A service-level agreement (SLA) defines the level of service you expect from a vendor, laying out the metrics by which service is measured, as well as remedies or penalties should agreed-on service levels not be achieved.
According to CIPS L4M3 study guide, SLA should cover the following:
- KPIs
- How the measurements convert into scores
- Any other service level standards
- Minimum acceptable standards or scores in each case
- Range of scores both above and below the minimum acceptable
- Any mitigating factors which might apply in the event of poor performance
- Any time period permitted in which to remedy a situation of poor performance
- Remedies available
- Dispute settlement
- How to deal with inconsistencies or conflicts between KPIs and any other documents.
In IT service (such as in the scenario), the SLA often covers:
- Uptime
- Call metrics
- Customer satisfaction
- Turn around time
- Quality
- Mean time to recovery
- Mean time between failure
- Backlog
- Business results
You can read the details of above indicators here.
Reference:
- CIPS study guide page 112-115
- 9 Examples of SLAs
- What is an SLA? Best practices for service-level agreements
LO 2, AC 2.2

Request for quotations is often used when the only variable is price and the purchase value is under a financial threshold. This process is less formal than ITT. RFQ should be used in the following circumstances:
- Low-value, low-risk purchases
- When the specifications are sufficiently defined or the product/service is standardised
- Where the suppliers are pre-qualified
- Where there is a framework agreement which specifies the contract terms and conditions.
Reference: CIPS study guide page 3
LO 1, AC 1.1

Industry model form contracts (e.g. NEC, JCT, FIDIC):
* Reduce the cost of contract development (2) - less drafting from scratch.
* Are often developed by industry bodies and so are intended to be balanced and fair (3).
They do not remove the need for the buyer to understand them (4 - definitely not an advantage), and while some negotiation is possible, they don't necessarily provide "greater flexibility" (1) than a bespoke contract; they standardise rather than expand flexibility.
Reference: CIPS L4M3 Commercial Contracting - Advantages of standard and model form contracts.

In the context of commercial contracting, it's crucial for buyers to ensure that suppliers have appropriate insurance coverage to mitigate potential risks associated with the products or services provided. Product liability insurance specifically covers the supplier against claims of personal injury or property damage caused by products they have supplied. This type of insurance is essential when introducing new or innovative products to the market, as there may be unforeseen risks associated with their use.
According to the CIPS L4M3 Commercial Contracting Study Guide, product liability insurance is designed to protect against claims arising from injuries or damages caused by defective products. This insurance is particularly important when the buyer is introducing a new product from a supplier with whom they have no prior experience, as it provides a safety net against potential legal and financial repercussions.
Reference:CIPS L4M3 Commercial Contracting Study Guide, Chapter 3, Section 3.2.1 - Key terms in contracts for indemnities and liabilities, sub-contracting, insurances, guarantees, and liquidated damages.

The Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 (c 50) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which regulates contracts by restricting the operation and legality of some contract terms. It extends to nearly all forms of contract and one of its most important functions is limiting the applicability of disclaimers of liability. The terms extend to both actual contract terms and notices that are seen to constitute a contractual obligation.
Under this regulation, if a clause within the standard terms in use is considered as 'unfair', the clause will be ineffective (or the other party will be entitled to avoid the clause). At court, the clause that is deemed to be unfair will undergo a 'reasonableness' test or an 'unfairness' test.
Reference:
- Maybe your standard terms are ineffective. Here's why
- CIPS study guide page 135
LO 3, AC 3.1