When do you sign an NDA?

[Fischstabchen]

When do you sign an NDA? I have someone that might want me to do work for them but it has never been spelled out nor has the means of compensation or anything. It feels like I am walking backwards into something without everything else being spelled out. I am fine with a scope that doesn't have all the details or is redacted. It seems like I should have a scope, terms of payment, and everything else spelled out and then the NDA is signed at the end and the final details that were withheld from the scope are revealed.

 

[SWComposites]

An NDA is often required to get started with discussions of a job.
But you are not locked into any terms or compensation or anything, so what is the problem?

 

[GregLocock]

Typically I've had to sign an NDA after the first discussion.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[TigerGuy]

Often, they want the signature on the NDA before they will discuss any project details.

 

[CWB1]

I've always had NDAs signed before discussing any project details. If you're discussion is limited to existing, commercially-available parts/products you dont need a NDA. If you're discussing the new project those parts/products go into, or how to modify them then you need a NDA before beginning.

 

[271828]

In my world, those only come up in forensics projects. There's typically a phone call or teleconference in which the project is described in general terms. Next is the NDA to get the drawings and other specifics flowing my way. Sometimes the proposal is before the NDA, sometimes after -- not sure which happens more often.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Most of the NDA's I was asked to sign were when we were trying to sell software to companies in very competitive markets, such as one time when we made a sale call at a well-known golf club manufacturer and another when visiting a cell phone company.

Almost worse were a couple of times when I was visiting a 'company' (it was actually a government-funded R&D group specializing in weapon systems) in Taiwan, and we had to surrender our passports before they would let us in.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[AgMechEngr]

I have signed NDAs when onboarding as a vendor for companies. It was always part of a larger package like submitting my W-9, bank details, etc. I signed the NDAs before discussing any specifics of a project.

 

[NorthCivil]

I'll sign when its to my benefit.

always read to make sure its reasonable. the NDA should always go two ways