Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

Welcome to Accord, an RFP platform for hospitality venues and organizations, operated by Peiso Media Group ("Company," "we," "us," or "our").

By accessing or using Accord (the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Service.

2. Definitions

• "Accord" or "Service": The RFP platform and all associated services provided by Peiso Media Group
• "User": Any individual who accesses or uses the Service
• "Venue": A hospitality establishment (hotel, conference centre, lodge, resort) using Accord
• "Organization": A corporate client, NGO, event agency, or other entity booking venues through Accord
• "Account": Your registered user profile on Accord
• "Content": All data, text, documents, images, and other materials uploaded or created through the Service
• "RFP": Request for Proposal (quote request) created by Organizations
• "Quote": Pricing proposal created by Venues in response to RFPs
• "Invoice": Payment request generated from approved Quotes

3. Eligibility

3.1 Age Requirement

You must be at least 18 years old to use Accord. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years of age.

3.2 Business Capacity

You represent and warrant that:

• You have the legal authority to enter into these Terms on behalf of your organization
• You are authorized to bind your organization to these Terms
• All information you provide is accurate and complete

3.3 Prohibited Users

You may not use the Service if:

• You have been previously banned from Accord
• You are located in a country subject to international sanctions
• You are prohibited by law from using the Service

4. Account Registration and Security

4.1 Account Creation

To use Accord, you must:

• Provide accurate and complete registration information
• Maintain and update your information to keep it accurate
• Choose a strong password and keep it confidential
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access to your account

4.2 Account Types

Venue Accounts:

• Paid subscription required (Free tier available with limitations)
• Can receive RFPs, create Quotes, and generate Invoices
• Responsible for subscription payments and compliance with pricing terms

Organization Accounts:

• Always free (no subscription fees)
• Can create RFPs, compare Quotes, and approve Invoices
• Subject to fair use policies

4.3 Account Security

You are responsible for:

• All activity that occurs under your account
• Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials
• Notifying us immediately of any security breach
• Ensuring your team members comply with these Terms

We recommend enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) for enhanced security.

4.4 Account Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by:

• Contacting us at accordprivacy@pmg.co.ls
• Following the account deletion process in your settings

Upon termination:

• Venue accounts: Subscription fees are non-refundable (see Section 6.5)
• Your data will be deleted within 30 days (see Privacy Policy)
• You remain liable for any outstanding payments

5. Service Description

5.1 Core Features

For Venues:

• Receive RFPs from Organizations
• Create and send branded Quotes
• Track Quote approval status
• Convert approved Quotes to Invoices
• Monitor Invoice payment workflows
• Upload and manage documents
• Access analytics and reporting

For Organizations:

• Create and send RFPs to multiple Venues
• Compare Quotes side-by-side
• Approve or reject Quotes digitally
• Track Invoice payment workflows
• Download verified banking details
• Maintain audit trails

5.2 Service Availability

We strive to provide 99.9% uptime for Professional and Enterprise plans. However:

• The Service is provided "as is" without guarantees of uninterrupted availability
• We may perform scheduled maintenance with advance notice
• We are not liable for downtime caused by third-party services or force majeure events

5.3 Service Modifications

We reserve the right to:

• Modify, suspend, or discontinue any feature of the Service
• Update pricing for new subscriptions (existing subscriptions grandfathered)
• Change these Terms with notice (see Section 16)

6. Subscription and Payments

6.1 Pricing Plans

Venue Pricing (in South African Rands - ZAR):

• Free Tier: R0/month (limited features)
• Starter: R949/month or R799/month (annual billing)
• Growth: R1,699/month or R1,499/month (annual billing)
• Professional: R3,499/month or R2,949/month (annual billing)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Organization Pricing:

• Always free (R0) - no subscription fees

6.2 Billing and Payment

• Subscriptions are billed in advance (monthly or annually)
• Payment is due immediately upon subscription or renewal
• We accept credit/debit cards and EFT for annual plans
• All prices include VAT where applicable
• Prices are in South African Rands (ZAR)

