The implementation, maintenance and development of IT systems: selected problems of designing contracts

Preparation of IT systems implementation projects is connected with many issues of design, technical, and technological nature. Many IT projects encounter difficulties in their implementation, which often results in problems with achieving the assumed functionality, exceeding the project execution time, and additional costs, if not in the investment phase, then surely in system operation phase. A number of difficulties are due – among other things – to imperfections of the contract between employer and contractor, which in case the employer is a public party, has substantial limitations concerning changes in its content, thus it may later cause difficulties in its execution. The paper, among the many issues related to implementation of IT systems, focuses mainly upon the subject of the contract, its scope, period of validity, and remuneration for implementation and maintenance of IT project.