Also known as: MSA, Master Agreement, Framework Agreement
A Master Service Agreement is the umbrella contract that governs the whole ongoing relationship between a broker and a partner. It sets the legal terms once, so that each new campaign can be added as a lightweight Insertion Order without re-drafting the full contract every time.
A Master Service Agreement fixes the legal framework of a partnership a single time. It covers payment obligations, liability, data handling, compliance duties, confidentiality and termination, so that these do not have to be re-negotiated for every campaign. Individual campaigns are then activated by short Insertion Orders that reference the MSA and inherit its terms.
For a partner running many campaigns with one broker, this structure is efficient and protective: one solid negotiation up front means every future IO carries fair, pre-agreed terms. The clauses that decide long-term value are the survival provisions. Writing in lifetime-revenue continuation and post-termination payout survival keeps commissions flowing on already-referred clients even after the relationship ends, while a broad termination-for-convenience clause can let the broker sever that tail on short notice.
Agree payment, liability, data, compliance and termination terms once.
Write in lifetime-revenue and post-termination payout continuation.
Check any termination-for-convenience notice period and its effect on your tail.
Both parties execute the umbrella agreement.
Launch each new campaign with a short IO that references the MSA.
Why it matters for partnership: The MSA is where the durable protections live: payment obligations, liability, data handling, compliance duties and termination. For a partner running many campaigns with one broker, signing a solid MSA once means every future IO inherits fair, pre-agreed terms.
An affiliate signs one MSA with a broker in January. Over the year they launch five separate campaigns, each activated by a two-page IO that references the MSA, instead of negotiating a new full contract each time.
| Aspect | MSA | Insertion Order |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Whole relationship | One specific campaign |
| Signed | First, once | Per campaign, under the MSA |
| Contains | Legal framework and protections | Rates, geos, cap, dates |
Push to have lifetime-revenue and post-termination payout survival written into the MSA, so commissions on existing referred clients continue even after the relationship ends.
Signing an MSA with a broad, immediate termination-for-convenience clause that lets the broker cut off your revenue tail on 30 days' notice.
The MSA is signed first and sets the framework; individual IOs are then issued under it for each specific campaign.