Requests to commission work are only to be made by persons with the authority to agree to these terms and conditions. Receipt by us of such a request implies that the person making the request has the requisite authority.
Quotations are made exclusive of VAT. All monetary amounts are in GB Pounds Sterling. Invoices must be settled in GB Pounds Sterling to the full amount with any bank charges to be paid by the client. Any figures that Indiefield may give in currencies other than GB Pounds Sterling are illustrative only.
Indiefield reserves the right to require that our fees or a proportion thereof are payable on commissioning plus incentives plus disbursements that exceed credit limits set by Indiefield. Indiefield will raise an initial invoice for this purpose. The payment terms will be clearly displayed on the invoice. The balance of the fees plus incentives plus disbursements will be invoiced upon completion.
Where Indiefield have been asked to provide incentives that have not been included in an initial invoice a separate incentive invoice will be raised. Such incentive invoices are due for IMMEDIATE payment IN FULL.
All other invoices are due for payment within 21 days unless otherwise agreed in writing.
In the case of invoices that are sent to third parties the liability for outstanding monies shall revert to the person or persons or company responsible for commissioning the work after 60 calendar days.
In the case of invoices that are sent to commission companies that are part of a group with a UK office the liability for outstanding monies shall revert to the UK office after 60 calendar days.
Indiefield reserves the right to suspend withhold or cancel any work if invoices are not settled according to our terms and conditions.
If a project is cancelled reduced in scale or curtailed for whatever reason cancellations terms and conditions will apply.
We understand and will exercise our statutory right to claim interest and compensation for debt recovery costs under the late payment legislation.
The rate of interest will be set at the Bank of England base rate plus 8%. For Euro area clients the rate of interest will be set at the European Central Bank Rate base rate plus 8%. The Bank base rate of 31st December will be the reference rate for the six month period 1st January to 30th June. The Bank base rate on 30th June will be the reference rate for the six month period 1st July to 31st December.
A fixed fee will also be charged as follows:
| AMOUNT OUTSTANDING | AMOUNT TO BE PAID |
|---|---|
| Up to £999.99 | £40.00 |
| £1,000.00 to £9.999.99 | £70.00 |
| £10,000.00 and over | £100.00 |
Furthermore, Indiefield reserve the right to refer outstanding debts to our debt collection agents. Any such debts will be subject to a surcharge of 15% plus VAT to cover the collection costs involved. This surcharge together with all other charges and legal fees incurred will be the responsibility of the debtor and will be legally enforceable.
We may transfer information about you/your organisation to our bankers and/or financiers for the purposes of providing services and for the following purposes:
Each project booked with Indiefield is divisible. Each project shall give rise to a separate job number and shall be deemed to arise from a separate contract and shall be invoiced separately. Any invoice for a delivery shall be payable in full in accordance with the terms of payment provided for herein, without reference to and notwithstanding any other project.
Indiefield shall not be liable for any delays, failures, losses or damage of any kind whatsoever including any delay by Indiefield in the provision of any services where such delay arises from any cause beyond the reasonable control of the company.
These terms and conditions will be governed and construed in accordance with English Law under the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
Indiefield confirms that personnel possessing competency consistent with applicable industry standards shall perform its services.
During the course of a project Indiefield may carry out any of the following services. Notwithstanding the items listed here Indiefield will always consider every client request with the aim of satisfying all the needs of our clients.
2.1 provide an itemised estimate of costs including incentives if applicable with details of how charges will operate in terms of cost per complete interview, cost per shift attended, cost per focus group or respondent which is based on an agreed strike rate.
2.2 appoint a manager for the project.
2.3 provide a fieldwork schedule.
2.4 unless agreed otherwise in writing the Fieldwork Schedule shall constitute the Scope of Work to be carried out by Indiefield.
2.5 in the event that Indiefield cannot meet the required target, despite our best efforts and on the assumption that the scope of work was unchanged, you will only be charged for what we actually deliver.
2.6 confirm bookings of venues and associated services on behalf of the client in accordance with our venues terms and conditions.
2.7 prepare and despatch any materials or equipment requested by the client.
2.8 provide maps and/or directions to venues.
2.9 prepare and despatch incentives in accordance with our incentives terms and conditions.
2.10 provide quota and recruitment updates.
2.11 pre-check respondents for qualitative studies.
