Master Services Agreement and Terms & Conditions
1. Scope; Services
a) This master services agreement (this “Agreement”, “Terms”, “MSA”, or “Terms and Conditions”) governs all services that Geeks on Wheels, Inc., a Wyoming corporation located at 1621 Central Ave, Cheyanne, WY 82001 (“us”, “our”, “we”, “Geeks on Wheels”, “Geeks”, “GOW”, “Company”, or “Service Provider”), performs as well as any licenses or products that we sell or re-sell (collectively, the “Services”), to you (“you”, “Client”, or “Customer”).
b) Services are not described in this Agreement; instead, you will be provided with a proposal, quote, order, invoice, service agreement, or service plan (“Quote”, “Service Plan”, or “Subscription”) that describe the Services through which you agree to purchase from us. The Quote may have one or more statements of work (each a “SOW”) attached to it that further describe, summarize, and/or define the scope of the Services. By accepting a Quote, you agree to the terms of each SOW and the terms of this Agreement. If you do not agree to the terms of the SOW and this Agreement, then you must not accept the Quote or pay the related Invoice.
From this point forward in this Agreement, Quotes, SOWs, Sales Orders, Invoices, and Subscriptions referencing these terms will be collectively referred to as “SOW.”
c) If there is a material difference between the language in a SOW and the language in this Agreement, then the language of the SOW will control, except in situations involving warranties, limitations of liability, or termination of this Master Services Agreement. Under those limited circumstances, the terms of this Agreement will control unless the SOW expressly states that it is overriding the conflicting provisions of this Agreement.
2. General Requirements
a) For the purposes of this Agreement, “Environment” means, collectively, any computer network (cloud-based or otherwise), computer system, peripheral or device (virtual or physical) installed, maintained, monitored, or operated by us pursuant to a SOW. To avoid a delay or negative impact on our provision of the Services, during the term of each SOW you agree to refrain from modifying or moving the Environment or installing software in the Environment, unless we expressly authorize such activity.
b) At all times, all software on the Environment must be genuine and licensed, and you agree to provide us with proof of such licensing upon our request. If we require you to implement certain minimum hardware or software requirements in a SOW (“Minimum Requirements”), you agree to do so as an ongoing requirement of us providing our Services to you.
c) Patches and updates to hardware and software (“Updates”) are created and distributed by third parties—such as equipment or software manufacturers—and may be supplied to us from time to time for installation into the Environment. If required under a SOW, we will implement and follow the manufacturers’ recommendations for the installation of Updates; however, (i) we do not warrant or guarantee that any Update will perform properly, (ii) we will not be responsible for any downtime or losses arising from or related to the installation, use, or inability to use any Update, and (iii) we reserve the right, but not the obligations, to refrain from installing an Update until we have determined, in our reasonable discretion, that the Updates will be compatible with the configuration of the Environment and materially beneficial to the features or functionality of the affected software or hardware.
d) Third Party Support. If, in our discretion, a hardware or software issue requires vendor or OEM support, we will contact the vendor or OEM (as applicable) on your behalf and invoice you for all fees and costs involved in that process. If the fees or costs are anticipated in advance or exceed $500, we will obtain your permission before incurring such expenses on your behalf unless exigent circumstances require otherwise.
e) Advice; Instructions. From time to time, we may provide you with specific advice and directions related to the Services. (For example, our advice or directions may include increasing the Environment’s server or hard drive capacity or replacing obsolete equipment.) You are strongly advised to promptly follow our advice which, depending on the situation, may require you to make additional purchases or investments in the Environment or the environment in which the Environment is maintained, at your sole cost. We will not be responsible for any problems or issues (such as downtime or security-related issues) caused by your failure to promptly follow our advice. If, in our discretion, your failure to follow or implement our advice renders part or all of the Services economically or technically unreasonable to provide, then we may terminate the applicable SOW for cause by providing notice of termination to you. Unless specifically and expressly stated in a SOW, any services required to remediate issues caused by your failure to follow GOW’s advice or directions, or your unauthorized modification of the Environment, as well as any services required to bring the Environment up to or maintain the Minimum Requirements, are out-of-scope and not covered under any SOW and are subject to billing at then current hourly rates.
f) All Services will be performed on a schedule, and in a prioritized manner, as we deem reasonable and necessary.
g) Authorized Contact(s). GOW will be entitled to rely on any directions or consent provided by your personnel or representatives who are authorized in a SOW to provide such directions or consent (“Authorized Contacts”). If no Authorized Contact is identified in an applicable SOW, then your Authorized Contact will be the person(s) (i) who signed this Agreement, and/or (ii) who signed the applicable SOW. If you desire to change your Authorized Contact(s), please notify GOW of such changes in writing which, unless exigent circumstances are stated in the notice, will take effect three (3) business days thereafter.
h) If you are supplied with GOW Equipment (defined below), you agree to acquire and maintain, at your sole cost, insurance for the full MSRP value of that equipment. GOW must be listed as an additional insured on any policy acquired and maintained by you under this Agreement, and the policy will not be canceled or modified during the term of the applicable SOW without prior notification to GOW. Upon GOW’s request, you agree to provide proof of insurance to GOW, including proof of payment of any applicable premiums or other amounts due under the insurance policy.
i) Fair Usage Policy (“FUP”). All unlimited services are provided during our normal business hours only and are subject to our technicians’ availabilities, which cannot always be guaranteed. In addition, we reserve the right to assign our technicians as we deem necessary to handle issues that are more urgent, critical, or pressing than the request(s) or issue(s) reported by you. Consistent with this FUP, you agree to refrain from (i) creating urgent support tickets for non-urgent or non-critical issues, (ii) requesting excessive support services that are inconsistent with normal usage patterns in the industry (e.g., requesting support in lieu of training), (iii) requesting support or services that are intended to interfere, or may likely interfere, with our ability to provide our services to our other customers (iv) requesting support for or reporting issue(s) that do not exist or are otherwise frivolous.
j) Frivolous Requests. Client agrees to adhere to our Ticket Submission Guidelines and policies, which we may separately maintain, and Client agrees to refrain from reporting issues that are vague, undefined, or potentially do not exist. In the event that Client does report issues to Us that do not exist, cannot be found, or cannot be demonstrably reproduced or produced by the Client, Client agrees that all of our related efforts will be subject to and billed at then current hourly rates.
