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Terms and Conditions

These General Terms and Conditions for IT Services (“Terms and Conditions”) are a contract (“Agreement”) between Southwestern R&D LLC dba Business Technology Solutions Group (“BTSG”) (“Company”) and the customer (“Client”) with respect to purchases on the Company’s website at https://www.btsg.io and the use of the website at https://www.btsg.io. Agreement shall be effective as of the date of purchase on the Company’s website and shall last until the client cancels services (“Term”).

The parties agree as follows:

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Company agrees to assist Client with professional services and advice as set forth by the website product of service that the Client purchased. Additional services will be considered statements of work (each, a “Statement of Work”) that may be executed from time-to-time by both parties under this Agreement (collectively, the “Services”). To be effective, each Statement of Work (if any) shall reference this Agreement and, when executed by both parties, shall automatically be deemed a part of, and governed by the terms of, this Agreement. Each Statement of Work is enforceable according to the terms and conditions contained therein, and in the event of a direct conflict between the language of this Agreement and any Statement of Work, the language of the Statement of Work shall control, but only with respect to that particular Statement of Work. Company shall perform all Services in accordance with the relevant best practices for the managed service provider industry, as well as those service levels explicitly described in any relevant Statement of Work.

AUTHORIZED CONTACT PERSON

Client shall designate one or more authorized contact person(s) (each, an “Authorized Contact”) with whom Company will conduct Service-related communications. Each Authorized Contact shall be a point of contact for Company, and shall be authorized to provide, modify and approve on Client’s behalf, work direction, Statements of Work, and Change Orders. Client understands and agrees that Company shall be permitted to act upon the direction and apparent authority of each Authorized Contact, unless and until Company receives written notice from Client (as described below) that an Authorized Contact is no longer authorized to act on Client’s behalf. If during the Term of this Agreement, Client wishes to add or remove an Authorized Contact, or modify an Authorized Contact’s information or authority, Client must notify Company in writing of the change(s) including (in the event of the addition of an Authorized Contact) the Authorized Contact’s name, address, email address and telephone number.

ACCESS TO PREMISES

To the extent that Services are performed on Client’s premises (“Premises”), Client hereby grants to Company the right of ingress and egress over the Premises and further grants Company a license to provide the Services described in any Statement of Work within the Premises. To the extent that Services are provided to Client on property other than the Premises, it shall be Client’s responsibility to secure, at Client’s own cost, prior to the commencement of any Services, any necessary rights of entry, licenses, permits or other permission necessary for Company to provide Services at such location(s). Client shall provide Company with any passwords or keys (virtual or otherwise) that Company requires in order to provide the Services to Client. Company shall not be liable for delay in performance or nonperformance of any term or condition of this Agreement directly or indirectly resulting from Client’s denial to Company of full and free access to Client’s systems and components thereof, or Client’s denial to Company of full and free access to Client’s personnel or Premises pursuant to this Agreement.

WARRANTIES; LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY.

  1. Any third party products provided to Client pursuant to this Agreement, including but not limited to third party hardware, software, peripherals and accessories (collectively, “Third Party Products”) shall be provided to Client “as is”. Company shall use reasonable efforts to assign all warranties (if any) for the Third Party Products to Client, but will have no liability whatsoever for such third party products. All Third Party Products are provided WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY WHATSOEVER as between Company and Client, and Company shall not be held liable as an insurer or guarantor of the performance or quality of Third Party Products.
  2. Company assumes no liability for failure of equipment or software or any losses resulting from such failure.
  3. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED IN THIS AGREEMENT, IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR FOR LOST REVENUE, LOSS OF PROFITS, SAVINGS, OR OTHER ECONOMIC LOSS ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, ANY STATEMENT OF WORK(S) OR ANY SERVICES PERFORMED OR PARTS SUPPLIED HEREUNDER, ANY LOSS OR INTERRUPTION OF DATA, TECHNOLOGY OR SERVICES, OR FOR ANY BREACH HEREOF OR FOR ANY DAMAGES CAUSED BY DELAY IN FURNISHING SERVICES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY STATEMENT(S) OF WORK EVEN IF SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. EACH PARTY’S AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO THE OTHER FOR DAMAGES FROM ANY AND ALL CAUSES WHATSOEVER AND REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT OR NEGLIGENCE, SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT OF THE AGGRIEVED PARTY’S ACTUAL DIRECT DAMAGES NOT TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF FEES PAID BY CLIENT TO COMPANY FOR THE SERVICES DURING THE THREE (3) MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE DATE ON WHICH THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUED. IT IS UNDERSTOOD AND AGREED THAT THE COSTS OF HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE (IF ANY) PROVIDED TO CLIENT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE CALCULATION OF THE LIMITATION OF DAMAGES DESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING SENTENCE.

