This Services Agreement (the “Agreement”) constitutes a legally binding agreement between you (whether an individual, corporation, or other entity) (“Client”) and RWS, where “RWS” means a company commissioned by Client to perform Services (as defined below) and where that company is RWS Holdings plc, a company incorporated under the laws of England & Wales, and having offices at Europe House Chiltern Hill, Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks SL9 9FG, United Kingdom, or a company owned, owning or under common ownership with RWS Holdings plc (any affiliate or subsidiary of RWS Holdings plc).
As used herein, “Services” means those services provided or to be provided by RWS as set forth in the applicable Order, which may include without limitation localization, translation, interpretation, or other related services. For the avoidance of doubt, the Services provided by RWS are not intended and/or offered to minors. An “Order” means (i) Client’s signature or other indication to RWS of the acceptance of a quotation, statement of work or other ordering document of RWS for Services which specifically references this Agreement; or (ii) a purchase order of Client or other written payment instruction approved by RWS to commence the provision and delivery of Services. The terms and conditions of this Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference into each Order. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement or any Order, the provisions of the Agreement shall control.
1. Performance of Services
Subject to the terms of this Agreement, RWS shall provide to Client and Client agrees to pay for the Services. RWS shall assign to Client all proprietary rights in the Service deliverables and related materials (created by RWS pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, subject to Client’s full payment with respect to such Services).
2. Client Obligations
2.1 Client accepts that it is responsible for verifying that the Services are suitable for its needs. Client shall supply to RWS in a timely manner, all components, files, data, content, documents, information and other materials (“Client Materials”) reasonably necessary to enable RWS to provide the Services. Client’s failure to supply the foregoing when reasonably required by RWS shall relieve RWS of any obligation to perform Services to a previously agreed schedule.
2.2 Client shall ensure the Client Materials are accurate and complete in all material respects. RWS shall have no responsibility to review the quality of the Client Materials for typographical or any other errors or to correct any errors that such Client Materials may contain. RWS shall have no obligation to determine if and which parts of the Client Materials provided to RWS are not intended for translation. Client Materials will be translated by RWS in full and Service fees shall be applied for all translated Client Materials according to the terms of this Agreement
2.3 Client confirms that it owns or is legally entitled to possess and use such Client Materials and hereby grants to RWS a non-exclusive, royalty free license, and to allow its employees, contractors and agents to, use, copy, modify, and create derivative work of the Client Materials solely for purposes of providing the Services. The Client represents and warrants that the Client Materials provided to RWS for the purpose of performing the Services under this Agreement shall not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any third party including but not limited to copyright, trademarks, trade secrets or patents.
2.4 The Client agrees to use the Services provided by RWS in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The Client shall not use the Services for any unlawful, fraudulent or unauthorized purposes, including but not limited to (a) transmitting or distributing harmful, offensive or obscene content; (b) interfering with or disrupting of the Services or RWS’ systems; (c) accessing or attempting to access the Services or RWS’s systems in an unauthorized mannter; (d) engaging in any activity violates the privacy rights of other; and (e) using the Services to send unsolicited promotional or marketing material (“spam”).
2.5 The Client represents and warrants that, at the time of entering into the Order and this Agreement, and throughout the term of the Order and this Agreement, (i) it is not listed on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Lists maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Controls (OFAC), and (ii) it is not subject to any sanctions, embargoes or restrictions imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority, including but not limited to those imposed by the United Nations, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union or any other relevant authority. The Client shall promptly notify RWS if it becomes subject to any sanctions, embargoes or restrictions during the term of the Order and this Agreement.
2.6 Client agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless RWS, its officers, directors and employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and costs and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of or related to Client’s breach of Section 2.
2.7 RWS shall not be responsible for any delay or failure to perform Services to which is caused by Client’s delay or failure to provide Client Materials or to fulfil Client’s other obligations under the applicable Order. If RWS is delayed or prevented from full performance for a period of thirty (30) days or more, RWS may, without limiting its other remedies hereunder, invoice Client for all Services performed but not already invoiced.
