Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Drafting and negotiating outsourcing service descriptions: scope, requirements versus description, sweep clauses, standards, delivery parameters, service levels and dependencies, level of detail, and the lawyer’s role

Published by a LexisNexis Commercial expert

Practice notes

This Practice Note

This Practice Note explains how to prepare and negotiate the service description schedule for an outsourcing contract. Sometimes called the requirements schedule, the service schedule defines the supplier’s service scope and is a crucial component of the outsourcing deal. It looks at what the schedule should include, the level of specificity needed, and how it links to other elements of the agreement, including service levels and dependencies. The services description schedule in an outsourcing arrangement sets out the breadth and depth of the services the supplier must provide to the customer. It is widely viewed as the agreement’s key section because it captures the essence of the parties’ bargain. While it is commonly drafted and negotiated by each side’s commercial or operational teams, early legal involvement is vital to secure clear, precise drafting and to confirm that the schedule is consistent with the contract’s other provisions.

This Practice Note covers the following:

What is the service description schedule?
The difference between ‘requirements’ and ‘description’
What should the schedule contain?
How

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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