ADGM Master Services Agreement — Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) | IndexLaw Templates
Master services agreementAbu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)
ADGM Master Services Agreement
A reusable master services agreement for a Customer engaging a Supplier to provide services under one or more work orders, governed by ADGM law.
What it covers
Business-to-business service arrangements where the detailed scope, deliverables, fees and timetable are agreed in work orders under an overarching agreement.
Arrangements governed by the law of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
Professional, technology, consultancy, operational and managed services, with optional provisions for personal data, subcontracting and service levels.
What it does not cover
Employment, worker or agency arrangements.
Construction or engineering contracts requiring project-specific statutory, site, security or insurance terms.
Consumer contracts.
Regulated financial services, healthcare, telecoms, public procurement or other highly regulated services without specialist adaptation.
Arrangements primarily for licensing software or transferring intellectual property without material services.
Document preview25 sections
INDEXLAW / CONTRACT LIBRARYAGREEMENT TEMPLATE
ADGM Master Services Agreement
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)
Highlighted blanks are the details your parties fill in.
Parties
This agreement is dated the date on which it is signed by the last of the parties.
This agreement is made between [TO BE CONFIRMED — Customer] (the "Customer") and [TO BE CONFIRMED — Supplier] (the "Supplier").
Key Terms
"Purpose" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Purpose].
"Services" means the services described in a work order.
"Deliverables" means the documents, materials and other outputs that a work order identifies as deliverables to be provided by the Supplier.
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A balanced cross-border master services agreement under which a Supplier provides professional, technical or managed services to a Customer under statements of work.
Jurisdiction
International / Cross-Border
"Customer Materials" means materials, data and other items provided by or for the Customer to the Supplier.
"Supplier Background Materials" means materials, methods, software, tools, templates, know-how and other items owned by or licensed to the Supplier before the relevant work order or developed independently of it.
"Confidential Information" means information disclosed by or for a party in connection with this agreement that is identified as confidential or would reasonably be understood to be confidential.
"Payment Period" means 30 days after receipt of a valid invoice.
"Initial Term" means one year.
"Renewal Period" means successive periods of one year.
"Non-Renewal Notice Period" means 90 days.
"Termination Notice Period" means 30 days.
"Liability Cap" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Liability cap].
"Customer Notice Address" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Customer notice address].
"Supplier Notice Address" means [TO BE CONFIRMED — Supplier notice address].
"Service Level Measurement Period" means one calendar month.
"Transition Period" means 90 days.
Work Orders
The parties may enter into work orders under this agreement. A work order must describe the Services, Deliverables, fees, timetable, assumptions, acceptance criteria and any service levels that apply. It becomes binding only when signed by both parties, and is incorporated into this agreement.
If there is a conflict, the following order of precedence applies: a work order, but only to the extent it expressly states that it overrides this agreement; this agreement; and any document incorporated by reference. A purchase order is administrative only and does not amend this agreement.
Services
The Supplier must perform the Services with reasonable skill and care, using suitably skilled and experienced personnel, in accordance with the applicable work order, applicable law and the Purpose.
The Customer must provide the access, information, decisions, cooperation and approvals reasonably required for the Supplier to perform the Services. The Supplier is not responsible for delay or failure caused by the Customer’s failure to do so, and the parties will agree any reasonable resulting change to the affected work order.
Changes
Either party may request a change to a work order. No change is effective unless recorded in a written change request signed by both parties, stating its effect on scope, fees, timetable, assumptions and any other affected terms. The Supplier must continue to perform the unchanged Services while a change request is being considered.
Fees and Payment
The Customer must pay the fees and reimbursable expenses specified in each work order. The Supplier may invoice in accordance with that work order, and each valid undisputed invoice is payable within the Payment Period. The Customer must notify the Supplier promptly of a good-faith dispute and pay the undisputed amount when due.
Fees and expenses are exclusive of VAT and similar indirect taxes, which the Customer must pay on receipt of a valid tax invoice. Each party is responsible for taxes imposed on its own income, profits, personnel and property. If the Customer is required by law to withhold tax, it may do so and must provide the Supplier with evidence of the withholding.
Acceptance
The Customer must test each Deliverable against the acceptance criteria in the applicable work order within the period stated there. It must accept the Deliverable if it materially conforms to those criteria, or give a written rejection identifying material non-conformities. The Supplier must promptly correct those non-conformities and resubmit the Deliverable. A Deliverable is deemed accepted if the Customer uses it in production other than for testing, or does not reject it within the stated period.
Service Levels
The Supplier must measure its performance against the service levels in the applicable work order during each Service Level Measurement Period and provide the Customer with the reports stated there. The remedies for a service-level failure are those specified in that work order and do not limit other remedies for a material breach unless the work order expressly says they are exclusive.
Intellectual Property
The Customer retains ownership of all intellectual property rights in materials, data and other items it provides to the Supplier. The Customer grants the Supplier a non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free licence to use them only as necessary to perform the Services during the applicable work order.
On payment of all fees due for the relevant Deliverables, the Supplier assigns to the Customer all intellectual property rights in Deliverables created specifically for the Customer under a work order, excluding Supplier Background Materials. The Supplier grants the Customer a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, modify and allow its affiliates and service providers to use Supplier Background Materials incorporated in those Deliverables as necessary to use and exploit the Deliverables.