2.12 despatch questionnaires into field.
2.13 use database tools to validate and clean data that is supplied in an electronic format.
2.14 provide respondent details prior to any qualitative research.
2.15 prepare a final invoice.
Any service provided by Indiefield is dependent on the client fulfilling their obligations. In particular all details required to complete a task must be finalised and confirmed at the time of booking and subsequent changes and amendments to work requests may affect the services provided by Indiefield.
Clients agree to do the following:
3.1 provide in good English full details of fieldwork requirements in a timely fashion and in an acceptable standard format.
3.2 provide in good English full details of all time-tabling requirements and deadlines in a timely fashion and in an acceptable standard format.
3.3 provide in good English details of any changes to the requirements in a timely fashion and in an acceptable standard format.
3.4 provide verbal briefings and where appropriate be available during normal business hours to answer any queries as and when they arise.
3.5 provide Indiefield with any purchase orders or accounts references as necessary to ensure timely payment of invoices.
3.6 provide in good English all installation and user instructions, training, licences and anything else necessary to conduct a survey on software produced by the client (or by a third party on behalf of the client).
3.7 in the case of electronic surveys Indiefield must have a method by which it can easily validate and verify the data collected. Indiefield will not accept liability for any deficiencies in the data collected where the client has denied Indiefield the ability to apply its normal quality control procedures.
3.8 conduct a final test and approval of any survey that has been produced by Indiefield before any fieldwork commences. The client will indemnify Indiefield against any failure by the client to do this.
3.9 accept any additional costs and risks incurred as a result of any changes to the questionnaire, scripts, sample, quotas or anything that materially affects Indiefield's ability to conduct the survey successfully.
3.10 indemnify Indiefield against any claim under GDPR legislation or any other applicable regulations relating to data provided by the client.
3.11 indemnify Indiefield against any claim for damage to any materials or equipment provided by the client for the purposes of the fieldwork project.
3.12 indemnify Indiefield against breach of the MRS Code of Conduct that may arise through the client's actions.
3.13 to pay for all venues and associated services in accordance with our venues terms and conditions.
3.14 reimburse Indiefield in full for any cash incentives immediately on receipt of invoice as detailed in our incentives terms and conditions.
3.15 reply to all end of project confirmation emails within 7 days. Where no reply is received within 7 days Indiefield will assume that the figures quoted are acceptable and will raise an invoice accordingly.
3.16 notify Indiefield in writing of any invoice queries within 14 days of the invoice date.
3.17 indemnify Indiefield against any costs that are notified to us at any time after a final invoice has been raised where such costs would normally have been included in a final invoice.
3.18 pay all invoices within the agreed credit period.
In addition Indiefield's liability to a client and any other third party arising out of services provided by Indiefield and for any other claim shall be limited to a sum not to exceed the payment received by Indiefield for the service provided giving rise to the claim.
A client's exclusive remedy for any claim will be for Indiefield upon receipt in writing of such a claim either (i) to use commercially reasonable efforts to cure at its expense the matter that gave rise to the claim or (ii) return to the client the fees paid to Indiefield for the particular service that gives rise to the claim.
Indiefield devotes a significant amount of professional time, effort and resources to every project in terms of personnel and processing by our systems. This means that there must necessarily be a proper recognition of costs incurred in relation to cancelled or postponed work particularly where insufficient notice has been given.
In addition to our fees, clients will remain liable for any charges received from suppliers and incurred as part of the cancelled/postponed project. We will also seek to minimise any cancellation charges. For example, there will be no charges if we can re-deploy fieldworkers for another study although other supplier charges may still apply in such instances.
Unless otherwise agreed in writing the following cancellation and postponement charges will apply.
For projects that are subject to automatic renewal, either explicit or implicit, the cancellation charge will be equal to 3 times the average monthly fees over the previous year or from the start of the project if less. This charge will apply in all cases and allows us to fairly treat the fieldworkers. We will actively seek to reduce any management charges in such cases.
For all other projects the cancellation and postponement charges are shown in the tables below.