INDEMNIFICATION

Each party (an “Indemnifying Party”) hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold the other party (an “Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any and all loss, damage, cost, expense or liability, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, (collectively, “Damages”) that arise from, or are related to the negligent acts, negligent omissions or intentional wrongful misconduct of the Indemnifying Party and/or the Indemnifying Party’s employees or subcontractors, and from any Damages arising from or related to the Indemnifying Party’s uncured, material breach of this Agreement. The Indemnifying Party further agrees to indemnify, defend, save and hold harmless the Indemnified Party, its offices, agents and employees, from all Damages arising out of any alleged infringement of copyrights, patent rights and/or the unauthorized or unlicensed use of any material, property or other work in connection with the performance of the Services; provided however, that such Damages are the direct result of the Indemnifying Party’s actions and not due to the Indemnified Party’s fault, in whole or in part.

CYBERSECURITY WAIVERS

  1. Cybersecurity Testing: Client understands the serious implications to its business of malicious email and/or website designed to obtain sensitive data (“phishing”), and Client therefore allows and authorizes the Company to create simulated phishing emails and/or webpages to be sent to Client’s business environment, without advance notice to Client, to determine Client’s security weaknesses. These simulated attacks help Clients understand the different forms a phishing attack can take, identifying features, and to avoid clicking malicious links or leaking sensitive data in malicious forms, as well as assists Company in improving Client’s cybersecurity.
  2. Client’s Cybersecurity Responsibilities: Client agrees that it obey all applicable cybersecurity laws and regulations. Client will monitor and test its data safeguards from time to time in accordance with the laws and regulations applicable to its business and further agrees to adjust its data safeguards from time to time in light of relevant circumstances or the results of any relevant testing or monitoring. Client may retain the company to perform this work or may at its discretion hire a third party to perform this work.
  3. Client’s Data Breach Responsibilities: If Client suspects or becomes aware of any unauthorized access to any Client’s data, or malicious activity directed at Client’s data by any unauthorized person or third party, or becomes aware of any other security breach relating to Client’s data (“Data Breach”), Client shall immediately notify Company in writing and shall fully cooperate with Company at Client’s expense to prevent or stop such Data Breach. In the event of such Data Breach, Client shall fully and immediately comply with applicable laws, and shall take the appropriate steps to remedy such Data Breach.
  4. Cybersecurity Breach Waiver of Responsibility: Client hereby waives and releases Company from and against any and all claims, suits, causes of action, liability, loss, costs and damages, including indirect or incidental damages, and including reasonable attorney fees, arising out of or relating to any Data Breach, and will defend, indemnify and hold Company, its officers, directors, employees and agents, harmless from and against any and all claims, suits, causes of action, liability, loss, costs and damages, including reasonable attorney fees, arising out of or relating to any third party claim arising from any Data Breach.

TERMINATION.

  1. This agreement can be terminated by the Client or Company at any time with 30 days written notice to the other party.
  2. Equipment Removal. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, Client shall provide Company with access, during normal business hours, to Client’s premises (or any other locations at which Company-owned equipment is located) to enable Company to remove all Company-owned equipment from such premises (if any).
  3. Transition. In the event this Agreement is terminated for any reason whatsoever, all Client data held by Company shall be returned to the Client in a commercially reasonable manner and time frame, not to exceed fifteen (15) calendar days following the date of request of the return of such data by Client. The data shall be returned in a comma separated value (i.e., CSV) format, unless another industry-standard format is mutually agreed upon by the parties. In the event that Client requests Company’s assistance to transition to a new service provider, Company shall do so provided that (i) all fees due and owing to Company under this Agreement are paid to Company in full prior to Company providing its assistance to Client, and (ii) Client agrees to pay Company its then-current hourly rate for such assistance, with upfront amounts to be paid to Company as agreed upon between the parties. Company shall have no obligation to store or maintain any Client data in Company’s possession or control beyond fifteen (15) calendar days following the termination of this Agreement. Company shall be held harmless for and indemnified by Client against any and all claims, costs, fees, or expenses incurred by either party that arise from, or are related to, Company’s deletion of Client data beyond the time frames described in this Section.
  4. Impact. Termination of a Statement of Work shall not act as a termination of any other Statement of Work or as a termination of this Agreement as a whole. Termination of this Agreement, however, shall act as a termination of all Statements of Work then pending, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing.
  5. No Liability: Unless expressly stated in this Agreement, neither party shall be liable to the other party or any third party for any compensation, reimbursement, losses, expenses, costs or damages (collectively, “Damages”) arising from or related to, directly or indirectly, the termination of this Agreement for any reason. This waiver of liability shall include, but shall not be limited to, the loss of actual or anticipated profits, anticipated or actual sales, and of expenditures, investments, or commitments in connection with such party’s or any third party’s goodwill or business.

