Terms and Conditions.
Clients need to know what to expect when working with CATALYST Techworks as a consulting company. Rather than flood customers with legal mumbo-jumbo, which isn't our style, here are our expectations. We can agree to different terms; this is just our standard set.
Free Look
I will be happy to talk with you, for thirty minutes, an hour, whatever, in order to prepare an estimate or proposal. This is totally free. If I solve your problem in that time, that's fine. Repeat and referral business is what I seek; I'm not greedy. Ask about the Needs Assessment program to further your knowledge of the technology standing your company has.
Time as Worked
I will bill you for time worked, whether at your site, my office, or elsewhere. Billing is in 15-minute increments (except for "after hours" or "emergency" conditions). For a long-term contract package, I'll make the odd minutes plus-or-minus balance out. Otherwise, I'll round up to a whole 15 minutes.
Phone Calls, Email, Fax
With any existing contract, phone calls (except "after hours" and "emergency") are billed in 15-minute increments. That is, a one minute phone call costs you the same as a fourteen minute phone call. Please plan ahead.
If no contract is in effect, phone calls are billed in thirty-minute increments.
With any existing contract, simple email and faxes are free. If extensive work or research (greater than five minutes) is needed to prepare a response, or if you need an immediate reply, it will be billed as normal time. If you require an immediate reponse, I ask that you phone (616) 308-7452, as email is not my primary method of contact (I am usually on the road and often cannot receive emails or faxes at client sites).
After Hours
Work done between 8PM and 8AM EST Monday thru Friday, or any work perfomed on Saturday, Sunday, any US national holiday, or previously-scheduled vacation is billed in two-hour increments. This includes phone calls, performing work during night-time maintenance periods, etc.
If I work during these hours for MY convenience, it will be treated as normal time and billed accordingly.
Any time that begins in, ends in, or crosses through the "after hours" times will be treated as "after hours" time.
Emergencies
An unexpected, urgent, customer requirement which causes me to modify my schedule will incur a surcharge of 100%. A customer requirement which requires more than 18 hours of a single consultant in any 24-hour period will also be subject to this emergency surchage.
Travel
Travel time is not charged for trips when the one-way travel time is less than one hour, except for travel that is required during "after hours" or "emergency" conditions. "After hours" travel is billed in one-hour increments.
Trips where the one-way travel time is longer than an hour are charged in 15-minute increments. Airline travel time includes enroute to and from the airport, check-in, check-out, customs, and any waiting time at the airport. I will not charge more than 12 hours of travel time for trips in the continental US and Canada.
Hotel, meals, tips, etc. are billed as expended. I do not provide receipts for expenses less than $10.
Purchase Order
If your company doesn't require a purchase order to use my services, that's fine. If your word or handshake isn't binding, then I'll need paperwork. And references. And payments in advance.
Invoices
For normal services, I will invoice you every two weeks. If you'd like weekly or monthly invoices, that's fine, too. Just let me know ahead of time.
With any existing contract, I will invoice on a monthly basis. Contract details will be set forth on an individual basis; see your contract paperwork for more information on billing hours, etc.
Invoices will generally have an attached detail, with one-line summaries of work performed or expense incurred.
Payments
Payment is due twelve (12) business days after the invoice date. If payment is not received by the 12th business day, a 1% penalty of the outstanding amount is due each business day until payment is received. This penalty is not an interest charge.
Any phone calls, letters, email, trips, or travel used to collect payment will be added to the total amount due immediately upon collection.
Should litigation be required to collect payment, you agree to the laws in effect in Keene Township, Ionia County, Michigan.
Bad Checks
I will add $50 for each check you give me which bounces. Sure, it's more than my financial institution charges, but that's not really the point, is it?
How Much?
Everyone wants to know what a project will cost. Most clients do not have a clear enough picture of what they need for me to bid a fixed-price contract. Time I spend with you to help you develop a detailed requirements document for a fixed-price bid is charged as normal time worked.
My rate depends on the nature of the work to be performed, the duration of the contract, etc. Large or long-term projects will get you a lower rate. An "as-needed" arrangement will be more per hour, but you'll only be charged for actual work performed. I also offer service-level retainer contracts, which will grant you a much lower hourly rate for meeting a minimum monthly billing amount. Please call for more details.
Testimony as an expert witness, either in a courtroom or in deposition, will be charged at a higher rate.
Scope Creep
Things added to a project will always make a project cost more. I will assume that anyone from your company has the authority to add to your project. If not, I need to know who does have that authority, and it's your responsibility to let me know that in advance. I will normally provide a Change Order in cases of more than minor changes.
