diff --git a/.agents/backend-specialist/FORM_INTEGRATION.md b/.agents/backend-specialist/FORM_INTEGRATION.md
index 64f5fe9..da1ccec 100644
--- a/.agents/backend-specialist/FORM_INTEGRATION.md
+++ b/.agents/backend-specialist/FORM_INTEGRATION.md
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ Both endpoints include server-side validation, rate limiting, spam protection, a
 - `name` — required, 2–100 characters
 - `email` — required, valid format, max 254 chars
 - `phone` — optional; if present, must match phone regex
-- `subject` — required, allowlist enum (web-development, mobile-development, cloud-services, ai-ml, consulting, support, other)
-- `message` — required, 10–5000 characters
+- `subject` — required, allowlist enum (erp-solutions, government-systems, web-development, mobile-development, ui-ux, consulting, other; legacy values cloud-services, ai-ml, support still accepted by the API but no longer offered in the contact-page dropdown)
+- `message` — required, 10–2000 characters
 - `website` — honeypot, must be empty
 
 **Rate limit:** 5 requests per IP per hour
diff --git a/src/pages/api/contact.ts b/src/pages/api/contact.ts
index cd8dc24..0b509c5 100644
--- a/src/pages/api/contact.ts
+++ b/src/pages/api/contact.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ const PHONE_REGEX = /^[\+]?[(]?[0-9]{1,3}[)]?[-\s\.]?[(]?[0-9]{1,4}[)]?[-\s\.]?[
 const VALID_SUBJECTS = [
   'web-development',
   'mobile-development',
+  'ui-ux',
   'cloud-services',
   'ai-ml',
   'consulting',
@@ -312,12 +313,13 @@ async function sendContactEmail(data: ContactFormData): Promise<SendResult | voi
     const subjectLabels: Record<string, string> = {
       'web-development': 'Web Development',
       'mobile-development': 'Mobile Development',
+      'ui-ux': 'UI/UX Design',
       'cloud-services': 'Cloud Services',
       'ai-ml': 'AI & Machine Learning',
-      'consulting': 'IT Consulting',
+      'consulting': 'IT Consulting / DevOps',
       'support': 'Technical Support',
-      'erp-solutions': 'ERP / Custom Software',
-      'government-systems': 'Government / GeM',
+      'erp-solutions': 'ERP / Enterprise Systems',
+      'government-systems': 'Government IT',
       'other': 'Other',
     };
 
diff --git a/src/pages/contact.astro b/src/pages/contact.astro
index 67131a7..ed71c08 100644
--- a/src/pages/contact.astro
+++ b/src/pages/contact.astro
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const contactInfo = [
   {
     icon: 'clock',
     title: 'Business Hours',
-    details: ['Mon – Fri: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM', 'Sat – Sun: Closed'],
+    details: ['Mon – Fri: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM', 'We reply within 24 business hours, Mon – Fri.'],
     link: null,
     linkLabel: null,
     color: 'violet',
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ const trustStats = [
           <span class="text-transparent bg-clip-text bg-gradient-to-r from-primary-300 to-primary-500">Hear From You</span>
         </h1>
         <p class="text-xl text-secondary-300 max-w-2xl mx-auto reveal-on-scroll reveal-delay-2">
-          Whether you have a project in mind, a question about our services, or just want to explore the possibilities — our team is ready to help.
+          Tell us about your project — get a free 1-page proposal in 24 hours.
         </p>
 
         <!-- Trust stats strip -->
@@ -151,8 +151,17 @@ const trustStats = [
           <div class="bg-white dark:bg-secondary-800 rounded-2xl shadow-card border border-secondary-100 dark:border-secondary-700 p-8 lg:p-10">
             <!-- Form Header -->
             <div class="mb-8">
-              <h2 class="text-2xl font-bold text-secondary-900 dark:text-secondary-100 mb-2">Send Us a Message</h2>
-              <p class="text-secondary-500 dark:text-secondary-400 text-sm">Fill out the form below and we'll respond within 24 hours.</p>
+              <div class="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-3 mb-2">
+                <h2 class="text-2xl font-bold text-secondary-900 dark:text-secondary-100">Send Us a Message</h2>
+                <!-- Response promise — shown ABOVE the form so the commitment is visible before users invest time -->
+                <span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 px-3 py-1.5 rounded-full bg-emerald-50 dark:bg-emerald-900/30 border border-emerald-200 dark:border-emerald-800 text-emerald-700 dark:text-emerald-300 text-xs font-semibold whitespace-nowrap">
+                  <svg class="w-3.5 h-3.5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true">
+                    <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M12 8v4l3 3m6-3a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z" />
+                  </svg>
+                  &lt; 24h response
+                </span>
+              </div>
+              <p class="text-secondary-500 dark:text-secondary-400 text-sm">Fill out the form below and we'll reply within 24 business hours, Mon – Fri.</p>
             </div>
 