3. Fees; Payment
a) You agree to pay the fees, costs, and expenses described in each SOW. You are responsible for sales tax and any other taxes or governmental fees associated with the Services. If you qualify for a tax exemption, you must provide us with a valid certificate of exemption or other appropriate proof of exemption. You are also responsible for all freight, insurance, and taxes (including but not limited to import or export duties, sales, use, value add, and excise taxes).
b) All undisputed fees will be due and payable in advance of the provision of the Services. If applicable, payments made by ACH will be deducted from your designated bank account on the first business day of the month in which the Services are to be provided.
c) Client agrees to maintain a valid credit card or ACH payment method on file with Geeks on Wheels for automatic payment remittance at all times a SOW remains active.
c) Fees that remain unpaid for more than fifteen (15) days after the date on the invoice will be subject to interest on the unpaid amount(s) until and including the date payment is received, at the lower of either 5% per month or the maximum allowable rate of interest permitted by applicable law. We reserve the right, but not the obligation, to suspend any or all Services or subscriptions without prior notice to you in the event that any portion of undisputed fees are not timely received by us, and monthly or recurring charges shall continue to accrue during any period of suspension. Notice of disputes related to fees must be received by us within forty-five (45) days after the applicable invoice date; otherwise, you waive your right to dispute the fee thereafter. A Reconnection Fee may be charged to you if we suspend Services due to your nonpayment. The Reconnect Fee is typically equivalent to the Setup Fee of the associated SOW or one month of service, whichever is greater.
4. Access
You hereby grant to GOW the right to monitor, diagnose, manipulate, communicate with, retrieve information from, and otherwise access the Environment as necessary to enable us to provide the Services. It is your responsibility to secure, at your own cost and prior to the commencement of any Services, any necessary rights of entry, licenses (including software licenses), permits or other permissions necessary for GOW to provide Services to the Environment and, if applicable, at your designated premises, both physically and virtually. Proper and safe environmental conditions must be provided and assured by you at all times. GOW shall not be required to engage in any activity or provide any Services under conditions that pose or may pose a safety or health concern to any personnel, or that would require extraordinary or non-industry standard efforts to achieve.
5. Limited Warranties; Limitations of Liability
a) Hardware / Software Purchased Through GOW. All hardware, software, peripherals or accessories purchased through GOW (“Third Party Products”) are generally nonrefundable once the product is obtained from GOW’s third party provider or reseller. If you require a refund, then the third party provider’s or reseller’s return policies shall apply. We do not guarantee that purchased Third Party Products will be returnable, exchangeable, or that re-stocking fees can be avoided. You will be responsible for the payment of all re-stocking or return-related fees charged by the third party provider or reseller. We will use reasonable efforts to assign, transfer and facilitate all warranties (if any) and service level commitments (if any) for the Third Party Products to you, but will have no liability whatsoever for the quality, functionality or operability of any Third Party Products, and we will not be held liable as an insurer or guarantor of the performance, uptime or usefulness of any Third Party Products. All Third Party Products are pro-vided “as is” and without any warranty whatsoever as between GOW and you (including but not limited to implied warranties).
b) Liability Limitations. This paragraph limits the liabilities arising under this Agreement or any SOW and is a bargained-for and material part of our business relationship with you. You acknowledge and agree that GOW would not enter into any SOW or this Agreement unless GOW could rely on the limitations described in this paragraph. In no event shall either party be liable for any indirect, special, exemplary, consequential, or punitive damages, such as lost revenue, loss of profits (except for fees due and owing to GOW), savings, or other indirect or contingent event-based economic loss arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, any SOW, or the Services, or for any loss or interruption of data, technology or services, or for any breach hereof or for any damages caused by any delay in furnishing Services under this Agreement or any SOW, even if a party has been advised of the possibility of such damages; however, reasonable attorneys’ fees awarded to a prevailing party (as described below) shall not be limited by the foregoing limitation. Except for your payment obligations and your indemnification obligations described in this Agreement, a responsible party’s (“Responsible Party’s”) aggregate liability to the other party (“Aggrieved Party”) for damages from any and all claims or causes whatsoever, and regardless of the form of any such action(s), that arise from or relate to this Agreement (collectively, “Claims”), whether in contract, tort, indemnification, or negligence, shall be limited solely to the amount of the Aggrieved Party’s actual and direct damages, not to exceed the amount of fees paid by you (excluding hard costs for licenses, hardware, etc.) to GOW for the specific Service upon which the applicable claim(s) is/are based during the three (3) month period immediately prior to the date on which the cause of action accrued. The foregoing limitations shall not apply to the extent that the Claims are caused by a Responsible Party’s willful or intentional misconduct, or gross negligence. Similarly, a Responsible Party’s liability obligation shall be reduced to the extent that a Claim is caused by, or the result of, the Aggrieved Party’s willful or intentional misconduct, or gross negligence.
6. Indemnification
Each party (an “Indemnifying Party”) agrees to indemnify, defend and hold the other party (an “Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, expenses or liabilities, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, (collectively, “Damages”) that arise from, or are related to, the Indemnifying Party’s breach of this Agreement. The Indemnified Party will have the right, but not the obligation, to control the intake, defense and disposition of any claim or cause of action for which indemnity may be sought under this section. The Indemnifying Party shall be permitted to have counsel of its choosing participate in the defense of the applicable claim(s); however, (i) such counsel shall be retained at the Indemnifying Party’s sole cost, and (ii) the Indemnified Party’s counsel shall be the ultimate determiner of the strategy and defense of the claim(s) for which indemnity is provided. No claim for which indemnity is sought by an Indemnified Party will be settled without the Indemnifying Party’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld.
