Framework Agreement

A framework agreement is a central contract between an organization (university, association, PCO, agency) and its software or service provider, in which essential terms are established once and apply to any number of specific events. This typically covers data protection, payment processing with KYC, accounting interfaces, pricing, services, and service levels.

Also known as: Master Service Agreement (MSA), Master Agreement

Suitable for: Universities, associations, PCOs, agencies

Term: Typically 1–5 years, often with auto-renewal

What is a framework agreement?

A framework agreement—often referred to in international business as a Master Service Agreement (MSA)—is an overarching agreement that permanently establishes the fundamental terms of a business relationship. Instead of renegotiating a complete contract for every single event, the organization and the provider agree on the essential ground rules once. Specific events are then handled via streamlined individual orders (often called a Statement of Work, or SoW), which contain only the event-specific details.

In practice, this saves a significant amount of time, reduces legal friction, and creates planning security—which is especially valuable for organizations with many recurring or concurrent events.

Who benefits the most?

• Universities: Multiple faculties organizing their conferences in parallel—uniform standards for data protection, accounting, and IT security, with centralized negotiation by the administration
• Scientific associations: Annual meetings, symposia, training sessions, and regional events under one contract
• Professional Congress Organizers (PCOs): Managing a portfolio of many client events—multi-tenancy as a contractual foundation
• Event agencies: Multiple client mandates, various event types, uniform platform terms
• Corporations with internal event departments: Conferences, training, and client events across multiple business units
• Political foundations and grant-making organizations: A multitude of regional and thematic events

Typical contents of a framework agreement

Data protection and IT security

• Data Processing Agreement (DPA) as an integral part
• List of sub-processors
• Technical and organizational measures (TOMs)
• Data flow documentation for all processing purposes
• Procedures for data breaches and notification requirements
• Organization's rights to audits and reports
• Data deletion and return upon contract termination

Payment processing with KYC

• Selection and integration of the payment service provider
• Responsibilities for the KYC process—one-time effort instead of per event
• Fee structures and payout modalities
• Handling of reverse charge and international rates
• Refund workflows and cancellation processes
• Security requirements (PCI-DSS)

Accounting interfaces and standards

• Accounting export to internal systems (DATEV, SAP, etc.)
• Account and cost center structures
• Multi-tenancy for different subsidiaries or brands
• GoBD-compliant document processing

Pricing and services

• Modular pricing structure: Which modules are available at what terms?
• Volume discounts across all events
• One-time vs. recurring costs
• Setup and migration services
• Special terms for strategic partners
• Inflation clauses and price adjustment rules

Service levels and support

• Response and processing times
• Platform availability guarantees
• Escalation paths for incidents
• Event-specific support (e.g., stand-by during live events)
• Maintenance windows and notification periods

Multi-tenancy

• Data separation between events, subsidiaries, or clients
• Role and permission concept for cross-functional teams
• Branding configuration per event
• Reporting at individual event and portfolio level

Framework conditions

• Term, termination, and renewals
• Liability and insurance
• Jurisdiction and applicable law
• Adjustment clauses for legal changes (e.g., new GDPR interpretations)

Advantages over individual contracts

• Time savings: No need to repeat negotiations for every event
• Consistency: Uniform standards across all events
• Better terms through volume bundling
• Faster event launch: New events at the push of a button
• Legal certainty: Compliance issues negotiated thoroughly once
• Operational efficiency: Teams know the rules, no friction with the legal department
• Strategic partnership: Supplier-client relationship evolves into a long-term collaboration

What to look out for during negotiations?

• Beneficial owners and KYC clarify early – who actually goes through the process?
• Flexibility regarding event size: Terms must make sense for both small and large events
• Clear definitions: What is an "event," what are "participants," what is a "module" – especially regarding billable units?
• Scalability: What happens if the event portfolio grows (or shrinks)?
• Organizational obligations clearly defined – not everything is the provider's responsibility
• Service Level Agreements with realistic, measurable goals
• Audit rights for compliance teams

Best practices

• Clear governance: Who in the organization is authorized to place individual orders under the framework agreement?
• Onboarding process defined leanly for new events
• Regular review meetings for balance sheets and adjustments
• Single point of contact on both sides – one account manager for the organization
• Training concept for new employees
• Documentation access: All versions and attachments centrally available
• Compliance updates: Changes in the legal situation are proactively communicated by the provider

Framework agreements with Converia

Converia offers tailored framework agreements for organizations that work with recurring or multiple parallel events. Data protection, KYC, accounting standards, pricing, and SLAs are negotiated thoroughly once – for all future events. You save on negotiation effort and create internal planning security.

Negotiate once, benefit permanently

Talk to us about a framework agreement if you organize congresses regularly or manage multiple brands/conferences under one roof.

• DPA (Data Processing Agreement) – Compliance & Law
• KYC process – Compliance & Law
• Professional Congress Organizer (PCO) – On-site event operations

Negotiate data protection, KYC, accounting, and terms once – for all your organization's events.