             <form id="contact-form" class="space-y-5" novalidate>
@@ -325,12 +334,12 @@ const trustStats = [
                       class="form-input w-full pl-10 pr-8 py-3 rounded-xl border border-secondary-200 dark:border-secondary-600 focus:border-primary focus:ring-2 focus:ring-primary/20 transition-all duration-200 text-secondary-900 dark:text-secondary-100 text-sm bg-secondary-50 dark:bg-secondary-700 focus:bg-white dark:focus:bg-secondary-700 appearance-none cursor-pointer"
                     >
                       <option value="">Select a service...</option>
+                      <option value="erp-solutions">ERP / Enterprise Systems</option>
+                      <option value="government-systems">Government IT</option>
                       <option value="web-development">Web Development</option>
                       <option value="mobile-development">Mobile Development</option>
-                      <option value="cloud-services">Cloud Services</option>
-                      <option value="ai-ml">AI & Machine Learning</option>
-                      <option value="consulting">IT Consulting</option>
-                      <option value="support">Technical Support</option>
+                      <option value="ui-ux">UI/UX Design</option>
+                      <option value="consulting">IT Consulting / DevOps</option>
                       <option value="other">Other / General Inquiry</option>
                     </select>
                     <div class="valid-check absolute inset-y-0 right-9 flex items-center hidden" aria-label="Valid">
@@ -379,7 +388,7 @@ const trustStats = [
                     Your Message <span class="text-red-500" aria-hidden="true">*</span>
                     <span class="sr-only">(required)</span>
                   </label>
-                  <span id="char-count" class="text-xs text-secondary-400" aria-hidden="true">0 / 5000</span>
+                  <span id="char-count" class="text-xs text-secondary-400" aria-hidden="true">0 / 2000</span>
                 </div>
                 <div class="relative">
                   <textarea
@@ -387,8 +396,8 @@ const trustStats = [
                     name="message"
                     required
                     minlength="10"
-                    maxlength="5000"
-                    rows="5"
+                    maxlength="2000"
+                    rows="4"
                     aria-required="true"
                     aria-describedby="message-error message-hint"
                     class="form-input w-full px-4 py-3 rounded-xl border border-secondary-200 dark:border-secondary-600 focus:border-primary focus:ring-2 focus:ring-primary/20 transition-all duration-200 text-secondary-900 dark:text-secondary-100 placeholder-secondary-400 dark:placeholder-secondary-500 text-sm bg-secondary-50 dark:bg-secondary-700 focus:bg-white dark:focus:bg-secondary-700 resize-none"
@@ -895,8 +904,8 @@ const trustStats = [
   if (messageField && charCount) {
     messageField.addEventListener('input', () => {
       const len = messageField.value.length;
-      charCount.textContent = `${len} / 5000`;
-      charCount.className = len > 4500 ? 'text-xs text-red-500' : 'text-xs text-secondary-400';
+      charCount.textContent = `${len} / 2000`;
+      charCount.className = len > 1800 ? 'text-xs text-red-500' : 'text-xs text-secondary-400';
     });
   }
 
@@ -1111,7 +1120,7 @@ const trustStats = [
         form.querySelectorAll('.valid-check').forEach((el) => el.classList.add('hidden'));
         form.querySelectorAll('.invalid-check').forEach((el) => el.classList.add('hidden'));
         form.querySelectorAll('[data-error]').forEach((el) => el.classList.add('hidden'));
-        if (charCount) charCount.textContent = '0 / 5000';
+        if (charCount) charCount.textContent = '0 / 2000';
         budgetOptions.forEach((o) => o.classList.remove('selected'));
       });
     }