Statement of work

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A statement of work (SOW) is a document used in the Systems Development (with ICN) Life Cycle. An organization desiring to have work done (i.e., the prospective customer) produces an SOW as part of a Request for Proposals. Software vendors or services companies (prospective contractors) respond with Proposals. The SOW specifies requirements at a very high level. Detailed requirements and pricing are usually specified at a later stage.

Areas that are typically addressed by an SOW are as follows:

Scope of Work, This describes the work to be done in detail and specifies the hardware and software involved and the exact nature of the work to be done.

Location of Work, This describes where the work is to be performed. This also specifies the location of hardware and software and where people will meet to perform the work.

Period of Performance, This specifies the allowable time for projects, such as start and finish time, number of hours that can be billed per week or month, where work is to be performed and anything else that relates to scheduling.

Deliverables Schedule, This part lists the specific deliverables, describing what is due and when.

Applicable Standards, This describes any industry specific standards that need to be adhered to in fulfilling the contract.

Acceptance Criteria, This specifies how the buyer or receiver of goods will determine if the product or service is acceptable, what criteria will be used to state the work is acceptable.

Special Requirements. This specifies any special hardware or software, specialized workforce requirements, such as degrees or certifications for personnel, travel requirements, and anything else not covered in the contract specifics.