3. Payment
RWS shall invoice Client for Services, and related Service fees and expenses set forth in the Order in the currency specified therein. Except for cases when the Service fees are paid by the Client via debit or credit card payment, Client agrees to pay all invoices within thirty (30) days of the date of invoice. Without limiting its remedies hereunder, RWS may apply a late charge on overdue amounts in the amount of the lesser of one and a half percent (1.5%) per month or the maximum permitted by law, and/or suspend Services until overdue amounts are paid. All amounts due to RWS hereunder are net of any and all taxes (including withholding taxes), assessments, charges and levies of any governmental authority, all of which shall be the sole obligation of Client, except for taxes based on the income of RWS.
4. Services Warranty; Delays
4.1 RWS warrants to Client that (i) it has the right to perform the Services in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; and (ii) it will perform the Services in accordance with the standards generally observed in the industry for similar services. RWS does not represent the Services shall be error-free. If the Client identifies any defect or error in the Services provided, the Client must notify RWS in writing within thirty (30) business days of receipt of the Services of any defects or errors. In the absence of such notification, Client shall be deemed to have accepted the Services. Upon receipt of such notice, RWS will use commercially reasonable efforts to re-perform or correct such Services. If RWS is unable to correct such non-conforming Services within a reasonable period, Client may, as its sole and exclusive remedy, obtain a refund (for pre-paid fees) for the portion of the non-conforming Services, provided that Client shall have no rights with respect to any Service to which such refund relates, and Client shall return to RWS all such non-conforming Service and all copies thereof in its possession.
4.2 EXCEPT FOR THE WARRANTIES SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION 4, RWS, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, ITS SUPPLIERS, CONTRACTORS AND AGENTS, HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS AND OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR TITLE, OR ARISING FROM A COURSE OF DEALING, USAGE OR TRADE PRACTICE, ALL OF WHICH ARE HEREBY EXCLUDED TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.
5. Term and Termination
5.1 This Agreement shall expire upon the earlier of (a) the completion of the Services as outlined in the Order agreed upon by both parties, or (b) termination of the Order (which these terms apply to), unless terminated earlier in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. For avoidance of doubt, termination of the Order automatically terminates this Agreement
5.2 Either party may terminate this Agreement (i) with immediate effect if the other party breaches any material term of this Agreement and fails to cure such breach within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of written notice specifying such breach. Either party may terminate the Order and this Agreement without cause upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to the other party. Upon such expiration or termination of the Order and this Agreement, Client shall pay RWS in full for all Services performed, including any work-in-progress and all reimbursable expenses incurred by RWS up to the effective date of termination, and each party shall return to the other any property in its possession belonging to the other party. Termination shall not affect any accrued rights and liabilities of either party.
6. Limitations on Liability
In no event shall either party be liable under this Agreement for any consequential, special, indirect, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages of any kind, or for loss of business revenues or profits, business interruption, or loss of business information, even if a party has been advised of the possibility of such damages. In no event shall either party’s liability under this Agreement or any Order, in contract, tort or otherwise, exceed the lesser of the total amount of Service fees paid to RWS for Services under the applicable Order during the twelve (12) month period prior to the date the cause of action arose, or fifty thousand US dollars ($50,000 USD).
7. Restrictions on Disclosure of Confidential Information
Each party shall (i) maintain in confidence all information disclosed by the other relating to the disclosing party’s business (“Confidential Information”); and (ii) use such information only in connection with this Agreement. This provision shall not apply to information which (a) becomes generally available to the public through no fault of the receiving party; (b) was independently developed by the receiving party without access to the disclosing party’s Confidential Information; (c) becomes available to the receiving party on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the disclosing party, provided that such source is not prohibited from transferring the information to the receiving party by any contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation; or (d) is disclosed by RWS to its subcontractors for use only in connection with this Agreement and under a duty of confidentiality no less onerous than that of the parties hereunder. The parties agree that all confidentiality obligations shall survive for a period of three (3) years from the date of disclosure and that each party shall, upon request, return or delete all documents and electronic media containing the other party’s Confidential Information, including all copies thereof.
