The Procurement Officer and Technical Officer shall consult to determine the most appropriate licence agreement duration, taking into account the following general principles:

• If CERN intends to use the software for a long-term period, especially if CERN is dependent on the software, it is encouraged to sign long-term licence agreements;
• If the software is new or untested for CERN, it may be more appropriate to sign a short-term (e.g. 1 year) licence agreement (including where possible a renewal option for CERN subject to its written approval).

For long-term licence agreements, it is advised to include in the contract a clause detailing how the prices will change if the number of licences changes or if the services change.