Contracting external expertise
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Contracting external expertise

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This page can only be edited by @contractor-in-legal, @hiring-coordinator

You can hire external parties by yourself (see

for the amounts and how to), but it can be difficult, to know which box you need to check if you have not done this before. This page explains the process and the roles that can help.

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Please note: Do you wish to contract with an external party, and have you already received a quote and/or an agreement from them for this purpose? Then go can go straight to the Start of the Collab part of this page. If the external party does not have its own agreement available, follow the steps below.

Contracting external companies or freelancers

Example: Voys B.V. wants to hire an external developer to build a new sign-up tool or Voys B.V. want to hire a freelancer to carry out marketing activities. Which contractual steps do you need to take before collaboration?

To enter into a collaboration easily and independently, carry out the following steps:

  1. Send a message to the Contractor via Slack to initiate the request. Draw up a description of the assignment. You describe two things:
    1. What do you want to achieve by working together?
    2. What should be the outcome or result of the cooperation? (or what should be delivered).
  2. Fill in the details of the party you are going to work with within the order document. This is necessary to draw up a contract.
  3. Contractor will draw up a contract for you based on the details you provide. Make sure that all data are filled in.
  4. Via Pandadoc, the external party will receive a contract of engagement to be signed.
  5. If necessary, the external party will receive additional documents per e-mail to sign (e.g. an NDA) or will receive a request for a VOG (certificate of conduct).

Note: if the party you are working with submits a contract of engagement themselves (read: this does not mean an offer/quotation) then you also send this via Slack to Contractor.

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Do inform the @hiringcoordinator when you want to hire an external contractor. This is important because they can see the budgets for personnel and also can help what type of consultancy you need (advisory or consulting employment). This role has a domain on hiring independent contractors, with a policy.

When to hire external expertise?

If you think it's a good idea; it likely is a good idea.

Here are some additional reasons why hiring external expertise can be beneficial;

You can hire whoever you feel is the best fit, as long as they are registered with the chamber of commerce. If you are in need of an external party but don't know who to involve, here are some resources that can be of support in finding a good fit:

  • Professionals outside our organization can bring different approaches or perspectives allowing us to gain a broader view.
  • To discover whether a temporary effort is required or the work that needs to be done is permanent.

Who to hire?

Outer shell of known professionals

We have a network of people of which we know are good at what they do and are nice to work with and who might have worked with us before.

Freelance platform Jellow

Jellow is a platform with freelancers. We have used their services before.

Starting a collaboration with external parties

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The following is only applicable when the contracting party has already drafted a contract

What legal documents to arrange? (in short)

When hiring an external party, various legal documents may be required. In any case, it is important to properly lay down the mutual agreements (price, duration of the agreement, what the parties are going to do exactly, etc.). Sometimes the agreements are laid down in a quotation, but often they are laid down in one or more (separate) agreements. As part of its accountabilities, the Legal circle checks all legal documents from all companies within Bedstone.

In short, the following documents are important:

  • Quotation;
  • Contract if additional agreements should be made next to the quotation;
  • General terms and conditions if the external apply these;
  • Data processing agreement if the external party will process personal data on behalf of us;
  • NDA if the external party will be given access to (sensitive) company information;
  • Certificate of Conduct Verklaring omtrent gedrag or VOG, if the external will work with confidential information. Not sure if the external should request a Certificate of Conduct? The Contractor can inform you about this.

What legal documents to arrange? (step by step)

1. Get a quote

1. Request for a quotation from the external party. Check whether the quotation meets the expectations that you want the external party to fulfill (what will the external party do and within what timeframe is it carried out? Is this a reasonable price?).

2. Check the contract ea documents

You need a contract and general terms and conditions from the external party. Will the external party as part of his work also process personal data? Then also ask for a data processing agreement. Have the contract (and if applicable the general terms and conditions and data processing agreement) checked by The Contractor.

Is the contractor ok with the legal side of things, then you can ok the contract yourself. See

.

3. Do you need an NDA

If an external party will be given access to (sensitive) information, an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) is also required (this is almost always applicable); The Contractor can provide this. If the external party insists on using its own NDA, then have that checked by Legal as well. Please note that we prefer our version of the NDA.

4. Confidential info

If an external party is going to work with confidential information about, for example, (vulnerable) persons, money, or goods, a Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring omtrent gedrag, or VOG) must be applied for. The Contractor can indicate if the external person must apply for a VOG.

5. Drawing up our of contract if needed

If the external party has no contract(s) in place and it is, for example, a freelancer who is being hired temporarily, Legal will draw up a contract (e.g. a freelance agreement). Follow the steps at the top of this page.

All documents have been approved, now what?