Technology underpins everything we do, and the contracts which underpin the delivery of technology-related services are important from both an economic and social perspective. Negotiating technology-related contracts can, however, be challenging: for the uninitiated or uninformed, the significance of the points under discussion may be unclear, confusing and often at odds with the outcomes one might expect in more traditional ‘bricks and mortar’-style contracts. To avoid unnecessarily protracted negotiations, it is essential to have a clear understanding of: (i) what each part of a technology-related contract is designed to deal with; (ii) what the customer and service provider seek to protect; and (iii) what solutions or compromises are available. This second edition provides a practical, commercial guide to negotiations without a heavy focus on ‘black letter law’, and seeks to explain the perspectives of both sides of the negotiating table on a clause-by-clause basis, clearly setting out the key points they will want to protect – and why – while also offering suggestions as to what they may be willing to concede or compromise upon. It is written with the benefit of DLA Piper’s unparalleled view of the global market for technology sourcing and outsourcing projects, and from acting for customers and service providers in this space over many years and in many jurisdictions. Chapters cover the common negotiating ‘battlefields’, from service descriptions and service levels through to warranties, indemnities, liability provisions and termination rights. The authors also examine issues associated with particular technology-related engagements, such as those based on agile methodologies, those involving the use of AI-based solutions, or those operating within heavily regulated sectors. This edition will be of interest to anyone involved in technology-related contracts, whether acting for the buy side or sell side, and whether working within law firms or legal departments or more general commercial functions who have a need to understand the way in which such contracts work.

Outsourcing remains a global growth industry. New technologies and approaches have transformed the way in which services can be delivered with ever better service quality and lower cost, with robotic process automation (RPA) significantly reducing the numbers of supplier personnel required to deliver such projects, and the application of artificial intelligence tools dramatically improving some of the service outputs and outcomes. Now that the world is facing up to the impact of Covid-19 in terms of pressures on cost bases and the realisation that far more roles than previously understood can be effectively undertaken remotely, we can anticipate that there will be a further step change in the use of outsourcing as a core business strategy. This book is the fully updated second edition of the key text on outsourcing written by the market-leading global technology and sourcing team at DLA Piper, one of the world's largest law firms. Writing from both a legal and commercial perspective, it considers the complete lifecycle of an outsourcing contract and the variety of legal and contractual issues that can arise in connection with such a project, from the initial genesis of the proposal to outsource all the way through the procurement process and onto post-contract signature contract management. In so doing, it also breaks down the core outsourcing contract into its constituent parts, explains the rationale for the relevant provisions (from both a customer and service provider perspective), and provides guidance as to current market practice, options and trends, including individual nuances relevant to particular jurisdictions. The second edition also features new coverage of: *The use of cloud 'backbones'; *New technologies such as RPA/artificial intelligence; *Digital transformation; *Data privacy; and *Outsourcing in heavily regulated sectors. Whether you are a user of outsourced services, an adviser on outsourcing projects or working with a service provider engaged in the provision of the outsourced services itself, this publication will provide you with an end-to-end guide to the outsourcing contracting process and the detailed terms to be considered and carefully negotiated.