8. Term; Termination
a) This Agreement begins on the earliest date on which you accept an Order and continues until terminated as described in this Agreement. Each SOW will have its own Term and will be terminated only as provided herein, unless otherwise expressly stated in the applicable SOW. The termination of one SOW shall not, by itself, cause the termination of (or otherwise impact) this Agreement or the status or progress of any other SOW between the parties.
b) Automatic Renewal. After the initial Term of an SOW, it shall automatically renew for a successive period of its Term length, unless terminated in writing by either party at least sixty (60) days in advance of the Date Signed anniversary date. GOW may make changes to pricing upon renewal.
c) Termination Without Cause. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties in writing or otherwise permitted under this Agreement, no party will terminate this Agreement without cause if, on the date of termination, a SOW is in progress. In addition, no party will terminate a SOW without cause prior to the SOW’s natural expiration date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if GOW decides to cease providing services to all of its customers generally or in part, then GOW may terminate an applicable SOW without cause by providing you with no less than ninety (90) days prior written notice. If you terminate a SOW without cause and without GOW’s consent, then you will be responsible for paying the termination fee described in the “Termination for Cause” section, below. If no SOW is in progress, then either party may terminate this Agreement without cause by providing the other party with ten (10) days prior written notice.
d) Termination For Cause. In the event that one party (a “Defaulting Party”) commits a material breach under a SOW or under this Agreement, the non-Defaulting Party will have the right, but not the obligation, to terminate immediately this Agreement or the relevant SOW (a “For Cause” termination) provided that (i) the non-Defaulting Party has notified the Defaulting Party of the specific details of the breach in writing, and (ii) the Defaulting Party has not cured the default within thirty (30) days (ten (10) days for non-payment by Client) following receipt of written notice of breach from the non-Defaulting Party. If GOW terminates this Agreement or any SOW For Cause, or if you terminate any SOW without cause prior to such SOW’s expiration date, then GOW shall be entitled to receive, and you hereby agree to pay to GOW, all amounts that would have been paid to GOW had this Agreement or SOW (as applicable) remained in effect. If you terminate this Agreement or a SOW For Cause, then you will be responsible for paying only for those Services that were properly delivered and accepted by you up to the effective date of termination.
e) Client Activity Basis for Termination. In the event that (i) any Client-supplied equipment, hardware or software, or any action undertaken by you, causes the Environment or any part of the Environment to malfunction consequently requiring remediation by GOW on three (3) occasions or more (“System Malfunction”), and if under those circumstances, you fail to remedy, repair or replace the System Malfunction as directed by us (or you fail to cease the activity causing the System Malfunction, as applicable), or (ii) you or any of your staff, personnel, contractors, or representatives engage in any unacceptable act or behavior that renders it impracticable, imprudent, or unreasonable to provide the Services to you, then GOW will have the right, upon ten (10) days prior written notice to you, to terminate this Agreement or the applicable SOW For Cause or, at our discretion and if applicable, amend the applicable SOW to eliminate from coverage any System Malfunction or any equipment or software causing the System Malfunction.
f) You and we may mutually consent, in writing, to terminate a SOW or this Agreement at any time.
g) Equipment/Software Removal. Unless we expressly direct you to do so, you agree not to remove or disable, or attempt to remove or disable, any software agents that we installed in the Environment. Doing so without our guidance may make it difficult or impracticable to remove the software agents, which could result in network vulnerabilities and/or the continuation of license fees for the software agents for which you will be responsible, and/or the requirement that we remediate the situation at our then-current hourly rates, for which you will also be responsible. Depending on the particular software agent and the costs of removal, we may elect to keep the software agent in the Environment but in a dormant and/or unused state.
Upon Notice of Termination of this Agreement or applicable SOW for any reason, Client agrees to return all GOW owned equipment or software at its expense. Client agrees to remove, package and ship, in a commercially reasonable manner including full-value insurance and shipment tracking, all hardware, equipment, tools, materials, software, and accessories (collectively referred to as Equipment) provided to Client by GOW within seventy-two (72) hours, unless it is separately agreed that GOW will provide the service of equipment removal. If you fail to timely return all equipment to us, or if the equipment is returned to us damaged (normal wear and tear excepted), then we will have the right to charge you and you hereby agree to pay via your payment method on file, the original Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of all unreturned or damaged equipment.
h) Transition; Deletion of Data. In the event that you request GOW’s assistance to transition away from our services, we will provide such assistance if (i) all fees due and owing to us are paid to us in full prior to GOW providing its assistance to you, and (ii) you agree to pay our then-current hourly rate for such assistance, with up-front amounts to be paid to us as we may require. For the purposes of clarity, it is understood and agreed that the retrieval and provision of passwords, log files, administrative server information, systems documentation, or data are transition services are subject to the preceding requirements. Unless otherwise expressly stated in a SOW, we will have no obligation to store or maintain any Client data in our possession or control beyond the termination of this Agreement. We will be held harmless for, and indemnified by you against, any and all claims, costs, fees, or expenses incurred by either party that arise from or are related to the cessation of GOW services to you. This includes but is not limited to your costs related to transition to new service providers, internal labor costs or down time, and our deletion of your data beyond the time frames described in this section.
i) Scheduled Annual Cost Adjustments. Every twelve months, regardless of the total term of a SOW, Client agrees to cost increases of five percent (5%) plus (+) the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as defined by the as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics based on the most recent 12-month average.
