contract-handling

Instruction file imported from enthali/jarvis (.github/instructions/contract-handling.instructions.md). Copyright stays with the author.

Contract Handling

Current responsibility is temporary authority to maintain the Contract instance; durable artifact ownership stays with each artifact's owner.

Handoff

• HANDOFF (via SEND) — after completing work, select the next logical included artifact owner whose work can progress the Contract. Update Contract status, artifact evidence, and Current responsibility, then commit the Contract and related artifacts as one consistent state before sending HANDOFF. A single writer and a consistent committed Contract take priority over uninterrupted communication; the brief gap until the notification arrives is accepted. In the HANDOFF message, name the Contract path, commit, completed outcome, and remaining work. From then on, change only your own memory.
• ACK (via RESPOND) — before starting work received through a HANDOFF, verify that the named commit's Contract header states Current responsibility as yourself. When it does, re-read your context.md, your role card, and the active Contract, then RESPOND with ACK. When it names another actor, escalate the discrepancy.

Consultation

• CONSULT (via SEND) — request advice or review from another actor at any time, explicitly marked as a consultation. Current responsibility stays with its holder; the consulted actor reads the Contract and the versioned work artifacts and answers with findings.
• CONSULTRESPOND (via RESPOND) — return the consulted actor's answer or findings to the asker. Current responsibility stays with its holder.

Questions and escalation leave Current responsibility with its holder. When no included artifact owner can progress the Contract, record an actionable blocker and escalate.