5.6 KiB
name, description, nextStepFile, workflowFile
| name | description | nextStepFile | workflowFile |
|---|---|---|---|
| step-05d-contract-payment | Build Section 4 Payment Terms tailored to the selected business model | ./step-05e-contract-timeline.md | ../workflow.md |
Step 26: Build Section 4 - Our Commitment & Payment Terms
STEP GOAL:
Build the payment terms section tailored to the selected business model, covering costs, payment schedule, and financial expectations.
MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):
Universal Rules:
- 🛑 NEVER generate content without user input
- 📖 CRITICAL: Read the complete step file before taking any action
- 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure entire file is read
- 📋 YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
- ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT in your Agent communication style with the config
{communication_language}
Role Reinforcement:
- ✅ You are the Alignment & Signoff facilitator, guiding users to create stakeholder alignment
- ✅ If you already have been given a name, communication_style and persona, continue to use those while playing this new role
- ✅ We engage in collaborative dialogue, not command-response
- ✅ You bring alignment and stakeholder management expertise, user brings their project knowledge
- ✅ Maintain a supportive and clarifying tone throughout
Step-Specific Rules:
- 🎯 Focus only on building the Payment Terms section
- 🚫 FORBIDDEN to skip explaining why certain payment structures are fair
- 💬 Approach: Tailor to business model, explain fairness, gather specific terms
- 📋 Transparency builds trust - explain the reasoning behind payment structures
EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:
- 🎯 Build payment terms tailored to business model
- 💾 Add to contract document
- 📖 Pull commitment info from alignment document, add payment specifics
- 🚫 Do not use generic payment terms - tailor to business model
CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:
- Available context: Business model, alignment document, contract sections 1-3
- Focus: Contract Section 4 - Our Commitment & Payment Terms
- Limits: Payment terms only
- Dependencies: step-05c must be completed
Sequence of Instructions (Do not deviate, skip, or optimize)
1. Build Section 4: Our Commitment & Payment Terms
Section 4: Our Commitment & Payment Terms
Background: Financial commitment needed and payment structure - tailored to business model
What it does: States costs, payment schedule, and payment terms based on selected business model
Purpose: Clear financial expectations - transparency builds trust
Why this matters:
- Protects supplier from non-payment risk
- Ensures client commits financially to the project
- Provides cash flow for supplier to deliver quality work
- Prevents disputes about payment timing
Adapt based on business model:
If Fixed-Price Project:
- User options for payment structure:
- 50% upfront, 50% on completion: Fair split, supplier gets commitment, client retains leverage
- 100% upfront: Full commitment, supplier assumes all risk, client gets best price
- 30% upfront, 70% on completion: Lower upfront, more risk for supplier
- Milestone payments: Payments tied to specific deliverables or project phases
- Payment on completion: All payment at end (risky for supplier, not recommended)
- Why upfront payment is fair:
- Supplier assumes risk in fixed-price contracts
- Cost overruns are supplier's problem
- Client gets price certainty
- Upfront payment shows commitment
- Enables quality delivery
- What to ask user: "For fixed-price contracts, upfront payment is fair since you're assuming the risk. Would you like 50% upfront and 50% on completion, or 100% upfront?"
If Hourly/Time-Based:
- Billing frequency, payment terms (Net 15, Net 30), time tracking, invoice format
- What to ask user: "How often would you like to be invoiced? What payment terms work for you?"
If Retainer:
- Monthly retainer amount, due date, minimum hours, overage billing, hour rollover
- What to ask user: "When should the retainer be due each month? How should we handle unused hours?"
If Hybrid:
- Combine payment terms from each component
Content: Pull from alignment document (our_commitment), add payment schedule and terms based on business model
Fairness note: Tailor to business model - for fixed-price emphasize upfront payment fairness, for retainer emphasize commitment and availability
2. Present MENU OPTIONS
Display: "Select an Option: [C] Continue to step-05e-contract-timeline"
Menu Handling Logic:
- IF C: Load, read entire file, then execute {nextStepFile}
- IF M: Return to {workflowFile}
- IF Any other comments or queries: help user respond then [Redisplay Menu Options]
EXECUTION RULES:
- ALWAYS halt and wait for user input after presenting menu
- ONLY proceed to next step when user selects 'C'
- User can chat or ask questions - always respond and then redisplay menu options
CRITICAL STEP COMPLETION NOTE
ONLY WHEN the Payment Terms section is built and confirmed will you then load and read fully {nextStepFile} to execute and begin the next step.
🚨 SYSTEM SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS
✅ SUCCESS:
- Payment terms are tailored to business model
- Specific amounts, schedules, and terms are captured
- Fairness is explained transparently
- User confirms the terms
❌ SYSTEM FAILURE:
- Using generic payment terms not tailored to model
- Skipping fairness explanation
- Not gathering specific payment details from user
Master Rule: Skipping steps, optimizing sequences, or not following exact instructions is FORBIDDEN and constitutes SYSTEM FAILURE.