# Need a sample Service Level Agreement



## Slash (1 Jul 2010)

I have a client that has no full-time IT manager. Instead, they have an IT service company that provides services such as network management, fixing PCs, etc., etc.

All has been on an informal basis so far. Now they want to formalise the relationship with a Service Level Agreement, which would cover the services to be privided, agreed response times, costs per hour, etc.

Does anyone know where I can get a sample or specimen SLA?

Did a Google search, but no luck. There are some SLAs that you can purchase on line, but am reluctant to do that without knowing what is in them.

Thanks.


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## Sconhome (1 Jul 2010)

Ask the service provider for a sample contract as you wish to speak with your client about implementing the service agreement.


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## Neg Covenant (1 Jul 2010)

Sample Service Level Agreements are not readily available.

A solicitor should be able to lay his hands on one for you.  They vary hugely in scope and detail from proper out-sourcing agreements to IT services contract to kiss-my-This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language cloud computing type agreements.

It is up to the service provider to decide what it is they are selling and therefore what their contract will provide for.   Therefore, the best thing is to aske the service provider to provide a sample contract.

You will find that a lot is excluded once you formalise the arrangement in a contract.


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## Complainer (1 Jul 2010)

Neg Covenant said:


> It is up to the service provider to decide what it is they are selling and therefore what their contract will provide for.   Therefore, the best thing is to aske the service provider to provide a sample contract.


I disagree - this is a bit like giving them a blank cheque, and asking them to fill in the amount. 

Templates for these things are dangerous - people tend to fill in the blanks without doing the necessary thinking. I'd suggest that the OP sits down and starts with a few simple headings, and writes down in non-technical business terms, what are the services to be provided under this agreement. The headings might be something like;

Desktop/laptop PCs
Other equipment (printers/scanners)
Servers
Software support
Security and Data Protection
Backups
Roles & responsibilities - client
Roles & responsibilities - supplier
Communications
Metrics and reporting
Invoicing and payment

The texts for each technical area should mention response times and fix times, and detail who pays for what (e.g. spare parts etc).


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## Neg Covenant (1 Jul 2010)

It is a worthwhile exercise to do what Complainer suggests.   Additionally, a solicitor might be able to provide you with a precedent check-list of issues to be addressed to get you going.

I would be suspicious of any company which didn't have a standard contract though.   A company should want to keep its business relationships uniform to make it easier for employees to know what their obligations are and to make the company easier to sell if needs be.   A company with multiple customers that lets you design your own contract might not be a very well run company.


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## Bob_tg (1 Jul 2010)

I have not come across a readily available template of good quality on the internet.

Solicitors are not really the right people to provide SLAs - they are not technical.  They can review an SLA, however, in a completed context within a contractual setting.  You would need more of a technical or commercial procurement input than legal input.

Also, I kind of agree with Complainer - don't rely on the service provider for the SLA; however, don't rule it out, as sometimes service providers can have good templates.

However, in most cases, to get to a satisfactory level required, it would require a degree of professional input from your side.  You could either edit the service provider's suggested document, or originate one yourself.

If you wish to originate one yourself or need assistance in editing, PM me, as I have an ex-colleague with a background in technical procurement who recently availed of redundancy who could be available to assist in such matters.


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## JoeRoberts (3 Jul 2010)

The IT company is providing the service. They should outline this service in a SLA. If they don't have a SLA then I would worry about their ability to deliver on anything. If you want something else added to the SLA then say so. It is very standard these days. No need for you to engage a solicitor.
There are plenty of IT companies out there such as MJ Flood,Calyx etc who provide and agree on a SLA as standard.

A SLA is just a detailed contract. It is unlikely that you buy any other services without knowing what the terms of the contract are. Follow the same principle for IT contracts.

Most IT companies have a standard "break and fix" contract. You specify your equipment i.e. number of pc/servers/laptops/printers etc. They cover all hw and sw issues.
If you want them to perform backups / regular checks/ add new users etc  then that is extra as is new installations and software installs/upgrades.

Sit down with them and discuss what you want them to do - they are the experts in this area, not solicitors.

A lot boils down to the response time you want to guarantee - be it 4 hrs/8hrs/24hrs etc - this is where you need to decide how much to pay. Obviously, you can pay more for a guaranteed short response time. However, in my experience, IT companies will always sort you out in a real emergency when all systems are down and it is critical. Just don't "call wolf" every time there is a minor issue.

To facilitate the IT company, your client should allow the IT company access to his systems and servers over the internet. This requires a great deal of trust and therefore it is important to select a reliable IT company. A company that does not provide a basic SLA is unlikely to have proper controls for such access.


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## contemporary (3 Jul 2010)

Hi,

You'll get a sample on the link below, you will need to sign up for a free account though

http://downloads.techrepublic.com.com/abstract.aspx?docid=173833&tag=content;leftCol


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## Slash (13 Jul 2010)

Just what I need. Thanks, Contemporary.


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