A Master Service Agreement (MSA) is a foundational contract between two parties that establishes the standing legal, commercial, and operational terms under which specific engagements - typically documented as SOWs - will operate.
What an MSA covers
Governing law, liability limitations, IP ownership, confidentiality, payment terms, dispute resolution, and any standing pricing or rebate structures. Specific projects are then executed under Statements of Work that reference the MSA.
Why MSAs matter for performance management
Because MSAs govern multiple downstream engagements, their economic terms have amplified impact. Structuring the MSA into computable data ensures every SOW inherits the correct contractual context automatically.