8. Remedies
Each party acknowledges and agrees that any unauthorized disclosure or other violation, or threatened violation of this Agreement, by a party may cause irreparable damage to the other. Accordingly, without prejudice to the rights and remedies otherwise available to each party, each party shall be entitled to seek an appropriate injunctive relief to prevent any breaches or violations of this Agreement without the posting of any bond or other security.
9. Governing Law; Jurisdiction
Except as detailed below, this Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, excluding that body of laws known as conflicts of law. Any legal action or proceeding arising under this Agreement will be brought exclusively in the English courts and the parties hereby irrevocably consent to the personal jurisdiction and venue therein.
10. Miscellaneous
10.1 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including any Orders or schedules hereto, constitutes the entire and exclusive understanding and agreement between Client and RWS with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and/or contemporaneous agreements and understandings, written or oral, between Client and RWS with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any terms and conditions contained in any Client purchase order that are inconsistent with or in addition to the terms and conditions of this Agreement will be deemed stricken from such purchase order, unless expressly agreed to in writing by RWS.
10.2 Severability. If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of this Agreement invalid or unenforceable, that provision of the Agreement will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the other provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force and effect.
10.3 Amendments. Except as expressly agreed to by each party’s authorized representative in the relevant Order, this Agreement may not be amended, modified, or supplemented by the parties in any manner, except by a written instrument signed by an authorized representative of RWS and Client.
10.4 Waiver. The failure by either party to enforce any provision of this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of future enforcement of that or any other provision.
10.5 Assignment. Client will have no right to assign or transfer this Agreement, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise, without RWS’ prior written consent. Any attempt to assign this Agreement, without such consent, will be null and of no effect. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement will bind and inure to the benefit of each party's successors and permitted assigns.
10.6 Notices. All notices required or permitted under this Agreement will be in writing and delivered by confirmed facsimile/digital transmission, by courier or overnight delivery services, or by certified mail, and in each instance will be deemed given upon receipt. All communications will be sent to the addresses set forth in the relevant Order or to such other address as may be specified by either party to the other in accordance with this Section. Either party may change its address for notices under this Agreement by giving written notice to the other party by the means specified in this Section.
10.7 Counterparts. The exchange of a fully executed Agreement (in counterparts or otherwise) by digital signature or by other electronic means, such as portable document format (.pdf) file, shall be sufficient to bind the parties to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
10.8 Third Party Beneficiaries. Except where expressly provided to the contrary, this Agreement is not intended to be for the benefit of, and shall not be enforceable by any person who is not named at the date of this Agreement as a party to it or any person who claims rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 or otherwise, and neither party can declare itself a trustee for the benefit of a third party.
10.9 Relationship to the Parties. The parties to this Agreement are independent contractors and this Agreement will not establish any relationship of partnership, joint venture, employment, franchise, or agency between the parties. Neither party will have the power to bind the other or incur obligations on the other’s behalf without the other’s prior written consent.
10.10 Non-Solicitation. During the term of this Agreement, and for period of one (1) year thereafter, neither party shall, without the prior written consent of the other party, either indirectly or directly solicit, or seek to solicit, the services of any employee or contractor of the other party involved in providing, carrying out or receiving the Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 10.9 will be construed to prohibit either party from hiring any person who, without solicitation or recruitment by the hiring party, responds to any advertisement for employment in a newspaper, electronic media or otherwise generally available public media.
10.11 Subcontracting. With the exception of RWS’ network of freelancers and linguistic contractors, RWS may not subcontract the Services without the prior consent of Client. RWS shall remain primarily responsible to Client for the performance of any such subcontracted Services.
10.12 Force Majeure. Except for payment obligations hereunder, neither party will be responsible for delays or failures of performance under this Agreement or any Order due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including without limitation, as caused by acts of God, war, epidemic, pandemic, terrorism, civil disturbance, court order, fire, flood, extreme weather conditions, strikes or other labor disturbances (“Force Majeure”). If the Force Majeure event lasts for longer than forty-five days, either of the parties shall be entitled to terminate the Agreement in writing.
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