9. Response; Reporting
a) GOW response and remediation services will be provided in accordance with the recommended practices of the managed services industry. Client understands and agrees that remediation services are not intended to be, and will not be, a warranty or guarantee of the functionality of the Environment, or a service plan for the repair of any particular piece of managed hardware or software.
b) In the event that your SOW includes a Service Level Agreement (“SLA”), we warrant and represent that we will provide the Services, and respond to any notification received by us of any error, outage, alarm or alert pertaining to the Environment, in the manner and within the time period(s) designated in an defined “Response Time,” except for (i) those periods of time covered under the Onboarding Exception (defined below), or (ii) periods of delay caused by Client-Side Downtime (defined below), Vendor-Side Downtime (defined below) or (iii) periods in which we are required to suspend the Services to protect the security or integrity of the Environment or our equipment or network, or (iv) delays caused by a force majeure event.
c) Scheduled Downtime. For the purposes of this Agreement, Scheduled Downtime will mean those hours, as determined by us but which will not occur between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday without your authorization or unless exigent circumstances exist, during which time we will perform scheduled maintenance or adjustments to the Environment. We will use our best efforts to provide you with at least twenty-four (24) hours of notice prior to scheduling Scheduled Downtime.
d) Client-Side Downtime. We will not be responsible under any circumstances for any delays or deficiencies in the provision of, or access to, the Services to the extent that such delays or deficiencies are caused by your actions or omissions (“Client-Side Downtime”).
e) Vendor-Side Downtime. We will not be responsible under any circumstances for any delays or deficiencies in the provision of, or access to, the Services to the extent that such delays or deficiencies are caused by third party service providers, third party licensors, or “upstream” service or product vendors.
f) Remedies; Limitations. Except for the Onboarding Exception, in the event that an SOW includes a Service Level Agreement (“SLA”), if we fail to meet our service level commitment in a given calendar month and if, under such circumstances, our failure is not due to your activities, omissions, or inactivity, then upon receiving your written request for credit, we will issue you a pro-rated credit in an amount equal to the period of time of the outage and/or service failure. All requests for credit must be made by you no later than forty-five (45) days after you either (i) report the outage or service failure to us, or (ii) if applicable, receive a monthly report showing the outage and/or failure. The remedies contained in this paragraph and in the “Term; Termination” section above are in lieu of (and are to the exclusion of) any and all other remedies that might otherwise be available to you for our failure to meet any service level commitment during the term of this Agreement.
g) Onboarding Exception. You acknowledge and agree that for the first sixty (60) days following the commencement date of a SOW, the Response Time commitments described in this Agreement will not apply to us, it being understood that there may be unanticipated downtime or delays due to our initial startup activities with you (the “Onboarding Exception”).
10. Confidentiality
a) For the purposes of this Agreement, Confidential Information means any and all non-public information provided to us by you, including but not limited to your customer data, customer lists, internal documents, and related information. Confidential Information will not include information that: (i) has become part of the public domain through no act or omission of GOW, (ii) was developed independently by us, or (iii) is or was lawfully and independently provided to us prior to disclosure by you, from a third party who is not and was not subject to an obligation of confidentiality or otherwise prohibited from transmitting such information.
b) We will keep your Confidential Information confidential and will not use or disclose such information to any third party for any purpose except (i) as expressly authorized by you in writing, or (ii) as needed to fulfill our obligations under this Agreement.
c) Due Care. We will exercise the same degree of care with respect to the Confidential Information we receive from you as we normally take to safeguard and preserve our own confidential and proprietary information, which in all cases will be at least a commercially reasonable level of care.
d) Compelled Disclosure. If we are legally compelled (whether by deposition, interrogatory, request for documents, subpoena, civil investigation, demand or similar process) to disclose any of the Confidential Information, we will immediately notify you in writing of such requirement so that you may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy and/or waive our compliance with the provisions of this Section. We will use its best efforts, at your expense, to obtain or assist you in obtaining any such protective order. Failing the entry of a protective order or the receipt of a waiver hereunder, we may disclose, without liability hereunder, that portion (and only that portion) of the Confidential Information that we have been advised, by written opinion from our counsel, that we are legally compelled to disclose.
e) Business Associate. If we enter into a business associate agreement (“BAA”) with you for the protection of personal health information, then the terms of the BAA will be read in conjunction with the terms of the confidentiality provisions of this Agreement. The terms that protect confidentiality most stringently shall govern, and conflicting privacy- or confidentiality-related terms shall be governed by the BAA.
11. Additional Terms; Services; Third-Party Services and Products
a) Portions of the Services may require you to accept the terms of one or more third party end user license agreements (“EULAs”). If the acceptance of a EULA is required in order to provide the Services to you, then you hereby grant us permission to accept the EULA on your behalf. EULAs may contain service levels, warranties and/or liability limitations that are different than those contained in this Agreement. You agree to be bound by the terms of such EULAs and will look only to the applicable third party provider for the enforcement of the terms of such EULAs. If, while providing the Services, we are required to comply with a third-party EULA and the third party EULA is modified or amended, we reserve the right to modify or amend any applicable SOW with you to ensure our continued compliance with the terms of the third party EULA.
b) Third Party Services. Portions of the Services may be acquired from, or rely upon the services of, third party manufacturers or providers, such as data hosting services, help desk services, domain registration services, and data backup/recovery services (“Third Party Service”). Not all Third Party Services may be expressly identified as such in a SOW, and at all times we reserve the right to utilize the services of any third party provider or to change third party providers in our sole discretion as long as the change does not materially diminish the Services to be provided to you under a SOW. We will not be responsible, and will be held harmless by you, for the failure of any third-party provider or manufacturer to provide Third Party Services to GOW or to you.
c) Data Loss. Under no circumstances will we be responsible for any data lost, corrupted or rendered unreadable due to (i) communication and/or transmissions errors or related failures, (ii) equipment failures (including but not limited to silent hardware corruption-related issues), or (iii) our failure to backup or secure data from portions of the Environment that were not expressly designated in the applicable SOW as requiring backup or recovery services. We do not warrant or guarantee that any maintained storage device or functionality, data backup device or functionality, or load balancing functionality will operate in an error-free manner. Client maintains sole responsibility for their data and the protection thereof.
