Retainer Agreement Proposal for Professional Services

# Retainer Agreement Proposal - Professional Services

## Purpose
Use to convert project-based clients into retainer arrangements for predictable revenue and deeper client relationships.

## When to Use
A retainer proposal with monthly hour allocations, scope of services, rollover policies, communication expectations, and billing arrangements.

## Instructions
1. Review the template below and familiarise yourself with the structure
2. Replace all [bracketed placeholders] with your professional services business details
3. Customise the tone and formatting to match your brand
4. Save in your preferred tool (PandaDoc or HubSpot)

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## Retainer Agreement Proposal

**Prepared for:** [Client Name]
**Prepared by:** [Your Company Name]
**Date:** [Date]
**Reference:** [RET-001]

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### Executive Summary

Following our successful work together on [previous project/engagement], [Your Company Name] is pleased to propose an ongoing retainer arrangement with [Client Name]. This retainer provides you with dedicated access to our team for [service type, e.g. strategic consulting / marketing / technology support], ensuring continuity, priority service, and a partner who deeply understands your business.

### Retainer Structure

**Monthly Hour Allocation:** [X] hours per month

**Services Included Within Retainer Hours:**
- [Service 1, e.g. Strategic planning and advisory sessions]
- [Service 2, e.g. Ongoing system optimisation and configuration]
- [Service 3, e.g. Monthly reporting and performance analysis]
- [Service 4, e.g. Staff support and troubleshooting]
- [Service 5, e.g. Process improvement recommendations]
- [Service 6, e.g. Priority access for ad hoc requests]

**Services Available at Additional Rates:**
- [Service type, e.g. New project development] - Quoted separately per project
- [Service type, e.g. Training workshops] - $[Amount] per session
- [Service type, e.g. After-hours support] - [X]% surcharge on retainer rate

### Hour Allocation & Tracking

| Policy | Detail |
|--------|--------|
| Monthly allocation | [X] hours |
| Unused hours | Roll over up to [X] hours (max [X] hours banked) |
| Additional hours | Available at $[Amount]/hr (standard rate: $[Amount]/hr) |
| Hour tracking | Shared time log updated in real-time via [tool, e.g. Notion / Harvest] |
| Monthly summary | Detailed time report provided with each invoice |

### Communication & Availability

| Channel | Purpose | Response Time |
|---------|---------|---------------|
| Email | General requests, non-urgent matters | Within 4 business hours |
| [Slack / Teams] | Quick questions, day-to-day collaboration | Within 2 business hours |
| Phone | Urgent matters | Within 1 business hour |
| Scheduled meetings | Strategic discussions, reporting | [Weekly / Fortnightly], [X] minutes |

**Your Dedicated Contact:** [Name], [Role], [Email], [Phone]

**Availability:** Monday to Friday, [9am - 5pm AEST/AEDT]. After-hours support available by arrangement.

### Monthly Retainer Rhythm

| Week | Activity |
|------|----------|
| Week 1 | Monthly planning call, review priorities and allocate hours |
| Week 2-3 | Execution of agreed tasks, ongoing support |
| Week 4 | Monthly review, time report, next month planning |

### Investment

| Tier | Hours/Month | Monthly Fee | Effective Rate |
|------|------------|-------------|----------------|
| Starter | [X] hours | $[Amount] + GST | $[Amount]/hr |
| **Standard (Recommended)** | **[X] hours** | **$[Amount] + GST** | **$[Amount]/hr** |
| Growth | [X] hours | $[Amount] + GST | $[Amount]/hr |

**Recommended Tier: Standard at $[Amount] + GST/month**

Payment: Monthly invoice issued on the 1st, payable within 14 days.

### Benefits of a Retainer vs. Ad Hoc

| Ad Hoc Engagement | Retainer Arrangement |
|-------------------|---------------------|
| Availability not guaranteed | Priority scheduling and response |
| Standard hourly rate | Discounted retainer rate ([X]% saving) |
| Re-briefing required each engagement | Ongoing familiarity with your business |
| Reactive, project-by-project | Proactive, strategic partnership |
| Unpredictable monthly costs | Fixed, budgetable monthly fee |

### Terms & Conditions

- **Minimum term:** [3/6/12] months
- **Renewal:** Automatic monthly renewal after minimum term
- **Cancellation:** 30 days written notice after minimum term
- **Rate review:** Annual review, with 30 days notice of any changes
- **Confidentiality:** All work covered under mutual NDA
- **Intellectual property:** All work product owned by [Client Name] on payment

### Next Steps

1. Select your preferred retainer tier
2. Sign and return this proposal to [Email]
3. Kick-off call to set priorities for Month 1
4. Retainer commences [Date]

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**Accepted by:**

Tier selected: [ ] Starter  [ ] Standard  [ ] Growth

Name: _______________
Title: _______________
Date: _______________
Signature: _______________

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**Complexity:** intermediate | **Setup time:** 25 minutes | **Tools:** PandaDoc, HubSpot, Xero

Note: This template has been tailored for professional services businesses in Australia. Adjust terminology and compliance references to match your specific context.