Proposal Generation
When to Use
- Starting a new client engagement and need a contract or proposal fast
- Client asks for a proposal with pricing and timeline
- Partnership or vendor relationship requiring an MSA
- Protecting IP or confidential information with an NDA
- Need a Statement of Work with a deliverables matrix
- EU/DACH project requiring GDPR-compliant data clauses
Context Required
From startup-context or the user:
- Document type — Contract, proposal, SOW, NDA (mutual/one-way), or MSA
- Jurisdiction — US (Delaware), EU (GDPR), UK (post-Brexit), or DACH (German law)
- Engagement type — Fixed-price, hourly, or retainer
- Parties — Names, roles, business addresses
- Scope summary — 1-3 sentences describing the engagement
- Financial terms — Total value, hourly rate, or retainer amount
- Timeline — Start date, end date or duration, milestone dates
- Special requirements — IP assignment, white-label, subcontractors, exclusivity
Workflow
- Gather requirements — Read startup-context if available. Collect all eight inputs listed above. Flag any missing item as REQUIRED.
- Select document type — Match the engagement to the right format: fixed-price contract, consulting retainer, SaaS partnership, NDA, SOW, or full proposal.
- Apply jurisdiction rules — Select clause variants based on governing law. US uses work-for-hire doctrine; EU requires explicit IP assignment deeds; DACH requires transfer of Nutzungsrechte since authors retain moral rights under BGB.
- Draft the document — Fill all sections using structured Markdown with bracketed placeholders for client-specific data. Include the key clauses table below.
- Add GDPR addendum if needed — For EU/DACH engagements handling personal data, attach a Data Processing Addendum per Art. 28 GDPR covering data categories, sub-processors, and cross-border transfer mechanisms.
- Review for common pitfalls — Check for missing IP assignment language, vague acceptance criteria, no change order process, jurisdiction mismatches, and missing liability caps.
- Provide conversion instructions — Include Pandoc commands for DOCX output with legal-style numbered sections.
Output Format
Deliver a complete document in structured Markdown containing:
- Header block — Effective date, party names, addresses
- Services / scope — Detailed deliverables with acceptance criteria and dates
- Payment terms — Milestone-based, net-30, or retainer schedule with late payment interest
- Intellectual property — Ownership assignment, pre-existing IP licenses, portfolio rights
- Confidentiality — Duration (2-5 years standard, perpetual for trade secrets)
- Warranties — As-is disclaimer or limited fix warranty (30/90-day)
- Liability cap — 1x contract value standard, 3x for high-risk engagements
- Termination — For cause (14-day cure) and for convenience (30/60/90-day notice)
- Dispute resolution — Jurisdiction-appropriate arbitration (AAA/ICC/LCIA/DIS)
- Signature block — Both parties with date lines
Frameworks & Best Practices
Key Clauses Reference
| Clause | Options |
|---|---|
| Payment terms | Net-30, milestone-based, monthly retainer |
| IP ownership | Work-for-hire (US), assignment (EU/UK), Nutzungsrechte transfer (DACH) |
| Liability cap | 1x contract value (standard), 3x (high-risk) |
| Termination | For cause (14-day cure), convenience (30/60/90-day notice) |
| Confidentiality | 2-5 year term, perpetual for trade secrets |
| Dispute resolution | AAA (US), ICC (EU), LCIA (UK), DIS (DACH) |
Jurisdiction-Specific Rules
- US (Delaware): Work-for-hire doctrine applies under Copyright Act 101. Arbitration via AAA Commercial Rules. Non-competes enforceable with reasonable scope/time.
- EU (GDPR): Must include Data Processing Addendum for any personal data. IP assignment may require separate written deed. Arbitration via ICC.
- UK (post-Brexit): Governed by English law. IP under Patents Act 1977 / CDPA 1988. UK GDPR applies. Arbitration via LCIA Rules.
- DACH: BGB governs contracts. Written form required for certain clauses (para 126 BGB). Authors retain moral rights — must explicitly transfer Nutzungsrechte. Non-competes max 2 years with compensation required (para 74 HGB). Include Schriftformklausel.
Pricing Presentation Strategy
Present three tiers to anchor the prospect and make the middle option feel natural:
| Starter | Recommended | Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | Core deliverables | Core + integrations | Everything + custom work |
| Best for | Teams getting started | Most teams | Enterprise needs |
| Price | $X | $Y | $Z |
Always lead with value before cost. Show ROI math: "This investment of $X saves $Y, paying for itself in Z months."
SOW-Specific Guidance
A Statement of Work is operational, not persuasive. Key sections:
- Deliverables table — Each deliverable gets a row: description, acceptance criteria, delivery date
- RACI matrix — Roles and responsibilities for each workstream
- Change management — How to handle scope changes and the approval process
- Payment schedule — Tied to milestones, not just calendar dates
- Assumptions — Conditions the timeline and price depend on
Common Pitfalls
- Missing IP assignment language — "Work for hire" alone is insufficient in EU; DACH needs explicit Nutzungsrechte transfer
- Vague acceptance criteria — Always define what "accepted" means with written sign-off and rejection windows
- No change order process — Scope creep kills fixed-price projects; add a clause for out-of-scope work
- Jurisdiction mismatch — Choosing Delaware law for a German-only project creates enforcement problems
- Missing liability cap — Without a cap, one bug could mean unlimited damages
- Oral amendments — Always require written amendments signed by both parties
Disclaimer: Not a substitute for legal counsel. Use these as strong starting frameworks; review with an attorney for high-value or complex engagements.
Related Skills
sales-script— Use for the sales conversations that precede the proposalcold-outreach— Use to generate the initial conversations that lead to proposal-stage deals
Examples
Prompt: "I need a fixed-price contract for a $45K web app project with a German client."
Good output snippet:
# SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT Effective Date: [DATE] Client: [CLIENT LEGAL NAME], [ADDRESS] ("Client") Developer: [YOUR LEGAL NAME / COMPANY], [ADDRESS] ("Developer") Governing Law: German law (BGB) Arbitration: DIS Rules, [CITY] ## 2. PAYMENT Total Fee: EUR 45,000 | Milestone | Amount | Due | |-----------|--------|-----| | Contract signing | 50% (EUR 22,500) | Upon execution | | Beta delivery | 25% (EUR 11,250) | [DATE] | | Final acceptance | 25% (EUR 11,250) | Within 5 days of acceptance | ## 3. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Upon receipt of full payment, Developer assigns all Nutzungsrechte (usage rights) in the Work Product to Client. Developer retains moral rights per German copyright law (UrhG).