d) “Bring Yor Own Device” (BYOD). Depending on the Service being provided, portable devices or devices that intermittently connect to the Environment may not receive or benefit from the Services while the devices are detached from or unconnected to the Environment. We will not be obligated to provide the Services to any mobile device or temporarily-connected device unless that obligation is specifically stated in a SOW. We will not be obligated to provide the Services to any BYOD devices unless that obligation is specifically stated in a SOW. Occasional services or guidance provided by us related to BYOD devices will not expand our obligations or the scope of a SOW, or obligate us to continue to provide any additional services or guidance for the BYOD devices.
e) GOW Equipment is licensed to you, and is neither owned by you nor leased to you, unless otherwise noted in a SOW or Order. Upon the expiration of an applicable SOW, your license to use the GOW Equipment shall immediately terminate, and thereafter all GOW Equipment must be returned to us within 72 hours at your expense. All configurations on the GOW Equipment are our proprietary information and will not be circumvented, modified, or removed by you without our prior written consent.
f) Monitoring Services; Alerting Services. Unless otherwise indicated in this SOW, all monitoring and alert-type services are limited to detection and notification functionalities only. These functionalities are guided by Client-designated policies, which may be modified by Client as necessary or desired from time to time. Initially, the policies will be set to a baseline standard as determined by Geeks on Wheels; however, Client is advised to establish and/or modify the policies that correspond to Client’s specific monitoring and notification needs.
g) Modifications to Service Offerings. Client understands that information technology and its associated services are rapidly changing. Geeks on Wheels reserves the sole right to determine the methods and contents of Service offerings. Moreover, Geeks on Wheels may modify or discontinue any specific Managed Services included in a SOW at its sole discretion without invalidating the entirety of the containing SOW or associated costs.
h) Remediation. Unless otherwise provided in this SOW, remediation services will be provided in accordance with the recommended practices of the managed services industry. Client understands and agrees that remediation services are not intended to be, and will not be, a warranty or guarantee of the functionality of the Environment, or a service plan for the repair of any particular piece of managed hardware or software.
i) Anti-Virus; Anti-Malware; End-Point Protection; EDR. Our anti-virus / anti-malware solution will generally protect the Environment from becoming infected with new viruses and malware (“Viruses”); However, viruses that exist in the Environment at the time that the security solution is implemented may not be capable of being removed without additional services, for which a charge may be incurred. We do not warrant or guarantee that all Viruses and malware will be capable of being detected, avoided, or removed, or that any data erased, corrupted, or encrypted by malware will be recoverable. In order to improve security awareness, you agree that Geeks on Wheels or its designated third-party affiliate may transfer information about the results of processed files, information used for URL reputation determination, security risk tracking, and statistics for protection against spam and malware. Any information obtained in this manner does not and will not contain any personal or confidential information.
j) Breach/Cyber Security Incident Recovery. Unless otherwise expressly stated in a SOW, the scope of Managed Services includes preventative measures against Security Incidents and it does not include the remediation and/or recovery from a Security Incident (defined below). Such services, if requested by you, will be provided on a time and materials basis under our then-current hourly rates for security services. In certain circumstances it may be necessary to utilize the assistance of a third-party firm to assist with Breach/Cyber Security Incident Recovery, which may require separate payment terms and special rates. Given the varied number of possible Security Incidents, we cannot and do not warrant or guarantee (i) the amount of time required to remediate the effects of a Security Incident (or that recovery will be possible under all circumstances), or (ii) that all data impacted by the incident will be recoverable. For the purposes of this paragraph, a Security Incident means any unauthorized or impermissible access to or use of the Environment, or any unauthorized or impermissible disclosure of Client’s confidential information (such as user names, passwords, etc.), that (i) compromises the security or privacy of the information or applications in, or the structure or integrity of, the Environment, or (ii) prevents normal access to the Environment, or impedes or disrupts the normal functions of the Environment.
k) Environmental Factors. Exposure to environmental factors, such as water, heat, cold, or varying lighting conditions, may cause installed equipment to malfunction. Unless expressly stated in this SOW, we do not warrant or guarantee that installed equipment will operate error-free or in an uninterrupted manner, or that any video or audio equipment will clearly capture and/or record the details of events occurring at or near such equipment under all circumstances.
l) Microsoft 365 & Other Email Services. You are solely responsible for the security, confidentiality and integrity of all email, and the content of all email, received, transmitted or stored through the Microsoft 365 or Google Workspaces email service. You agree to refrain from uploading, posting, transmitting or distributing (or permitting any of your authorized users of the Email to upload, post, transmit or distribute) any prohibited content, which is generally content that (i) is obscene, illegal, or intended to advocate or induce the violation of any law, rule or regulation, or (ii) violates the intellectual property rights or privacy rights of any third party, or (iii) mischaracterizes you, and/or is intended to create a false identity or to otherwise attempt to mislead any person as to the identity or origin of any communication, or (iv) interferes or disrupts the services provided by Geeks on Wheels or the services of any third party, or (v) contains Viruses, trojan horses or any other malicious code or programs. In addition, you must not use the Email for the purpose of sending unsolicited commercial electronic messages (“SPAM”) in violation of any federal or state law. Geeks on Wheels reserves the right, but not the obligation, to suspend Client’s access to the Email and/or all transactions occurring under Client’s Email account if Geeks on Wheels believes, in its discretion, that Client’s email account is being used in an improper or illegal manner.
m) Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (“BCDR”) Services. All data transmitted over the Internet may be subject to malware and computer contaminants such as viruses, worms and trojan horses, as well as attempts by unauthorized users, such as hackers, to access or damage Client’s data. Neither Geeks on Wheels nor its designated affiliates will be responsible for the outcome or results of such activities. BDR services require a reliable, always-connected internet solution. Data backup and recovery time will depend on the speed and reliability of your internet connection. Internet and telecommunications outages will prevent the BDR services from operating correctly. In addition, all computer hardware is prone to failure due to equipment malfunction, telecommunication-related issues, etc., for which we will be held harmless. Due to technology limitations, all computer hardware, including communications equipment, network servers and related equipment, has an error transaction rate that can be minimized, but not eliminated. Geeks on Wheels cannot and does not warrant that data corruption or loss will be avoided, and Client agrees that Geeks on Wheels shall be held harmless if such data corruption or loss occurs. Client is strongly advised to keep a local backup of all of stored data to mitigate against the unintentional loss of data. BCRD appliances, if provided, remain the property of GOW.
