A force majeure clause excuses a party from performing its contractual obligations when an extraordinary event outside its control, a natural disaster, war, a pandemic, makes performance impossible or impractical.
What actually counts as a qualifying event depends entirely on how the clause is written. Some are narrow, listing specific events, while others use broader language covering any circumstance beyond a party's reasonable control. A poorly drafted clause can leave a company without protection in exactly the kind of disruption it was meant to cover.
These clauses got far more scrutiny after 2020, when many companies tried to invoke force majeure over pandemic-related disruptions, with mixed success depending on how their specific contract language was written. Worth reviewing existing vendor and customer contracts for how this clause is actually worded, not just assuming it's boilerplate that will hold up if needed.
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