MSA — Master Services Agreement
Definition: An umbrella contract that defines the legal terms (payment, IP, liability) governing all future work between two parties.
Example
A consulting firm signs an MSA with a Fortune 500 once, then attaches a new SOW for each engagement without renegotiating legal terms.
When you'll hear it
MSA shows up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to master services agreement — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does MSA stand for?
MSA stands for Master Services Agreement.
What does MSA mean in business and finance?
An umbrella contract that defines the legal terms (payment, IP, liability) governing all future work between two parties.
Where will I hear MSA used at work?
MSA comes up most often in board meetings, quarterly business reviews, and strategy off-sites. It's used as shorthand for master services agreement, so people assume you already know the term.