n) Procurement Services. Equipment and software procured by Geeks on Wheels on Client’s behalf (“Procured Equipment”) may be covered by one or more manufacturer warranties, which will be passed through to Client to the greatest extent possible. By procuring equipment or software for Client, Geeks on Wheels does not make any warranties or representations regarding the quality, integrity or usefulness of the Procured Equipment. Certain equipment or software, once purchased, may not be returnable or, in certain cases, may be subject to third party return policies and/or re-stocking fees, all of which shall be Client’s responsibility in the event that a return of the Procured Equipment is requested. Geeks on Wheels is not a warranty service or repair center. Geeks on Wheels will facilitate the return or warranty repair of Procured Equipment; however, Client understands and agrees that the return or warranty repair of Procured Equipment is governed by the terms of the warranties (if any) governing the applicable Procured Equipment, for which Geeks on Wheels will be held harmless.
o) Sample Company Policies, Company Procedures. We may provide you with sample (i.e., template) policies and procedures for use in connection with your business (“Sample Policies”). The Sample Policies are for your informational use only, and do not constitute or comprise legal or professional advice, and the policies are not intended to be a substitute for the advice of competent counsel. You should seek the advice of competent legal counsel prior to using or distributing the Sample Policies, in part or in whole, in any transaction. We do not warrant or guarantee that the Sample Policies are complete, accurate, or suitable for your (or your customers’) specific needs, or that you will reduce or avoid liability by utilizing the Sample Policies in your (or your customers’) business operations.
p) Unsupported Configurations and Services. If you request a configuration element (hardware or software) or hosting service in a manner that is not customary at Geeks on Wheels , or that is in “end of life” or “end of support” status, we may designate the element or service as “unsupported,” “non-standard,” “best efforts,” “reasonable endeavor,” “one-off,” “EOL,” “end of support,” or with like term in the service description (an “Unsupported Service”). We make no representation or warranty whatsoever regarding any Unsupported Service, and you agree that we will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from the provision of an Unsupported Service. Deployment and service level guarantees shall not apply to any Unsupported Service.
12. Hardware as a Service (HaaS)
a) Geeks on Wheels may provide hardware and equipment as Hardware as a Service (HaaS) to Client including but not limited to firewalls, wireless access points, computers, servers, phones, and other devices. If Geeks on Wheels provides such service(s), any and all Equipment, Hardware, or the like, is, and shall remain at all times, the property of Geeks on Wheels. Client shall not at any time obtain any rights in regard to said Equipment or Hardware to include, but not be limited to, any right of use or possession, other than as contained herein, or ownership at any time.
b). Client shall forthwith return possession of any and all Equipment or Hardware to GOW with seventy-two (72) hours upon the request of GOW at Client’s cost; any default by Client in regard to the terms of this Agreement or Client’s obligation(s) as outlined herein; or upon the termination, or notice of termination, or expiration, of this Agreement. Client shall not, at any time, take any action, or fail to take any action, that may interfere with or otherwise impair Company’s rights of ownership and possession of said Equipment, Hardware. Client agrees and authorizes GOW to access Client premises during normal business hours to obtain possession of its Equipment or Hardware provided by GOW to Client pursuant to this Agreement, or otherwise, by self-help and Client specifically waives any right(s) or claims related to the possession or use of GOW Equipment or Hardware. In the event that GOW must repossess equipment, GOW retains the right to invoice Client at then current rates, and client hereby agrees to pay, for all labor associated with equipment repossession. Client agrees that GOW may remotely suspend, disable, or restrict the functionality of GOW HaaS at its sole discretion in the event that GOW suspects its equipment is being used in ways it is not intended for, in ways that are potentially illegal, or in the event that Client fails to remit timely payment to GOW for any obligation. Any costs or fees, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by GOW as a result of Client’s failure to promptly provide GOW’s Equipment or Hardware as indicated herein shall be the responsibility of Client. Further, in the event GOW is required to commence any legal action to obtain its Equipment or Hardware, Client consents to said relief being granted and Client shall be responsible for any and all costs or fees, including all reasonable attorneys’ fees or costs, incurred by GOW in regard to the same.
c) Client shall not, at any time, actually, or attempt to, sell, encumber, hypothecate or provide GOW’s Equipment, Hardware, or Software Licenses as collateral for any obligation(s) of Client and any such action(s) shall be invalid and void. Further, GOW Equipment, Hardware, Software Licenses shall only, and at all times, be maintained by GOW. Any actual, or attempted, tampering, repair or service by any other person(s) or entity shall result in the immediate termination of this Agreement in the sole discretion of GOW. Client shall make and provide its best efforts to keep GOW Equipment or Hardware safe, secure and protected while such is in Client’s possession.
13. Intellectual Property Ownership
Each party is, and will remain, the owner and/or licensor of all works of authorship, patents, trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property owned or licensed by such party (“Intellectual Property”), and nothing in this Agreement or any SOW shall be deemed to convey or grant any ownership rights or goodwill in one party’s Intellectual Property to the other party. You understand that all software provided to you is licensed, and not sold, to you unless otherwise expressly stated in an applicable SOW.
