SES (quasi-delegation / on-site) vs contract development — which fits which deal
For the same development deal, going quasi-delegation (SES) or contract (turnkey) changes command authority, liability and margin. Here is which contract type fits which conditions.
Before you lose a deal to "we cannot staff SES," check whether it truly needs on-site quasi-delegation. Deals with clear deliverables can be redesigned as contract or managed operations — turning them into revenue even without an available person.
You lose deals with no one to place on-site
Considering only quasi-delegation (on-site), you let deals go when you cannot supply a named person.
You cannot match contract type to the deal
With no basis to judge quasi-delegation vs turnkey, liability scope and quotes wobble.
Command authority and liability are unclear
You place staff on-site, but the customer directs them directly — leaving contractual risk.
Quasi-delegation is "service," contract is "deliverable"
Quasi-delegation provides the performance of work with command authority on the provider side. Contract work is liable for a finished deliverable.
An on-site premise narrows the options
Assuming only "place a person on-site" loses deals that remote or contract work could handle.
Liability scope is left out of the contract
Deliverable liability, security conditions and on-site requirements are not separated in writing — seeding disputes.
Split quasi-delegation / contract / managed operations by the deal (need for presence, clarity of deliverable, security conditions).
Deals that fit contract work
Web development, rebuilds, environment setup and migration with clear deliverables — finished and handed over remotely.
Deals that fit quasi-delegation
Deals with fluid requirements needing continuous collaboration — but command authority must stay on the provider side.
Deals that fit managed operations
Where continuous run is the core — CI/CD, monitoring, incident response — an operations contract is steadier than quasi-delegation.
Contract-type checklist
- Does the customer require a specific individual on-site under direct command (if so, a plain contract shift is hard)?
- Can the deliverable scope and completion criteria be defined in writing?
- Do the security conditions (data egress, access) allow remote contract work?
- Is continuous operation (monitoring, incident response) the main value?
- Is the contract designed with command authority on the provider side?
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest difference between quasi-delegation and contract?
Quasi-delegation provides the performance of work with command authority on the provider side; contract work is liable for a finished deliverable. The clearer the deliverable, the more contract work favors you.
Can FDE Box handle deals that require on-site presence?
Named-person on-site presence, or deals where the customer directs an individual directly, cannot be replaced as-is. Instead, it is practical to carve out only the development, build and operations deliverables as contract or managed work.
(Model case) What if an on-site deal becomes a contract?
(A model case, not measured) A rebuild deal you could not staff on-site, redesigned with the customer as remote contract work, can succeed as deliverable-based work without a named person. Applicability is judged from the deal sheet.
Quasi-delegation or contract? — free diagnosis
Send one deal sheet with the customer name hidden. We judge which contract type fits and send it back.