6.3 Automatic Renewal

• Subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period
• You will be charged using your payment method on file
• You may cancel auto-renewal at any time before the next billing date
• Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period

6.4 Price Changes

• We may change subscription prices with 30 days' notice
• Price changes do not affect your current billing period
• Existing subscribers are grandfathered at their current rate for the duration of their subscription term
• If you do not agree to a price increase, you may cancel your subscription

6.5 Refunds

• No refunds for monthly or annual subscriptions (except as required by law)
• Downgrading to a lower tier does not result in a refund
• If we terminate your account for cause, no refund will be issued
• If we terminate the Service entirely, we will provide pro-rata refunds for prepaid annual subscriptions

6.6 Free Trial

• Free tier accounts are not trials - they are permanent free accounts with feature limitations
• We may offer promotional trials for paid tiers at our discretion
• Trial terms will be clearly communicated at sign-up

6.7 Taxes

You are responsible for all applicable taxes (VAT, sales tax, etc.) except for taxes based on our net income.

7. User Content and Data

7.1 Your Content

You retain ownership of all Content you upload or create through the Service, including:

• RFPs and Quotes
• Invoices and payment records
• Documents and attachments
• Comments and notes
• Company information and branding

7.2 License to Us

By uploading Content, you grant us a limited, worldwide, non-exclusive license to:

• Store, process, and display your Content as necessary to provide the Service
• Create backups and copies for redundancy and disaster recovery
• Use anonymized, aggregated data for analytics and service improvement

This license terminates when you delete your Content or account, except for:

• Backup copies (deleted within 90 days)
• Anonymized data (retained indefinitely)
• Content required for legal compliance (retained as required by law)

7.3 Content Restrictions

You may not upload or create Content that:

• Violates any law or regulation
• Infringes intellectual property rights of others
• Contains malware, viruses, or malicious code
• Is fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading
• Harasses, threatens, or abuses others
• Contains personal information of third parties without consent

7.4 Content Monitoring

We do not actively monitor User Content, but we reserve the right to:

• Review Content for compliance with these Terms
• Remove Content that violates these Terms
• Suspend or terminate accounts that repeatedly violate these Terms
• Report illegal Content to law enforcement

7.5 Data Backup

While we maintain regular backups, you are responsible for:

• Maintaining your own backup copies of critical Content
• Exporting your data before account termination
• Ensuring data accuracy and completeness

8. Acceptable Use Policy

8.1 Prohibited Activities

You may not:

• Use the Service for any illegal purpose
• Impersonate another person or entity
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service or other users' accounts
• Interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers) without our written permission
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Service
• Resell or redistribute the Service without authorization
• Upload viruses, malware, or malicious code
• Spam other users or send unsolicited communications
• Abuse our support team or other users

8.2 Fair Use

Organization accounts are free but subject to fair use policies:

• Reasonable number of RFPs per month
• No automated or bulk RFP generation
• No use for purposes other than legitimate venue booking

We reserve the right to impose limits or suspend accounts that abuse the free tier.

8.3 Enforcement

Violations may result in:

• Warning and request to cease the activity
• Temporary suspension of your account
• Permanent termination of your account
• Legal action if necessary

9. Intellectual Property

9.1 Our Intellectual Property

Accord, AccordHQ, and all related trademarks, logos, and service marks are the property of Peiso Media Group. All rights reserved.

The Service, including its design, code, features, and functionality, is protected by:

• Copyright laws
• Trademark laws
• Trade secret laws
• Other intellectual property laws

You may not:

• Copy, modify, or create derivative works of the Service
• Use our trademarks without written permission
• Remove or alter any copyright or proprietary notices

9.2 Feedback

If you provide feedback, suggestions, or ideas about the Service:

• We may use your feedback without any obligation to you
• You grant us a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide license to use your feedback
• We are not required to keep your feedback confidential

10. Third-Party Services

10.1 Third-Party Integrations

The Service may integrate with third-party services, including:

• Payment processors
• Email delivery services
• Cloud storage providers
• Authentication providers

Your use of third-party services is subject to their own terms and privacy policies. We are not responsible for third-party services.

10.2 Third-Party Links

The Service may contain links to third-party websites. We do not endorse or control these websites and are not responsible for their content or practices.

11. Privacy and Data Protection

11.1 Privacy Policy

Our collection and use of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

Key privacy commitments:

• We do not sell your data to third parties
• We encrypt data in transit and at rest
• We comply with POPIA (South Africa), GDPR (EU), and other applicable data protection laws
• You have rights to access, correct, and delete your data

11.2 Data Processing

By using the Service, you acknowledge that:

• Your data may be processed in South Africa or other countries where our service providers operate
• We implement appropriate safeguards for international data transfers
• You consent to the processing of your data as described in our Privacy Policy

12. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

12.1 Service Disclaimers

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Warranties of merchantability
• Fitness for a particular purpose
• Non-infringement
• Uninterrupted or error-free operation
• Accuracy or reliability of Content

12.2 No Financial Advice

Accord provides tools for managing RFPs, Quotes, and Invoices. We do not provide:

• Financial advice
• Legal advice
• Tax advice
• Accounting services

You are responsible for consulting appropriate professionals for your business needs.

12.3 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, PEISO MEDIA GROUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities
• Service interruptions or data loss
• Actions of other users
• Third-party services or integrations

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING FROM THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR R1,000 (ZAR), WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

12.4 Exceptions

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or limitation of liability. In such jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Peiso Media Group, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any law or regulation
• Your violation of third-party rights
• Content you upload or create
• Actions of other users on your account

14. Dispute Resolution

14.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of South Africa, without regard to conflict of law principles.

14.2 Jurisdiction

You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of South Africa for any disputes arising from these Terms or the Service.

14.3 Informal Resolution

Before filing a legal claim, you agree to contact us at accordprivacy@pmg.co.ls to attempt to resolve the dispute informally. We will respond within 30 days.

14.4 Arbitration (Optional)

We may offer binding arbitration as an alternative to litigation. Arbitration terms will be communicated separately if applicable.

14.5 Class Action Waiver

You agree to resolve disputes individually and waive the right to participate in class actions or class arbitrations.

15. Termination

15.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time as described in Section 4.4.

15.2 Termination by Us

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately if:

• You violate these Terms
• You engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
• Your account poses a security risk
• You abuse the Service or other users
• You fail to pay subscription fees (for Venue accounts)
• Required by law or regulatory authority

15.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your access to the Service will be revoked
• Your data will be deleted within 30 days (see Privacy Policy)
• You remain liable for any outstanding payments
• Sections that should survive termination (e.g., indemnification, disclaimers) remain in effect

16. Changes to Terms

16.1 Notification of Changes

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated Terms with a new "Last Updated" date
• Sending an email to your registered email address
• Displaying a prominent notice on the Service

16.2 Acceptance of Changes

Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the Service and may terminate your account.

16.3 Material Changes

For material changes that significantly affect your rights, we will provide at least 30 days' notice before the changes take effect.

17. General Provisions

17.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Peiso Media Group regarding the Service.

17.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

17.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision.

17.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your account without our written consent. We may assign these Terms to any affiliate or successor without your consent.

17.5 Force Majeure

We are not liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including:

• Natural disasters
• War, terrorism, or civil unrest
• Government actions or regulations
• Internet or telecommunications failures
• Third-party service outages

17.6 Language

These Terms are written in English. Any translations are provided for convenience only. In case of conflict, the English version prevails.

17.7 Headings

Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of these Terms.

18. Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us:

Peiso Media Group

• Email: accordprivacy@pmg.co.ls
• Website: www.pmg.co.ls
• Product: Accord (www.accordhq.co)

For support inquiries, please use the support channels within the Service.

19. Acknowledgment

BY USING ACCORD, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS OF SERVICE.