Standardized contracts

Frequently asked questions

• BUYER FAQs

  Understanding standardized contracts

  • How were the standardized contract terms created? 
    

    The terms were developed in collaboration with the buyer and seller community. They are designed to be well-balanced and scalable, addressing the fundamental needs of buyers and sellers to speed up the time to contract. 
    

  • When should I use the terms and why?
    

    By leading with pre-vetted terms when contracting with new sellers, or for new products, organizations can avoid lengthy negotiations and accelerate transactions. 
    

  • Which contractual clauses do the terms cover? 
    

    The terms define obligations and address the fundamental requirements of the buyer and seller across key contractual clauses like usage rights, warranty, and indemnification. They are designed to cover a broad array of solutions, product types, deployment models, and applicable data and privacy requirements.
    

  • Are the terms ever updated?
    

    We engage the buyer and seller community periodically to ensure the terms remain current, relevant, and valuable. Notifications are sent to the AWS primary account holder when standardized contract templates are updated.
    

  Transacting with standardized contracts

  • Where can I find a list of sellers that will use these terms?
    

    Buyers can find digital solutions enabled with the standardized contract terms available in AWS Marketplace by applying the Standard Contract filter under Contract Type in the product catalog. Buyers can also request the terms from sellers they are contracting with via Private Offer.
    

  • How do I know if a seller offers terms in AWS Marketplace?

    Many sellers extend the terms programmatically to support self-service product listings, and opportunistically to support Private Offers. Buyers can find self-service products enabled with SCMP using the AWS Marketplace site filter. Buyers can request the terms from any AWS Marketplace seller they are working with on a Private Offer.

  • How do I transact self-service or Private Offers using the terms?
    

    Buyers can filter on solutions enabled with the terms and subscribe via self-service workflow in AWS Marketplace. Buyers can also request the terms be extended by the seller they are contracting with via Private Offer. 
    

  • Can the terms be extended through an authorized reseller?
    

    Yes, the terms can be extended to a buyer that is transacting through an authorized reseller. Sellers can extend the terms for a Channel Partner Private Offer (CPPO) by making the appropriate selection, and uploading additional documents (i.e., order form, addendums). 
    

  • Can addendums be applied to augment the terms?
    

    Yes, addendums can be applied to support specific transactional, industry or organizational requirements. There are two pre-drafted addendums available, the Enhanced Security Addendum (ESA) and the Business Associate Addendum (BAA). The SCMP and DSA Amendment Templates capture custom requirements for a specific transaction. Once a seller selects the standardized contract, they can apply the appropriate addendum by uploading additional documents when creating a Private Offer via the seller portal.
    

  Additional standardized contracts information

  • Will the terms that are applied to a subscription ever change?
    

    The terms applied to an active subscription will not change unless the subscription expires or is terminated. 
    

  • Will the terms carry over to renewal subscriptions?
    

    Yes, terms carry over if the subscription is extended while active. Once a subscription expires or is terminated, the terms will need to be applied to the renewal subscription.
    

  • Can the terms be used for transactions outside of AWS Marketplace?
    

    No, the terms are not intended for use outside of AWS Marketplace.
    

• SELLER FAQs

  Understanding standardized contracts

  • How were the standardized contract terms created?
    

    The terms were developed in collaboration with the buyer and seller community. They are designed to be well-balanced and scalable, addressing the fundamental needs of buyers and sellers to speed up the time to contract. 
    

  • When should I use the terms and why?

    By leading with pre-vetted terms when contracting with new sellers, or for new products, organizations can avoid lengthy negotiations and accelerate transactions. 
    

  • Which contractual clauses do the terms cover?

    The terms define common obligations and address fundamental requirements across key contractual clauses like usage rights, warranty, and indemnification. They are designed to cover a broad array of solutions, product types, deployment models, and applicable data and privacy concerns.
    

  • How do I address product specific terms like configuration details, support, and service-level agreements (SLAs)?
    

    The terms cover contractual clauses that are common across a wide variety of digital solutions. Product specific terms are identified by individual sellers on the product listing page and become part of the subscription documentation.
    

  • Are the terms ever updated?
    

    We engage the buyer and seller community periodically to ensure the terms remain current, relevant, and valuable. Notifications are sent to the AWS primary account holder when standardized contract templates are updated.
    

  Transacting with standardized contracts

  • Where can I find a list of buyers that have adopted the terms?
    

    The terms can be extended to any buyer you are contracting with to help alleviate friction and accelerate the sales cycles. For privacy reasons, we are unable to share the names of buyers that are currently using standardized contracts. 
    

  • How do I extend the terms to support self-service and Private Offer transactions?
    

    Sellers can apply the terms to support self-service product listings by following the steps outlined in the Seller Guide. Once the terms are applied, buyers can find enabled digital solutions by applying the Standard Contract filter under Contract Type in the AWS Marketplace product catalog. The terms can also be extended when contracting via Private Offer. Sellers can select the standardized contract terms in the Private Offer portal, upload additional documents required (i.e., order form, addendums) and extend the offer to the buyer.
    

  • Can the terms be extended through an authorized reseller?
    

    Yes, the terms can be extended to a buyer that is transacting through an authorized reseller. Sellers can extend the terms for a Channel Partner Private Offer (CPPO) by making the appropriate selection, and uploading additional documents (i.e., order form, addendums). 
    

  • Can addendums be applied to customize the terms?
    

    Yes, addendums can be applied to support specific transactional, industry or organizational requirements. There are two pre-drafted addendums available, the Enhanced Security Addendum (ESA) and the Business Associate Addendum (BAA). The SCMP and DSA Amendment Templates capture custom requirements for a specific transaction. Once sellers select the standardized contract, they can apply an addendum when creating a Private Offer via the seller portal.
    

  Additional standardized contracts information

  • Will the terms that are applied to a subscription ever change?
    

    The terms applied to an active subscription will not change unless the subscription expires or is terminated. 
    

  • Will the terms carry over to renewal subscriptions?
    

    Yes, terms carry over if the subscription is extended while active. Once a subscription expires or is terminated, the terms will need to be applied to the renewal subscription.
    

  • Can the terms be used for transactions outside of AWS Marketplace?
    

    No, the terms are not intended for use outside of AWS Marketplace.