What Should Be Proven Before You Pay for a CMMS?

Start with the payment terms

Read the payment schedule in your agreement. For each payment, identify the work it covers and the condition that allows the invoice to be paid. A delivery date, a test result, a signed acceptance and a payment approval can describe different steps. Confirm which step your agreement requires.

Download the buyer worksheet (PDF)

Keep five steps separate

Technical delivery

The vendor has supplied or configured the agreed software, information or connection. Confirm what was delivered. Delivery alone does not establish that tests passed.

Testing

The agreed tests have been run and the results recorded. Compare those results with the agreed pass conditions and record any open problems.

Milestone acceptance

The person with authority has accepted a defined part of the work. Record the scope of that approval; it may leave other work open.

Final acceptance

The agreement’s conditions for accepting the completed work have been met. Confirm the required written record and any other conditions.

Payment authorization

The person with authority to release payment has approved it under the agreed terms. Do not assume that the person who accepts the work also has this authority.

These are buyer planning distinctions. Your agreement may define the steps differently or connect them. Keep its exact payment and acceptance requirements beside the evidence you collect.

What Austin Water’s solicitation requires

The primary example is Austin Water’s Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Solutions solicitation, RFP 2200 GTG3007. The source is the City’s original Solicitation Packet, identified in this research as case CMMS-029, source SRC-015. Its cover identifies Addenda Version 7 and is dated August 31, 2026; the download filename ends in v9. The page references below use this 62-page packet.

20% retainage and written acceptance

Standard Terms and Conditions §1.41 states: “The City will withhold twenty (20) percent retainage until completion of all work required by the Contract.” The contractor invoices for that retained amount upon final acceptance; payment follows the contract. Retainage means money held back. This clause is on printed page 12, PDF page 32. [1]

Under Terms §3.1, after the City determines that acceptance tests have passed, the contractor requests final acceptance in writing. The clause says final acceptance officially occurs through the City’s written statement and final payment of sums due under the statement of work or payment schedule. See printed page 18, PDF page 38. [1]

Scope of Work §5.3 separately describes the City accepting or rejecting the services in writing, after all milestone deliverables have been completed, submitted, reviewed and approved. Read this procedure alongside Terms §3.1; written acceptance alone does not replace that clause’s stated final-payment condition. See printed page 17, PDF page 62. [1]

Buyer question: Which agreed condition allows this payment, what record proves it and who has authority to release the money? Austin’s clauses do not establish a rule that buyers should pay nothing until final acceptance.

Testing evidence and open work

Scope §3.2.7 requires City approval of the test plan and scripts before testing starts, and a system test report before user acceptance testing. Scope §5.1 requires submitted and approved test results, defect logs and resolution status. It also says sprint or release acceptance does not replace formal milestone acceptance, go-live approval or final acceptance. See printed pages 12 and 15, PDF pages 57 and 60. [1]

Scope §5.2 assigns milestone review to the City’s Project Manager, who accepts the deliverable or rejects it with written revisions. Scope §5.1 permits critical defects during stabilization to be resolved or accepted by the City with an approved plan to fix them. Do not turn this into a blanket claim that every defect must be gone at every stage. See printed pages 16–17, PDF pages 61–62. [1]

Buyer question: Which tests passed, what remains unfinished and has the authorized approver agreed in writing to any remaining work? Austin identifies acceptance roles here; these clauses do not identify a named officer who authorizes payment.

Support, warranty and maintenance start dates

Scope §3.2.8 requires 90 days of post-implementation support after go-live for each function or module before final acceptance. The passage does not promise automatic acceptance after 90 days. See printed page 12, PDF page 57. [1]

Terms §2.3.B says that, unless the contract specifies otherwise, the services warranty lasts at least one year from the Final Acceptance Date. It also says maintenance starts after final acceptance and no associated maintenance fees are charged before maintenance begins. See printed page 16, PDF page 36. [1]

Scope §3.2.8 also says software and services maintenance contracts start after go-live and resolution of defects identified during post-go-live support. See printed page 13, PDF page 58. These passages describe different triggers. Their application needs careful interpretation against the final agreement and any rules about which terms take priority. This guide does not supply one reconciled maintenance start date. [1]

Buyer question: What starts each support period, warranty period and maintenance charge? Ask your purchasing or legal team to clarify the wording before approving a start date or charge.

Use the five-field worksheet

Use one sheet for each payment milestone. Refer to your agreement and attach the relevant proof. Record unknown details as questions to resolve.

Payment milestone

The invoice or payment trigger, the work it covers and the agreed clause.

Required proof

The tests, results, written acceptance and other evidence required for that payment.

Responsible approver

The role or person who may accept the work, plus the written approval reference.

Unresolved work

Open issues, their owner, due date and any approved plan to finish them.

Payment authorization

Who may authorize payment, their decision, date and approval reference. Keep this separate from acceptance approval.

Download the buyer worksheet (PDF)

Check fee-start and warranty clauses separately. The worksheet is buyer-created planning guidance, not a contractual template or legal advice. It does not decide whether payment is legally due.

Continue with the supporting guides

Plan the implementation and acceptance work →

Read the evidence: Go-live is not acceptance →

Explore the public procurement database →

Read the research methodology and evidence limits →