Change order script · Stakeholder change
Client upgrades the accessibility requirement
Legal now requires WCAG 2.2 AA conformance and a third-party audit. The SOW said best effort on listed screens. Here is a supportive, clear response.
Elena Park10:42 AM
Our compliance team says the portal must meet WCAG 2.2 AA with an external audit before launch. Can you confirm we're covered?
Possible scope change, visible to your team only
Cites SOW section 5.4, Accessibility. Estimated 58 hours. Change order draft ready for PM review.
The situation
Accessibility is important and increasingly a legal requirement. The SOW committed to following platform accessibility guidelines on listed screens, without a conformance level or audit. WCAG 2.2 AA conformance with an external audit means component remediation, keyboard and screen reader testing, documentation, audit support and fixes from audit findings.
Why this script works
The script fully supports the goal and treats accessibility as a priority, never as an inconvenience. It is clear about what is covered today and lays out a plan for conformance with the audit included.
- Scenario
- Stakeholder change
- Clause to cite
- SOW section 5.4, Accessibility
- Typical effort
- 58 hours
- Typical change order
- $9,570 at $165/hr
- Reply within
- Same business day
The script
Three versions: the quick reply, the email and the nudge.
Start in the channel where the request arrived, then follow with the email and change order. Copy any version and replace the bracketed placeholders.
Youdraft, reply in thread
Hi [Name], really glad compliance is prioritizing accessibility, and we're fully on board. Today our SOW (section 5.4) covers accessibility best practices on listed screens, not formal WCAG 2.2 AA conformance or an external audit. To get there, we'd add a remediation and testing phase plus audit support. I'll send a plan with hours and timeline so you can share it with compliance.
Replace every [bracketed] placeholder before sending. Your PM approves every message, TWINJAM never contacts clients on its own.
What not to say
Small wording changes decide whether the client hears help or a bill.
| Avoid | Say instead | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “Accessibility wasn't in scope.” | “Today's scope covers best practices, here is the plan for AA.” | Never sound like accessibility is optional. |
| “We already made it accessible.” | “We followed best practices, formal conformance needs testing and audit.” | Overclaiming creates liability. |
| “Audits always find something.” | “We'll support the audit and fix findings.” | Sets a cooperative tone. |
SOW clause to cite
SOW section 5.4, Accessibility
Agency will follow platform accessibility best practices for the screens listed in Appendix A. Formal conformance to a WCAG level, third-party audits and remediation of audit findings are handled under the Change Control clause.
No clause like this in your SOW? Use one of the SOW templates for your next engagement, and have your counsel review final contract language.
CO-MVH-PORTAL-07
Client upgrades the accessibility requirement
| Line item | Hours | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Automated and manual accessibility reviewAccessibility specialist | 12 | $1,980 |
| Component remediation across screensFront-end engineer | 24 | $3,960 |
| Screen reader and keyboard testingQA engineer | 10 | $1,650 |
| External audit support and findings fixesFront-end engineer | 12 | $1,980 |
| Total | 58 | $9,570 |
Priced at a $165 blended hourly rate. Cites SOW section 5.4, Accessibility.
Step by step
From the client’s message to a signed change order.
The script is one step. The process around it is what keeps scope conversations short and friendly.
- 1
Check the request against your signed SOW. For this scenario the clause to cite is usually SOW section 5.4, Accessibility.
- 2
Reply the same day in the channel where the request arrived, using the Slack version. Agree with the goal before you mention scope.
- 3
Estimate the work as line items with hours. This scenario typically lands around 58 hours.
- 4
Send the email version with the change order attached and two or three options, including a lighter or free path where one exists.
- 5
Set a decision date tied to the schedule. If there is no reply in three business days, send the follow-up.
- 6
Record the approval or the decision to defer, so the SOW baseline stays accurate for the next request.
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Agency Change Order Scriptbook
12 polite Slack and email templates to ask for more budget without friction.
The scriptbook collects the twelve conversations agency PMs dread most, from the fourth design round to the after-launch feature, with the SOW clause to cite and a change order form for each.
Spot the request before the work starts.
TWINJAM flags out-of-scope requests in Slack, Teams and Jira, cites the SOW clause and drafts a change order like this one for your PM to approve.