Statement of work (SOW)

The part of a tender or contract that says exactly what the supplier will do: tasks, deliverables, timelines and acceptance. It is the first thing to read in any IT tender.

Also called: SOW, Scope of work, Specification

Related terms

Deliverable

A specific output the supplier must hand over, such as a design document, working release, report or training session. Payments are often tied to accepted deliverables.

Acceptance criteria

The tests a deliverable must pass before the buyer signs it off and pays. Clear acceptance criteria protect both sides on software projects.