CONFIDENTIALITY

    1. Defined. For the purposes of this Agreement, Confidential Information shall mean any and all non-public information provided to Company by Client, including but not limited to Client’s customer data, customer lists, internal Client documents, and related information. Confidential Information shall not include information that: (i) has become part of the public domain through no actcybersecurity review with BTSG or omission of Company, (ii) was developed independently by Company, or (iii) is or was lawfully and independently provided to Company prior to disclosure by Client, from a third party who is not and was not subject to an obligation of confidentiality or otherwise prohibited from transmitting such information.
    2. Use. Company shall keep Client’s Confidential Information confidential, and shall not use or disclose such information to any third party for any purpose except (i) as expressly authorized by Client in writing, or (ii) as needed to fulfill Company’s obligations under this Agreement. If Company is required to disclose the Confidential Information to any third party as described in part (ii) of the preceding sentence, then Company shall ensure that such third party is required, by written agreement, to keep the information confidential under terms that are at least as restrictive as those stated in this Section.
    3. Due Care. Company shall exercise the same degree of care with respect to the Confidential Information it receives from Client as Company normally takes to safeguard and preserve its own confidential and proprietary information, which in all cases shall be at least a commercially reasonable level of care.
    4. Compelled Disclosure. If Company is legally compelled (whether by deposition, interrogatory, request for documents, subpoena, civil investigation, demand or similar process) to disclose any of the Confidential Information, Company shall immediately notify Client in writing. At Client’s expense, Company may hire counsel to assist Company with legal issues that may arise under this provision. Company may disclose, without liability hereunder, that portion (and only that portion) of the Confidential Information that Company has been advised by counsel that it is legally compelled to disclose.

EXISTING CLIENT ENVIRONMENT

      1. Client shall at Clients own expense maintain their hardware and software as Genuine, Licensed, and Vendor-Supported.
      2. Client shall notify Company immediately of new hardware or software purchased, installed, or otherwise in use that will materially affect the Company’s delivery of service. Company shall have rights to refuse to provide service of such hardware and software without being in breach of this agreement.
      3. Company may at Company’s sole discretion choose not to support hardware or software that is not Genuine, Licensed, and Vendor supported.

MISCELLANEOUS

  1. Assignment. This Agreement or any Statement of Work may not be assigned or transferred by Company without the prior written consent of the Client. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, their legal representatives, and permitted successors and assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Company may assign its rights and obligations hereunder to a successor in ownership in connection with any merger, consolidation, or sale of substantially all of the assets of the business of a party, or any other transaction in which ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of either party’s voting securities is transferred; provided such assignee expressly assumes the assignor’s obligations hereunder.
  2. Amendment. No amendment or modification of this Agreement or any Statement of Work (including any schedules or exhibits) shall be valid or binding upon the parties unless such amendment or modification specifically refers to this Agreement, is in writing, and is signed by one of the Designated Contacts of each party.
  3. Time Limitations. The parties mutually agree that any action for breach of or upon a matter arising out of this Agreement or any Statement of Work must be commenced within one (1) year after the cause of action accrues or the action is forever barred.
  4. Severability. If any provision hereof or any Statement of Work is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such invalidity, illegibility or unenforceability so that the remainder of that provision and all remaining provisions of this Agreement or any Statement of Work shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
  5. Other Terms. Company shall not be bound by any terms or conditions printed on any purchase order, invoice, memorandum, or other written communication between the parties unless such terms or conditions are incorporated into a duly executed Statement of Work. In the event any provision contained in this Agreement is held to be unenforceable in any respect, such unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement, and the Agreement shall be construed as if such an unenforceable provision or provisions had never been included in this Agreement.
  6. No Waiver. The failure of either party to enforce or insist upon compliance with any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the temporary or recurring waiver of any term or condition of this Agreement, or the granting of an extension of the time for performance, shall not constitute an Agreement to waive such terms with respect to any other occurrences.
  7. Merger. This Agreement, together with any Statement(s) of Work, sets forth the entire understanding of the parties and supersedes any and all prior agreements, arrangements or understandings related to the Services, and no representation, promise, inducement or statement of intention has been made by either party which is not embodied herein. Any document that is not expressly and specifically incorporated into this Agreement or Statement of Work shall act only to provide illustrations or descriptions of Services to be provided, and shall not act to modify this Agreement or provide binding contractual language between the parties. Company shall not be bound by any agents’ or employees’ representations, promises or inducements not explicitly set forth herein.
  8. Force Majeure. Company shall not be liable to Client for delays or failures to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any Statement of Work because of circumstances beyond its reasonable control. Such circumstances include, but shall not be limited to, any acts or omissions of any governmental authority, natural disaster, act of a public enemy, acts of terrorism, riot, sabotage, disputes or differences with workmen, power failure, communications delays/outages, delays in transportation or deliveries of supplies or materials, acts of God, or any other events beyond the reasonable control of Company.