06/04/2026
The Contractor Documentation File Every Growing Company Should Have (And Almost None Do)
You have 12 contractors. Maybe 15.
Some have been working with you for two years. Now a private equity firm is running diligence on your company.
Their first document request: contractor files.
You open your shared drive. You find a mix of signed agreements from some contractors, nothing from others, a few W-9s from 2021, and no 1099 history in one place.
The IP assignment clause? You’re not sure if it’s in any of the agreements.
The deal slows down. Your valuation takes a haircut. Or the conversation ends entirely.
This is preventable. Here’s exactly what goes in the file.
What the File Contains
A contractor documentation file isn’t complicated. It’s five things, consistently maintained, in one place.
1. A signed services agreement with an IP assignment clause
This is the one most companies get wrong – or skip entirely.
The services agreement covers scope, payment, and confidentiality. That part most founders understand.
The IP assignment clause is what gets missed. Without it, the contractor owns the work they create. That’s not a technicality.
That’s federal copyright law under the U.S. Copyright Act, though specific outcomes may vary based on the type of work, the nature of the relationship, and ... Full article in the comments:
