Strategic Research Associates Terms & Conditions – Quantitative and Qualitative Research Surveys
Our commitment to you
We will undertake our work to the best of ability, with care and within agreed timescales. You will own the results of the market research we undertake for you, and any ideas, insights, concepts, inventions that emanate from the results. We will retain ownership of the market research methods, products and software used or developed to obtain the results of your market research, you and your companies retain ownership of the material that is supplied to us in good faith for the execution of your project.
Billing and Payment Schedules
- All new clients are required to provide a good faith deposit prior to the commencement of work.
- Previous clients who have held any past due invoices also require 125% good faith deposit upon proposal acceptance to cover project costs and incidentals, unused balances will be returned with the final invoice.
- A 100% deposit of any honorariums, incentives and recruiting fees will be invoiced in advance as outlined in the proposal and work agreement.
- Strategic Research Associates will invoice for work as it is completed. 100% of project costs will be billed upon project completion.
- The final invoice is payable upon receipt. Unpaid balances incur 1.5% interest monthly after 15 days overdue.
Interviewing and Recruiting Costs
Project interviewing and recruiting costs must be received in full before fielding will commence unless other arrangements have been made, invoices as appropriate will be sent upon project acceptance for all estimated interviewing costs.
Changes to Questionnaires/Screening Requirements After Fielding Has Begun
After final approval of questionnaires and screeners has been received from the client, any changes to screening requirements may require additional per recruit fees due to cancelation and replacement of recruited participants.
Cancellation and rescheduling policy
When a study is canceled/postponed or rescheduled by the client, all costs incurred at that point in time will be invoiced in addition to a 15% cancelation/rescheduling surcharge which will be added to the final billable total.
Facility rental cancellations 21 days or less prior to a scheduled focus group are also subject to the following charges of quoted facility rental fees:
- 21-14 days prior to an event – 25% cancellation fee or 100% of hotel cancellation fees, whichever is higher, plus all recruiting, hosting, shipping, etc. costs incurred to date
- 14-7 days prior to an event – 50% cancellation fee or 100% of hotel cancellation fees, whichever is higher, plus all recruiting, hosting, shipping, etc. costs incurred to date
- 7 days or less prior to an event – 100% cancellation fee or 100% of hotel cancellation fees, whichever is higher, plus all recruiting, hosting, shipping, etc. costs incurred to date
Personal Information of Recruits
Strategic Research Associates reserves the right to protect the personal contact information of all our recruits; we will not provide clients with phone numbers, addresses, or email addresses of anyone recruited for our projects.
It is also agreed upon that clients will not collect personal contact information from recruits through pre or post group screening to add to client databases for future research efforts.
All recruits and survey respondents are the property of Strategic Research Associates and will be treated as such to ensure all interactions with participants meet the requirements set forth in our Privacy Policy.
Facility Rental Hourly and Daily Fee Structure
Facility rental hourly charges begin 30 minutes before the start of any group, and end 30 minutes after the last group is completed each day. If groups are spread throughout a day i.e. one begins at 12 PM, and another begins at 6 PM, hourly charges accrue during the entire reservation period from the beginning of the first group through the end of the last group daily. If more than 6 hours accrue during any rental period, Strategic Research Associates will charge for a full day’s rental at the current daily rental rate.
Time needed for setup or tear down (setting up displays, testing equipment, etc.) is also considered facility rental, and is charged at our standard facility rental rates.
Definition of recruits and participants in quoting and billing
Strategic Research Associates refers to all recruits as individuals who are called, meet all client screening requirements, and commit to attending a particular focus group or mock trial. Participants are those who participate in the group the day of the event and attend the particular focus group or mock trial. Strategic Research Associates charges for all focus group and mock trials by recruit, not the participant.
Participant Incentives
Strategic Research Associates requires 100% of the participant incentives to be received 4 business days prior to group start. Any unpaid incentives are refunded to the customer on final billing. It is Strategic Research Associates policy that any participants who are excused on the day of the event due to over-recruiting at the Client’s discretion are paid 100% of the advertised incentive for attending the event and arriving on time. The client is responsible to guarantee payment or reimbursement of any honoraria promised and paid.
Client’s liability for damage to premises
Client assumes all responsibility for replacement or repair costs of damage caused to venues or equipment caused by agents, employees, technicians, or representatives of the Client while such parties are physically present.
Recordings and digital property
After 15 days of receipt of all video discs, tapes, or digital audio recordings at Strategic Research Associates (or hosted venue), Strategic Research Associates will be absolved of any and all responsibility, financial or otherwise, if recordings are found to be unsatisfactory. Strategic Research Associates relinquishes all copyrights or digital audio or video recordings to Client upon transmission of such.
Client Arrival
The room is available up to one hour before the start time of the first session and one-half hour after the last sessions’ end time unless otherwise arranged. Clients arriving more than one hour before the first scheduled focus group may be charged additional facility rental fees.
Client meals during focus groups
Menus are available for ordering upon arrival in our Spokane, WA and Federal Way, WA facilities from a variety of area restaurants. If you would prefer to have special items catered in or a buffet available for clients, this must be requested and arranged at least 3 days in advance of your focus group.
Special Requests
All special requests (meal orders, errand requests, copy requests, etc) must be received by the day prior to the event to guarantee we are able to fulfill your request in a timely manner. Requests made during the event will be filled as we are able, but we cannot guarantee all requests can be fulfilled. Additional charges may apply to all special requests.
Weather Cancellation policy
In case of inclement weather necessitating cancellation of the group, rescheduling of the group will occur at client’s convenience and facility availability. Additional costs may be incurred.
Indemnification
We will indemnify you for any legitimate claim made by a third party against you as a result of an infringement by us of any intellectual property rights.
These terms prevail
Lastly, if you send us standard terms, whether attached to a purchase order document or otherwise, these terms will prevail to the extent where there is conflict, even when your terms are accepted by us. However where an agreement is explicitly negotiated, agreed and signed by both you, and us, then such agreement shall prevail in the event of a conflict.