Scope creep & change orders
What is a change order and how does it stop scope creep?
Scope creep is what happens when the work expands and the contract does not. Each request on its own sounds small — "while you are in there, could you also…" — and none of them is worth an argument. Together they are a project delivered at a fraction of its intended margin.
A change order clause requires that any work outside the agreed scope be written down and signed before it starts. If you are the provider, that clause is the difference between a profitable engagement and an unpaid one; the absence of it means every reasonable-sounding ask is free. If you are the buyer, a formal process protects you too — it stops surprise invoices for work you thought was included.
Look for whether change orders are required or merely available, whether they must be signed before work begins, and whether anything is exempted as a "clarification" — that word is where informal scope creep usually hides.
"Any work outside the scope described in Exhibit A requires a written change order signed by an authorized representative of each party before such work commences."
Worried about this clause in your own contract?
Sidecar reads your vendor agreements and flags the clauses that put your business at risk — in plain English, before you sign. Your first review is free.
Definitions and negotiation guidance here are educational business decision support, not legal advice. Consult an attorney about how any clause applies to your own agreement.