14. Miscellaneous
a) Unless otherwise expressly stated in a SOW, the Services are not intended, and will not be used, to bring Client into full regulatory compliance with any rule, regulation, or requirement that may be applicable to Client’s business or operations. Depending on the Services provided, the Services may aid Client’s efforts to fulfill regulatory compliance; however, the Services are not (and should not be used as) a compliance solution.
b) You warrant and represent that you know of no law or regulation governing your business that would impede or restrict our provision of the Services, or that would require us to register with, or report our provision of the Services (or the results thereof), to any government or regulatory authority. You agree to promptly notify us if you become subject to any of the foregoing which, in our discretion, may require a modification to the scope or pricing of the Services.
c) You understand and agree that no security solution is one hundred percent effective, and any security paradigm may be circumvented and/or rendered ineffective by certain malware, such as certain ransomware or rootkits that were unknown to the malware prevention industry at the time of infection, and/or which are purposely or intentionally downloaded or installed into the Environment. We do not warrant or guarantee that all malware or malicious activity will be capable of being detected, avoided, quarantined or removed, or that any data deleted, corrupted, or encrypted by such malware (“Impacted Data”) will be recoverable. Unless otherwise expressly stated in a SOW, the recovery of Impacted Data is not included in the scope of a SOW. You are strongly advised to (i) educate your employees to properly identify and react to “phishing” activity (i.e., fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information or encourage behavior by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity or person through email), and (ii) obtain insurance against cyberattacks, data loss, malware-related matters, and privacy-related breaches, as such incidents can occur even under a “best practice” scenario. Unless a malware-related incident is caused by our intentionally malicious behavior or our gross negligence, we are held harmless from any costs, expenses, or damages arising from or related to such incidents. You are required to obtain and maintain at all times, and at your cost, cyber insurance covering at a minimum, the theft or misuse of private or confidential information, the breach of networked and managed security systems, and any failure to prevent the transmission of computer malware.
d) Non-Solicitation. Each party acknowledges and agrees that during the term of this Agreement and for a period of one (1) year following the termination of this Agreement, that party will not, individually or in conjunction with others, directly or indirectly solicit, induce or influence any of the other party’s employees or subcontractors to discontinue or reduce the scope of their business relationship with the other party, or recruit, solicit or otherwise influence any employee or contractor of the other party to discontinue his/her employment or agency relationship with the other party. In the event of a violation of the terms of the restrictive covenants in this section, the parties acknowledge and agree that the damages to the other party would be difficult or impracticable to determine, and in such event, the defaulting party will pay the other party as liquidated damages and not as a penalty an amount of $200,000 (two hundred thousand dollars). In addition to and without limitation of the foregoing, any solicitation or attempted solicitation for employment directed to a party’s employees by the other party will be deemed to be a material breach of this Agreement, in which event the affected party shall have the right, but not the obligation, to terminate this Agreement or any then-current SOW immediately For Cause.
e) If we are required to send your account to Collections or to start any Collections-related action to recover undisputed fees, we will be entitled to recover all costs and fees we incur in the Collections process including but not limited to reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.
f) Neither this Agreement nor any SOW may be assigned or transferred by a party without the prior written consent of the other party. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, their legal representatives, and permitted successors and assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we may assign our rights and obligations hereunder to a successor in ownership in connection with any merger, consolidation, or sale of substantially all of the assets of our business, or any other transaction in which ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of our voting securities are transferred; provided, however, that such assignee expressly assumes our obligations hereunder.
g) Unless otherwise expressly permitted under this Agreement, no amendment or modification of this Agreement or any SOW will be valid or binding upon the parties unless such amendment or modification is originated in writing by GOW, specifically refers to this Agreement or the SOW being amended, and is accepted in writing (email or electronic signature is acceptable) by you.
h) Time Limitations. The parties mutually agree that, unless otherwise prohibited by law, any action for any matter arising out of this Agreement or any SOW (except for issues of nonpayment by Client) must be commenced within six (6) months after the cause of action accrues or the action is forever barred.
i) Severability. If any provision hereof or any SOW is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision will 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 SOW will be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
j) Other Terms. We will not be bound by any terms or conditions printed on any purchase order, invoice, memorandum, or other written communication supplied by you unless such terms or conditions are incorporated into a duly executed SOW, or unless we have expressly acknowledged the other terms and, thereafter, expressly and specifically accepted such other terms in writing.
k) 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, will not constitute an Agreement to waive such terms with respect to any other occurrences.
l) This Agreement, together with any and all Quotes and SOWs, sets forth the entire understanding of the parties and supersedes any and all prior agreements, arrangements or understandings related to the Services; however, any payment obligations that you have or may have incurred under any prior superseded agreement are not nullified by this Agreement and remain in full force and effect. No representation, promise, inducement or statement of intention has been made by either party which is not embodied herein. We will not be bound by any of our agents’ or employees’ representations, promises or inducements if they are not explicitly set forth in this Agreement or any Quote or SOW. Any document that is not expressly and specifically incorporated into this Agreement or SOW will act only to provide illustrations or descriptions of Services to be provided and will not modify this Agreement or provide binding contractual language between the parties. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to any business associate agreement required under HIPAA, which the parties may (if required) enter into after the Effective Date of this Agreement.
m) Unused Seats. Client agrees that Services, SOWs, and Quotes that are priced on a per-user or per-license basis, including software licenses and agreements for services, will be held valid for the entirety of their term regardless of whether or not Client uses all licenses or seats. In some cases Geeks on Wheels, at its sole discretion, may permit Client to add users to a subscription for Services, SOW or the like, to an SOW that is mid-term; However, this shall not be construed to signify that users may be removed from an active Subscription, SOW or the like, prior to the Term conclusion date. Any users added mid-term to an ongoing SOW, Quote, Subscription, or the like will assume the termination date of that SOW, Quote, Subscription, or will assume a termination date twelve months following the date added, whichever is greater. In the event that Client reduces its number of employees or users, Client will remain responsible for costs of any Subscriptions, Agreements, SOWs and the like for the full duration of the agreed upon term.
n) Remote worker risks. Client understands that there are inherent risks in allowing employees to work from outside the office, including but not limited to exposing company data and systems to the internet, risk of loss of access to company data, increased risk of viruses, hacker, and other malicious threat events and damages. Client agrees to hold Geeks on Wheels harmless from any damages that may result from employees working remotely.
