Payment Schedule
This section indicates the expected cost of the project and details when payments will be made to the provider.
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