Statement of Work in Hong Kong: Template, Key Clauses and Local Law (2026)

What a statement of work does in Hong Kong A statement of work (SOW) sets out the scope, deliverables, timeline, and price for a specific project. In Hong Kong an SOW usually sits under a master services agreement (MSA) or framework contract, which holds the legal terms, while the SOW carries the project detail. On its own, a well-drafted SOW can also be a standalone contract if it has the essential terms. ## The Hong Kong law that applies Hong Kong is a common law jurisdiction, so an SOW is governed by freedom of contract and case law, not a single code. The practical points: - Incorporation. If the SOW sits under an MSA, it inherits the MSA's terms. State clearly that the SOW is governed by the named MSA and which document wins on conflict.

• Sale of Goods Ordinance (Cap. 26) can imply quality terms where the SOW involves goods, not only services.
• Control of Exemption Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 71) tests any liability limits in the SOW for reasonableness.
• Electronic Transactions Ordinance (Cap. 553) supports electronic signing of each SOW. Disputes can go to the Hong Kong courts or to HKIAC arbitration under the Arbitration Ordinance (Cap. 609). This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the position with a Hong Kong qualified lawyer before you sign. ## Key clauses to get right - Link to the MSA: name the master agreement and the order of precedence.
• Scope and deliverables: exactly what will be produced, with clear acceptance criteria.
• Timeline and milestones: dates, dependencies, and what counts as done.
• Price and payment: fixed fee or time and materials, and the invoicing schedule.
• Acceptance and change control: how work is signed off and how changes are agreed.
• Assumptions and exclusions: what is out of scope, to prevent scope creep.
• Key personnel and reporting: who does the work and how progress is reported. ## A simple SOW skeleton 1. Reference to the master agreement

2. Project description and objectives
3. Scope and deliverables
4. Acceptance criteria and sign-off
5. Timeline and milestones
6. Charges and invoicing
7. Assumptions, dependencies, and exclusions
8. Key personnel and governance
9. Change control
10. Signatures ## Common mistakes - No acceptance criteria, so it is unclear when a deliverable is complete.

• Scope written loosely, which invites scope creep and disputes.
• No change control, so extra work has no agreed price.
• Conflicting terms with the MSA and no order of precedence. ## One workspace to manage it Project teams often run many SOWs under one MSA, and it is easy to lose track of which SOW is current and what was agreed. A single AI workspace like Adira can link each SOW to its master agreement, track milestones and sign-off, and keep versions in one place. Adira is deepest on Indian law today, and wider non-India jurisdiction depth, including Hong Kong, is on its roadmap, so treat local Hong Kong review as a separate step.