Hold a vendor accountable for a missed project milestone
A firm, factual message to a vendor about a missed milestone that requests a recovery plan and protects your contractual position.
The prompt
Help me write to a vendor that has missed a project milestone.
Vendor and contract type: [NAME, fixed price / time and materials, SOW reference]
The milestone and what was committed: [DELIVERABLE, due date, acceptance criteria]
What actually happened: [late, incomplete, poor quality - with specifics]
Their explanation so far: [what they have said]
Our role in the delay, if any: [late inputs, decisions, access - be honest]
Impact on us: [schedule, cost, other teams, customers]
Relevant contract terms: [service credits, penalties, milestone payments, notice clauses - if known]
What I want: [recovery plan by a date, extra resources at their cost, revised schedule, formal notice]
Write a message that:
- States the facts: what was due, when, and what was received.
- Describes the impact on us without exaggeration.
- Acknowledges any delay on our side honestly, so the record is fair.
- Requests a written recovery plan by a specific date, including root cause, revised dates, and added resources.
- Refers to relevant contract terms neutrally, without threats.
- Keeps the relationship workable.
Rules: do not invent contract terms; use [CHECK CONTRACT] where I am unsure. If this may lead to a formal dispute or withheld payment, remind me to involve procurement or legal before sending.
Return:
1. The email (under 250 words).
2. What a good recovery plan from them should include, so I can judge their response.
3. Notes for my file documenting the timeline of events.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Email & Workplace Communication prompts
What to fill in
- NAME, fixed price / time and materials, SOW reference
- DELIVERABLE, due date, acceptance criteria
- late, incomplete, poor quality - with specifics
- what they have said
- late inputs, decisions, access - be honest
- schedule, cost, other teams, customers
- CHECK CONTRACT
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
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