o) Force Majeure. Neither party will be liable to the other party for delays or failures to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any SOW because of circumstances beyond such party’s reasonable control. Such circumstances include, but will not be limited to, any intentional or negligent act committed by the other party, or 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, cyberwarfare, cyberterrorism, or hacking, malware or virus-related incidents that circumvent then-current anti-virus or anti-malware software, and acts of God.
p) The provisions contained in this Agreement that by their context are intended to survive termination or expiration of this Agreement will survive. If any provision in this Agreement is deemed unenforceable by operation of law, then that provision shall be excised from this Agreement and the balance of this Agreement shall be enforced in full.
q) Governing Law; Venue. This Agreement and any SOW will be governed by, and construed according to, the laws of the Wyoming. You hereby irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of Cheyenne, Wyoming, for any and all claims and causes of action arising from or related to this Agreement.
r) No Third Party Beneficiaries. The Parties have entered into this Agreement solely for their own benefit. They intend no third party to be able to rely upon or enforce this Agreement or any part of this Agreement.
s) Usage in Trade. It is understood and agreed that no usage of trade or other regular practice or method of dealing between the Parties to this Agreement will be used to modify, interpret, supplement, or GOW in any manner the terms of this Agreement.
t) Business Day. If a time period set forth in this Agreement expires on a day other than a business day in Cheyenne, WY, such period will be extended to and through the next succeeding business day in Cheyenne, WY.
u) Notices; Writing Requirement. Where notice is required to be provided to a party under this Agreement, such notice may be sent by U.S. mail, overnight courier, fax or email as follows: notice will be deemed delivered three (3) business days after being deposited in the United States Mail, first class mail, certified or return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or one (1) day following delivery when sent by FedEx or other overnight courier, or one (1) day after notice is delivered by fax or email. Notice sent by email will be sufficient only if the sender emails the notice to the last known email address of the recipient. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any notice from you to GOW regarding (a) any alleged breach of this Agreement by GOW, or (b) any request for indemnification, or (c) any notice of termination of this Agreement or any SOW, must be delivered to GOW either by U.S. mail or fax, unless such requirement is expressly and specifically waived by GOW. All electronic documents and communications between the parties, including email, will satisfy any “writing” requirement under this Agreement.
v) Independent Contractor. GOW is an independent contractor, and is not your employer, employee, partner, or affiliate.
w) Generally, we do not utilize subcontractors for to perform onsite services; however, should we elect to subcontract a portion of those services, we will guarantee the work as if we performed the subcontracted work ourselves.
x) Data Access/Storage. Depending on the Service provided, a portion of your data may occasionally be accessed or stored on secure servers located outside of the United States. You agree to notify us if your company requires us to modify our standard access or storage procedures.
y) The parties intend to sign, accept and/or deliver any Quote, this Agreement, SOW or any amendment in any number of counterparts, and each of which will be deemed an original and all of which, when taken together, will be deemed to be one agreement. Each party may sign, accept, and/or deliver any Quote, this Agreement, any SOW or any amendment electronically (e.g., by digital signature and/or electronic reproduction of a handwritten signature) or by reference (as applicable).
z) Updates and Modifications to Terms. We reserve the right to modify these terms from time to time and we encourage you to review this Agreement regularly. Client agrees that remitting payment for any new invoice is made in accordance and acceptance of these Terms. In the event that Client does not agree with any item or section herein Client agrees to notify GOW immediately and terminate use of our services immediately.
15. Returns and Claims for Goods and Services
a. General Returns Policy: Notwithstanding anything in these Conditions, You acknowledge that We supply Goods subject to all applicable conditions, including returns and claims policies, of any relevant manufacturer or supplier. You will accept Goods subject always to these Conditions and the terms of such conditions and will indemnify and hold Us harmless in respect of any further or other obligation or any failure or default on the part of that manufacturer or supplier.
b. Customized Goods not returnable: Where Goods have some element of customization for You, are supplied pursuant to an Order for Goods that is in the opinion of Ours special or unusual, the Goods are obtained from overseas, the Goods are obtained from a supplier who is no longer trading, or the Goods are otherwise not readily returnable by Us to the manufacturer or supplier or any related services may not be cancelled, You may not return the Goods to Us or cancel the related services.
c. Duty to inspect: You will inspect all Goods immediately upon their delivery. Within 7 days of such delivery You may give written notice to Us of any matter or thing, by reason of which You might wish to return the Goods, ask for a refund, or make a claim. If no such notice is given on time, You will accept the Goods without any such return, refund or claim.
d. Return Condition: Where You are entitled to return Goods under these Conditions, You must return the Goods in their original condition and unopened, provided always that where, upon opening the packaging it becomes apparent that the Goods are different to what is described on the packaging or that the Goods are faulty, the Goods may be returned.
e. Return costs: You will pay all costs and expenses incurred by Us in arranging the return of the Goods to a manufacturer or supplier and/or the cancellation of any related services unless that manufacturer or supplier pays such costs.
f. Consequences of use, installation, customization or sale: You will indemnify and hold Us harmless in respect of all allegations and claims in respect of Goods once such Goods have been used, installed, customized or re-sold by You (without prejudice to the recourse of such a customer to the manufacturer of the Goods).
16. Arbitration; In the event of a dispute (“Dispute”) between the parties hereto, either party may provide the other party with written notice at any time of the existence of a Dispute, and the parties shall thereafter hold discussions to resolve the Dispute. If the parties cannot resolve the Dispute within thirty (30) days of the date of the original written Dispute notice, the Dispute shall be settled by arbitration administered by a single arbitrator appointed by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Rules in the State of Wyoming.
17. Jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the above provisions, either party may bring legal action in any court of competent jurisdiction in the County of Laramie, State of Wyoming, to obtain injunctive or other relief with respect to any breach of this Agreement.