DevForge Academy — Expert Consultation Services Agreement

2.1. The Consultant provides professional advisory services in: requirements analysis, user story development, use case creation, wireframe and mockup review, requirements packaging, product strategy, business model advisory, project management consulting, and technical architecture review.

2.2. Sessions are conducted via Zoom video conference with cloud recording enabled.

2.3. Each Session is 60 minutes in duration. The Consultant will make reasonable efforts to address all topics raised by the Client within the allotted time.

2.4. The Consultant provides expert opinions, recommendations, and guidance based on professional experience and certifications (CBAP, PMP, MBA). Implementation of any recommendations is solely the Client's responsibility.

2.5. The Consultant does NOT provide: legal advice, financial investment advice, tax advice, or guarantees of specific business outcomes. Any business or strategy guidance is educational and advisory in nature.

2.6. Deliverables: The Consultant will provide (a) a Zoom cloud recording of the Session, delivered via email within 24 hours, and (b) a written follow-up summary with action items, delivered via email within 48 hours.

3.1. Sessions are scheduled through the Cal.com booking system embedded on the DevForge Academy website.

3.2. Available times are displayed in the Client's local timezone. The Consultant's availability is Monday through Friday, subject to change.

3.3. A minimum of 24 hours advance notice is required for all bookings.

3.4. The Client must accept these Terms & Agreement before completing a booking.

3.5. A booking is confirmed only after (a) the Client accepts these Terms, (b) selects an available time slot, and (c) payment is successfully processed.

3.6. Upon confirmation, both the Client and Consultant will receive an email containing: the session date and time, a unique Zoom meeting link with passcode, and an iCal (.ics) calendar attachment.

4.1. The consultation rate is $250.00 USD per hour (60-minute session).

4.2. The minimum booking is one (1) hour at $250.00 USD.

4.3. Payment is processed securely via Stripe at the time of booking. Accepted payment methods include major credit and debit cards.

4.4. Payment must be completed in full before the booking is confirmed. No partial payments or installment plans are available.

4.5. All fees are in United States Dollars (USD). The Client is responsible for any currency conversion fees charged by their financial institution.

4.6. Prices are subject to change. Any price changes will not affect previously confirmed bookings.

4.7. The Client will receive an electronic receipt from Stripe upon successful payment.

5.1. Cancellations made more than 24 hours before the scheduled Session will receive a full refund, processed back to the original payment method within 5-10 business days.

5.2. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the scheduled Session are non-refundable.

5.3. Rescheduling is permitted up to 24 hours before the Session at no additional charge, subject to the Consultant's availability.

5.4. If the Consultant is unable to attend a scheduled Session, the Client will be offered either a full refund or a rescheduled session at the Client's preference.

5.5. No-shows: If the Client fails to join the Zoom meeting within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time without prior notice, the Session will be considered delivered and no refund will be issued.

5.6. Technical issues: If technical issues on the Consultant's side prevent the Session from occurring, a full refund or reschedule will be offered. If technical issues are on the Client's side, the Consultant will make reasonable efforts to troubleshoot but the Session time continues.

6.1. All Sessions are recorded via Zoom cloud recording. By booking a Session, the Client consents to the recording of the entire Session, including audio, video, and screen sharing.

6.2. Recordings are provided to the Client for their personal and professional use only.

6.3. The Client may NOT publicly distribute, publish, broadcast, or share the recording without prior written consent from the Consultant.

6.4. The Consultant may NOT use the recording for marketing, promotional, or public purposes without prior written consent from the Client.

6.5. Recordings are stored on Zoom's cloud infrastructure and are subject to Zoom's privacy policy and data retention practices. The Consultant is not responsible for Zoom's data handling practices.

6.6. If the Client does not wish to be recorded, they must notify the Consultant in writing at least 24 hours before the Session. In such cases, the Consultant will disable recording, and no recording deliverable will be provided.

7.1. Both parties agree to treat all information shared during Sessions as confidential.

7.2. The Consultant will not disclose the Client's business information, strategies, trade secrets, or proprietary details to any third party without written consent.

7.3. The Client agrees not to disclose the Consultant's proprietary methods, frameworks, or unpublished strategies shared during Sessions.

7.4. Confidentiality obligations survive the termination of this agreement for a period of two (2) years.

7.5. Exceptions to confidentiality: information that is publicly available, independently developed, required by law, or authorized for disclosure by the disclosing party.

8.1. Pre-existing IP: Each party retains ownership of their respective intellectual property that existed before the Session.

8.2. Session outputs: Any recommendations, strategies, frameworks, or advice provided during the Session are for the Client's use. The Consultant retains no ownership claim to the Client's implementation of those recommendations.

8.3. The Consultant retains the right to use general knowledge, techniques, and experience gained during Sessions in future consulting engagements, provided no confidential information is disclosed.

8.4. Written deliverables (follow-up summaries and action items) are provided for the Client's use and may be shared within the Client's organization.

9.1. The Consultant's total liability for any claims arising from or related to the Services shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client for the Session(s) giving rise to the claim.

9.2. The Consultant shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost revenue, or lost business opportunities, regardless of whether such damages were foreseeable.

9.3. The Client acknowledges that consultation services are advisory in nature and that business outcomes depend on many factors beyond the Consultant's control.

10.1. Any disputes arising from this Agreement shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation between the parties.

10.2. If negotiation fails, disputes shall be submitted to binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, conducted in the state of the Consultant's primary business location.

10.3. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of the Consultant's primary business location, without regard to conflict of law principles.

11.1. Entire Agreement: This document constitutes the entire agreement between the parties regarding the Services and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral.

11.2. Amendments: This Agreement may be updated by the Consultant. Continued use of the booking system after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised terms. Material changes will be communicated via the website.

11.3. Severability: If any provision of this Agreement is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

11.4. Waiver: Failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

11.5. Independent Contractor: The Consultant is an independent contractor and not an employee, agent, or partner of the Client.

11.6. Force Majeure: Neither party shall be liable for delays or failure to perform due to circumstances beyond their reasonable control, including natural disasters, internet outages, or pandemic-related restrictions.