diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 2ea5d56..d4827d0 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ WaveFlow automates bounty escrow on Stellar/Soroban with GitHub merge-triggered
 1. Read [docs/PRD.md](docs/PRD.md) for product scope.
 2. Read [docs/ROADMAP.md](docs/ROADMAP.md) for phase plan.
 3. Walk through [docs/core-loop.md](docs/core-loop.md) for the merge-to-payout path.
+4. Review [AGENTS.md](AGENTS.md) for repository-specific implementation commands and guardrails.
+
+WaveFlow is a Stellar-native implementation of Wave-style bounty mechanics. Per PRD NG6, it does not depend on or replace Drips APIs; it maps GitHub merge events to WaveFlow gateway attestations and Soroban escrow payouts.
 
 ## Development setup
 
@@ -32,8 +35,20 @@ cargo test --workspace
 
 - Branch from `main`, open PRs against `main`.
 - Run `cargo fmt`, `cargo clippy`, and `cargo test --workspace` before pushing.
-- Use issue prefixes: `[contracts]`, `[backend]`, `[documentation]`, `[infra]`.
-- Label Drips Wave issues with `Drips Wave` and `complexity:*`.
+- Use issue prefixes to keep scope clear:
+
+| Prefix | Area |
+|--------|------|
+| `[contracts]` | Soroban escrow logic in `contracts/waveflow-escrow` |
+| `[gateway]` | GitHub webhook ingestion and chain attestation in `crates/gateway` |
+| `[api]` | REST API, admin routes, and read paths in `crates/api` |
+| `[shared]` | Cross-crate types, config, and error handling in `crates/shared` |
+| `[documentation]` | README, runbooks, and files under `docs/` |
+| `[infra]` | Docker, Render, CI, migrations, and deployment support |
+
+## Wave bounty labels
+
+Label Wave-aligned issues with `Drips Wave` and a `complexity:*` tier. The current gateway points model is fixed at `1 point per merged PR` (see PRD OQ1 and `docs/gateway/payout-calculation.md`), so labels are used for maintainer planning and future point mapping rather than changing payout math today.
 
 ## Security
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 351345e..746c148 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ cargo run -p waveflow-api
 
 ## Documentation
 
+- [Contributing guide](CONTRIBUTING.md)
 - [Product Requirements](docs/PRD.md)
 - [Implementation Roadmap](docs/ROADMAP.md)
 - [Core loop walkthrough](docs/core-loop.md)