Speech data · Service level agreement

Milestones, acceptance, quality gates, reporting. The service level, written into the statement of work.

Delivery follows milestones with acceptance checkpoints, three quality gates run through production, changes go through a documented procedure, and reporting arrives on the agreed cadence with the audit artifacts.

Thresholds, timelines and cadence are fixed in the statement of work during scoping.

The production line, and the deliveries along it
Collection gate technical checks, consent verified Processing gate format, metadata completeness Pre-delivery gate full QA review
  1. Milestone 1 first accepted batch
  2. Milestone 2 weekly thereafter
  3. Further milestones per the schedule in the statement of work
  4. Final delivery documentation package

Acceptance checkpoint, after every milestone

The service level eight terms · one statement of work

Eight things the statement of work fixes. Read them before procurement review.

This page is the overview for internal review. Thresholds, timelines and cadence are defined contractually during scoping.

SLA terms
Defined in the statement of work and finalized during scoping
Milestones
Established based on project scope and volume requirements
Acceptance
Criteria documented for each deliverable phase
Quality gates
Implemented throughout the production workflow
Change control
Procedures defined for scope modifications
Reporting
Cadence and audit artifacts agreed upon contractually
Remediation
Procedures documented for non-conformance scenarios
Escalation
Communication protocols established for status and escalations

Delivery model milestones · format · tracking

Delivery runs on milestones. Each one carries its own acceptance checkpoint.

Data delivery follows a milestone-based approach structured around project phases and volume requirements.

Milestone structure
Delivery milestones are established during scoping based on total volume, complexity and timeline requirements. Each milestone includes defined deliverables and acceptance checkpoints.
Delivery format
Data is delivered according to the technical specifications agreed during scoping. Delivery methods and access mechanisms are documented in the statement of work.
Progress tracking
Production status is communicated on the agreed reporting cadence. Milestone completion is formally acknowledged through the acceptance process.

Specific milestone schedules, delivery timelines, and volume commitments are defined contractually during scoping.

Acceptance five criteria · one process

Acceptance is a checklist, written before the first delivery.

Acceptance criteria define what constitutes successful delivery for each milestone and final deliverable.

  • Format compliance with agreed technical specifications
  • Quality metrics validation against defined thresholds
  • Documentation completeness (metadata, provenance, consent records)
  • Sample validation by client team where applicable
  • Delivery method and access verification

Acceptance process: Formal acceptance follows review of deliverables against documented criteria. Acceptance periods and procedures are specified in the statement of work.

Specific acceptance thresholds and validation procedures are defined contractually during scoping.

Quality gates collection · processing · pre-delivery · remediation

Three gates stand in the production line. What fails a gate is flagged and remediated.

Quality gates are checkpoints implemented throughout the production workflow so that deliverables meet agreed standards.

  1. Collection gate

    Validation at point of collection including technical quality checks and consent verification.

  2. Processing gate

    Quality validation during processing phases including format compliance and metadata completeness.

  3. Pre-delivery gate

    Final quality validation before milestone delivery including comprehensive QA review.

  4. Remediation

    Non-conforming items are flagged for remediation. Procedures and timelines are documented in the SLA terms.

Specific quality thresholds, validation methods, and gate criteria are defined contractually during scoping.

Change control request · assess · approve · document

A scope change is a request, an assessment and an approval. Then it is an amendment.

Change control procedures govern modifications to scope, timeline, or deliverables after engagement commencement.

  1. Request

    Scope changes are submitted through documented channels, with description, justification and requested timeline.

  2. Assessment

    Impact on timeline, resources, deliverables and agreed terms, documented and communicated.

  3. Approval

    Designated stakeholders approve before implementation, per the engagement agreement.

  4. Amendment

    Approved changes are documented as amendments to the statement of work. Change history is kept for audit.

Reporting and audit status · quality · artifacts

Reporting arrives on the agreed cadence. The audit artifacts travel with each delivery.

Reporting provides visibility into production status, quality metrics, and milestone progress throughout the engagement.

Status reporting
Production status reports on the agreed cadence, with progress against milestones, volume metrics, and any issues or blockers.
Quality reporting
Quality metrics at agreed intervals, with validation results, non-conformance tracking and remediation status.
Audit documentation
Audit artifacts are available for compliance and internal review.

Documentation includes

  • Provenance records for delivered data
  • Consent documentation and verification records
  • Quality validation logs and gate passage records
  • Change control documentation and approval history
  • Delivery acknowledgment and acceptance records

Reporting cadence, content requirements, and audit access procedures are defined contractually during scoping.

Procurement and operations

Milestones, acceptance and escalation

When are SLA terms finalized?

SLA terms are defined in the statement of work and finalized during scoping. We work with your procurement and project teams to establish terms that align with your internal requirements.

How are delivery milestones structured?

Delivery milestones are established based on project scope, volume requirements, and complexity. A milestone schedule is provided during scoping and documented in the statement of work.

What constitutes acceptance for delivered data?

Acceptance criteria are documented for each deliverable phase. Criteria typically include format compliance, quality metrics validation, and documentation completeness. Specific thresholds are defined contractually during scoping.

What happens if quality does not meet agreed standards?

Remediation procedures are documented in the SLA for non-conformance scenarios. These include notification procedures, root cause analysis, and corrective action timelines. Specific remediation terms are defined during scoping.

How are scope changes handled?

Change control procedures are defined for scope modifications. Change requests are documented, impact assessed, and approved through agreed channels before implementation. Amendment procedures are specified in the engagement agreement.

What reporting is provided during production?

Reporting cadence and content are agreed upon contractually. Reports typically include production status, quality metrics, and milestone progress. Specific reporting requirements are defined during scoping.

Can we receive audit documentation?

Audit artifacts are available for compliance and internal review. Documentation scope and access procedures are defined in the engagement agreement. Specific audit requirements are addressed during scoping.

How are escalations handled?

Communication protocols for status updates and escalations are established during scoping. Escalation paths and response expectations are documented in the SLA terms.

Do you support enterprise procurement requirements?

Yes. We work with procurement teams to address enterprise requirements including vendor assessment questionnaires and security documentation. Requirements are addressed during scoping.

Can SLA terms be customized for our organization?

SLA terms are defined during scoping based on project requirements and organizational needs. We work with your legal and procurement teams to establish appropriate terms.

Bring the volume and the deadline. The milestone schedule comes back with the scoping brief.

Volume, languages, deadline and acceptance thresholds are enough to start. The statement of work, with its milestones and gates, follows from that.

Scope a speech data engagement

Speech data overview DPA overview Engagement model Technical specifications