Confidentiality
Each party must keep the other party’s Confidential Information confidential and use it only to perform or receive the Services and for the Purpose. It may disclose Confidential Information to its affiliates, professional advisers, auditors, insurers and personnel who need to know it and are bound by confidentiality obligations, or where required by law, court order or regulator, where lawful notice is given. Confidential Information does not include information that the recipient can show is public other than through breach, already lawfully known, independently developed, or lawfully received without restriction.
Data Protection
Each party must comply with applicable data protection law. Where the Supplier processes personal data on the Customer’s behalf, the Customer is the controller and the Supplier is the processor unless the applicable work order states otherwise. The parties must enter into a data processing schedule that records the required processing details and requires appropriate technical and organisational measures, confidentiality, assistance, incident notification, approved subprocessors, deletion or return, and audit cooperation.
Personnel and Subcontracting
The Supplier may use subcontractors but remains responsible for their acts and omissions as if they were its own. The Supplier must ensure that each subcontractor is bound by written obligations consistent with the Supplier’s obligations under this agreement.
Warranties
Each party warrants that it has authority to enter into and perform this agreement. The Supplier warrants that it will perform the Services in accordance with the Services clause. Except as expressly stated in this agreement, all warranties, conditions and terms implied by law are excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Indemnities
The Supplier must indemnify the Customer against losses finally awarded or agreed in settlement of a third-party claim that the Customer’s authorised use of a Deliverable infringes that third party’s intellectual property rights, provided that the Customer promptly notifies the Supplier, gives it sole control of the defence and settlement, and provides reasonable assistance. The Supplier may procure the right to continue use, modify or replace the affected Deliverable, or terminate the affected work order and refund prepaid fees for the unused affected Services. This does not apply to claims arising from Customer Materials, Customer instructions, unauthorised modification, or use contrary to this agreement.
Liability
Neither party excludes or limits liability for fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, death or personal injury caused by negligence, or any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Subject to that, neither party is liable for loss of profit, revenue, business, goodwill, anticipated savings or data, or for indirect or consequential loss. Each party’s aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with this agreement is limited to the Liability Cap.
Insurance
The Supplier must maintain insurance that is appropriate for the nature and risks of the Services, with reputable insurers, and provide reasonable evidence of that insurance on request.
Term
This agreement starts on the date it is signed by the last party and continues for the Initial Term. It then renews automatically for successive Renewal Periods unless either party gives the other written notice not to renew at least the Non-Renewal Notice Period before the end of the then-current term.
Termination
Either party may terminate this agreement or any work order for convenience by giving at least the Termination Notice Period written notice. The Customer must pay for Services properly performed and approved non-cancellable commitments properly incurred up to the effective termination date.
Either party may terminate this agreement or an affected work order immediately by written notice if the other party commits a material breach and, if the breach can be remedied, fails to remedy it within 30 days after receiving written notice requiring it to do so; or becomes insolvent, enters liquidation or administration, ceases or threatens to cease business, or is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, except as prohibited by applicable law.
If this agreement expires or is not renewed, each work order then in force continues until it is completed or ends under its own terms, and this agreement continues to apply to that work order until then. If either party terminates this agreement, each work order then in force terminates at the same time, unless the terminating party's notice states that a specified work order continues, in which case this agreement continues to apply to that work order until it ends.
Consequences of Termination
On termination or expiry, each party must return or securely destroy the other party’s Confidential Information on request, except for copies retained by automatic backup, legal requirement or legitimate compliance records. Termination does not affect accrued rights or obligations. The Confidentiality, Intellectual Property, Liability, Notices, Governing Law and Jurisdiction clauses, and any provisions intended to survive, continue after termination.
Transition Assistance
For the Transition Period after notice of termination or expiry, the Supplier must provide reasonable transition assistance requested by the Customer to enable an orderly transfer of the Services to the Customer or a replacement supplier. Unless termination is due to the Supplier’s breach, the Customer must pay the Supplier’s reasonable charges for that assistance at the rates in the applicable work order or, if none, the Supplier’s then-current standard rates.
Notices
A notice under this agreement must be in writing and delivered by hand, reputable courier or email to the recipient’s Customer Notice Address or Supplier Notice Address, as applicable, or to another address notified under this clause. A notice is deemed received when delivered by hand, on recorded delivery by courier, or when the sender receives no delivery-failure notice after sending an email before 5:00 pm on a business day at the recipient’s location; otherwise, at 9:00 am on the next business day.
Force Majeure
Neither party is liable for delay or failure to perform caused by an event beyond its reasonable control, except for payment obligations. The affected party must promptly notify the other, use reasonable efforts to mitigate the effect and resume performance. If the event continues for 60 days, either party may terminate the affected work order by written notice.
Assignment
Neither party may assign, transfer or otherwise deal with its rights or obligations under this agreement without the other party’s prior written consent, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, except that either party may assign this agreement to an affiliate or in connection with a merger, reorganisation or sale of all or substantially all of its relevant business or assets, provided the assignee can perform the assigning party’s obligations.
General
This agreement and its work orders are the entire agreement between the parties about their subject matter and replace prior discussions and arrangements. A variation is effective only if in writing and signed by authorised representatives of both parties. No failure or delay in exercising a right is a waiver. If any provision is invalid or unenforceable, it is adjusted to the minimum extent necessary or severed, and the remainder continues. Nothing in this agreement creates a partnership, joint venture, agency or employment relationship. A person who is not a party has no right to enforce this agreement.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
This agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it are governed by ADGM law. The courts of ADGM have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute arising out of or in connection with this agreement, including any non-contractual dispute.
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Jurisdiction
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