Guidance

Model services contract

Choosing the right terms and conditions of contract is essential for government and public sector buyers to get best value.

Published 1 April 2014
Last updated 29 May 2019 — see all updates
From:
Cabinet Office

Documents

Model Services Contract Combined Schedules v1.08 (England & Wales)

PDF, 2.57MB, 361 pages

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Model Services Contract Combined Schedules v1.08 (Scottish Law)

PDF, 2.59MB, 356 pages

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Model Services Contract v1.06 (England & Wales)

PDF, 1.52MB, 138 pages

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Model Services Contract v1.06 (Scottish Law)

PDF, 1.54MB, 136 pages

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List of Changes - Model Services Contract v1.06 and Combined Schedules v1.08 England & Wales (from v1.05 and Sch. v1.07)

PDF, 641KB, 19 pages

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Model Services Contract - Guidance (Version 2.0)

PDF, 3.1MB, 94 pages

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Details

The Cabinet Office, Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and the Government Legal Service have published an updated version of the Model Services Contract. This version reflects developments in government policy, regulation and the market. The Model Services Contract forms a set of model terms and conditions for major services contracts that are published for use by government departments and many other public sector organisations.

Editable versions in MS Word may be obtained from the Commercial Law site on LION. Please check here for new versions of this precedent before using it.

General guidance on the terms may be obtained by contacting Government Legal Department Commercial Law Group Team B (CLGB) on procurementlawyers@governmentlegal.gov.uk

If you have any feedback on the use of the Model Services Contract please email: modelservicescontract@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

The Model Services Contract:

  • has been developed for services contracts with an average, annual value over £20 million
  • has been developed for complex and high-risk contracts
  • reflects current government priorities and recommended ways of doing business
  • aims to aid assurance and reduce administration, legal costs and negotiation time

It is suitable for use with the range of business services that government purchases and contains applicable provisions for contracts for business process outsourcing and/or IT delivery services.

The documents are intended for use by procurement specialists and lawyers. You should carefully assess whether the provisions contained are appropriate for your project requirements and tailor the documents appropriately if required.

The Model Services Contract now appears here in forms suitable for use under both Scottish law and the law of England & Wales.

In addition we have published:

  • a ‘Contract Selection Guide’ (included within the MSC) to assist potential users determine which contract form best meets their needs
  • guidance for those users involved in the contracting process who may not have specialist backgrounds
  • a statement of changes showing what has changed and where from the previously issued version
Published 1 April 2014
Last updated 29 May 2019 + show all updates
  1. Added new paragraph with contact details
  2. Updated all page attachments to latest versions.
  3. Updated Model Service Contract attachments for England & Wales, and Scottish Law.
  4. Updated attachments.
  5. Updated versions of model services contract, combined contract and list of changes added for both England & Wales and Scotland.
  6. New attachments added.
  7. Guidance added.
  8. new documents uploaded, text amended
  9. Updated text and attachments added.
  10. First published.