PS2000 Standard contract - English version

The Norwegian Computer Society can now offer a complete set of standard contracts for software development and maintenance and management. The contracts have been used for a number of software projects in Norway the last years; and with success. The standard contracts are now being used in many of the largest public IT projects in Norway. The main feature of the contract for software development is that it provides mechanisms for establishing a common understanding between customer and the developer and a flexible iterative model for development suited for an environment of uncertainties and risks.

Standard contract for iterative development (Version 3.0)
The PS2000 Standard Contract was developed under the research program Project 2000, carried out in alliance between the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and leading industry and public administration in Norway.

The Norwegian Computer Society took over the responsibility for maintenance and further development of the standard contract. This edition represents a second revision of the standard contract.

The main elements of the standard contract are:

• Increasing efficiency of the procurement and tender processes
• Based on documented "Best practice"
• Tools for managing uncertainty
• Stage by stage, iterative development model securing ability to benefit from increasing understanding of the requirements and challenges
• Close co-operation between supplier and customer
• Incentives and sanctions in combination with target pricing
• Procedures for conflict resolution with an expert as a mediator

The PS2000 standard contract is designed to be used when it is particularly difficult or unserviceable to draw up a detailed specification prior to tendering, the idea being to leave open for the developer to find the best way to attain the objectives and needs of the customer.

The contract consists of three parts:

1. The Customer and Supplier are defined in the Part I, Contract Document, which also sets forth the order of priority between Part I, Part II and the annexes in Part III.
2. The General Provisions are stated in Part II. The objective of Part II is to govern the rights and obligations of the parties in relation to the development of the software, including any adaptations, services and associated hardware as specified in separate annexes (Part III) to the Contract.
3. Part III consists of all the specific annexes.

Maintenance Contract (Version 2.0)
The objective of this Maintenance Contract is to regulate clearly specified Maintenance Services to be performed in relation to software developed and delivered under a separate contract. The software may be a combination of both standard software and software developed specifically for the customer.

The Maintenance Contract is based on the same contractual concepts as the PS2000 Standard Contract, but the software may in principle have been developed and delivered under any kind of contract.

The Maintenance Contract does not cover further adaptations or development of the Software. Such further development will require a separate agreement regarding software development, or placement of call-off order against a framework agreement for software development. The reason for this is to ascertain a clear lines of responsibility and proper governing of the software.

The Framework Agreement (Version 2.0)
The Framework Agreement shall be entered into in connection with the Norwegian Computer Society's Maintenance Agreement for non-Standard Software.

The objective of the Framework Agreement is to govern the rights and obligations of the parties, in relation to software development services to be performed on the software defined in the above mentioned Maintenance Agreement.

The agreement regulates certain standard procedures for an ongoing co-operation during the course of the maintenance period, and specifically for ordering and performance of defined development tasks.

IT Service Operations Contract (Version 1.0)
The purpose of the Service Operations Contract is to regulate the parties’ obligations and entitlements in connection with IT Operations Services, hereinafter termed Operations Services, which the Supplier shall perform for the Customer. 

The Service Operations Contract is based on the same concepts as the PS2000 Standard Contract.