How Should You Structure a Custom Software Development or Operations & Maintenance Contract? — Learning the Quasi-Mandate vs. Contract-for-Work Distinction from IPA's 'Model Contract' (archived 2026-08-27)

Abstract

When you outsource system development, how should the contract be structured? Drawing on the 'Information System Model Transaction and Contract' published by IPA, this article explains, in terms accessible to the client side too, the thinking behind multi-stage contracts, the difference between quasi-mandate and contract-for-work agreements, and what an operations and maintenance contract needs to spell out. Archived version of https://comcomponent.com/en/blog/ipa-model-contract-development-maintenance/, as published on 2026-08-27. The live article is maintained and may change after this date. First published 2026-07-17.