Forty-two checks before you sign a nearshore contract
The document we would want on the other side of the table. Free, unbranded enough to send to every supplier you are considering — including us.
- Format
- PDF, 8 pages
- Checks
- 42
- Sections
- 6
- Price
- Free, no form
Most nearshore comparisons stop at the day rate. The rate is the easiest number to answer and the least predictive of whether the software arrives. These forty-two checks go after the parts a supplier can only answer honestly or evasively: who actually writes the code, who owns the repository on day one, what happens the week something slips, and what it costs you to leave.
Score each check yes or no, and count only the ones answered in writing. Thirty or more puts a supplier on the shortlist. Under twenty means the risk has quietly moved onto your side of the contract.
How to score it
- 30 or more
- Shortlist them.
- 20 – 29
- Ask again about the specific failures.
- Under 20
- The risk is yours, not theirs.
What is inside
Six sections, forty-two checks, one page of scoring guidance.
01
8 checks
The team you actually get
Named engineers with stated allocations — not roles, not headcount, not "available".
02
8 checks
The commercials
A bounded first slice priced fixed, and a written answer on what is billable outside it.
03
8 checks
Ownership and risk
Repositories and cloud accounts in your name from day one, not migrated at the end.
04
7 checks
Delivery rhythm
Working software on a URL you control every two weeks, and bad news in the week it happens.
05
7 checks
Engineering practice
Scripted deployments, review before merge, and monitoring in place before the first real user.
06
4 checks
The exit
Thirty days' notice both directions, contracted handover, and no fee for hiring the team.
Read the thinking behind it
Send it back to us filled in
Tell us which checks matter most to you and we will answer every line in writing before any call — including the ones where the honest answer is no.
Questions buyers ask about this checklist
Everything below is also answered inside the PDF.
What should I ask a nearshore software development company before signing?
Ask for named engineers with stated allocations, a bounded first slice quoted as a fixed price, repositories and cloud accounts created in your organisation on day one, a demo on a staging URL every two weeks, and thirty days' notice with contracted handover. The checklist turns those into forty-two yes/no questions you can score.
How do I evaluate a nearshore lean development partner objectively?
Score each of the forty-two checks yes or no, and count only answers given in writing. Thirty or more puts a supplier on the shortlist, twenty to twenty-nine means asking again about the specific failures, and under twenty means the delivery risk has quietly moved onto your side of the contract.
Is the nearshore evaluation checklist free, and do I need to give an email?
It is free and there is no gate. The PDF downloads directly from this page — eight pages, six sections, forty-two checks plus a page of scoring guidance. The form on this page is optional and only used if you want us to answer the checks in writing.
Who owns the code and infrastructure in a nearshore lean engagement?
You should, from day one. Section three of the checklist covers ownership and risk: repositories, cloud accounts, domains and pipelines in your name from the start rather than migrated at the end, plus IP assignment, sub-contracting disclosure and data-processing terms.
What does nearshore lean software development cost in Europe?
Blended senior day rates in Romania run roughly €380–€520, with a bounded first slice from about €12,000 fixed and a steady three-engineer team from about €18,500 per month. Section two of the checklist covers what should be billable outside a fixed slice.
Can I send this checklist to other suppliers?
Yes — it is written to be sent to every supplier on your list, including us. Nothing in it is scored in our favour, and several checks are ones where our own honest answer is a qualified yes.