Clear working days are defined as the number of complete working days between the time of the cancellation and the beginning of a study where a work day is defined as a period of eight hours from 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday excluding UK Public Holidays. For example, groups taking place on Thursday evening that are cancelled on the preceding Wednesday would constitute six clear working days. Interviews taking place on Wednesday morning that are cancelled on the preceding Tuesday would only constitute five clear working days.
| Notice Given | Charges |
|---|---|
| 5 clear working days or less |
|
| 6 - 10 clear working days |
|
| 11+ clear working days |
|
| Notice Given | Charges |
|---|---|
| 5 clear working days or less |
NB: Any respondent incentives are liable if cancelled within 24 hours. However, we will always aim to keep this to a minimum and only pay incentives if really necessary. |
| 6+ clear working days |
|
| Notice Given | Charges |
|---|---|
| Within 24 hours |
NB: Any respondent incentives are liable if cancelled within 24 hours. However, we will always aim to keep this to a minimum and only pay incentives if really necessary. |
| 24 hours+ |
|
If there are changes to the study in terms of dates, additional requirements, rescheduling, or any other matter that is not expressly covered in the original scope of work, Indiefield reserve the right to apply fees to cover the costs of implementation.
Indiefield will book all venues and associated services needed for the research.
We do offer a venue funding option. If Indiefield is required to pay for the research venues there will be an administration and financing fee of 10%.
Indiefield take full responsibility for paying participants. We will prepare and distribute respondent incentives only in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
Our standard process is that all incentives are paid to invited research participants after their participation.
Indiefield will charge a handling fee of 10% of the value of incentives issued. This is to cover the cost to Indiefield for its fees, bank charges and other issue costs. This amount may be varied at any time.
Some projects require incentives in the form of gifts or products to be posted to respondents by Indiefield. Such projects may incur a postage and packing charge per incentive that will be detailed within the individual project plan.
Incentives that have a cash value of over £1,000.00 are due for IMMEDIATE payment IN FULL and an invoice will be issued to you upon commission. The incentive invoice will be clearly marked as such.
Where incentive invoices are not paid on time, Indiefield reserve the right to charge an additional 8% per month.
Furthermore, where there are incentive invoices outstanding for more than 30 calendar days, Indiefield reserve the right to either (a) cancel the supply of further incentives or (b) impose a 25% handling charge on the supply of further incentives. Indiefield will endeavour to give prior notice of this.
In the event that cash is specifically requested and subsequently supplied by Indiefield the cash handling charge is increased to 25%. All incentives and paperwork for the job will be prepared by Indiefield and sent directly by secure courier to the appointed designated cash distributor who will be responsible for the administration and distribution of the incentives. In the case of a client appointed designated cash distributor any unused cash incentives remain the property of the client. Alternatively Indiefield can be on site to make such payments for an additional fee.
Indiefield and its agents cannot be held responsible for the loss or theft of cash or product based incentives.
The following conditions apply to all contracts made between Indiefield and its suppliers for the purchase of goods or services. Any other terms and conditions deemed by the supplier do not form part of this contract and any variations are inapplicable unless agreed in writing by Indiefield.
The supplier will not disclose any details of their relationship to a 3rd party or announce or advertise their relationship with Indiefield without the prior written consent of Indiefield.
The supplier will provide a service in accordance with the contract or specification agreed with Indiefield. Where a standard of service is not specified the supplier will use best quality techniques, equipment and standards and will employ services with care and diligence, using suitably skilled / trained and experienced staff. All services will comply with any applicable health and safety legislation.
Indiefield may reject any goods or services which do not strictly comply with the contract or specification. Indiefield reserves the right to inspect the production of goods / services on the premises of the supplier, or at any subcontractors premises, if relevant.
The supplier shall abide by all GDPR legislation, ensuring any personal data is stored securely and treated as confidential. The supplier will use the information only for the purpose of completing the work agreed in the contract.
On completion of the work, or on cancellation / termination for any reason, the supplier will return or dispose of any address lists, materials, product or other data provided by Indiefield or Indiefield's client, in accordance with Indiefield's written instructions. Following such return / disposal, the supplier will destroy any copies it has of the customer lists and shall provide written confirmation, signed by an authorised director of the supplier, certifying compliance with these provisions.
Any freelancer or fieldworker undertaking research work on behalf of Indiefield agrees to abide by the Code of Conduct of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the Code of Marketing and Social Research Practice of the International Chamber of Commerce / European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
The supplier will ensure that any employees, subcontractors, agents or freelancers or fieldworkers are bound by a corresponding confidentiality agreement during and after the term of their employment or contractual relationship with the supplier.
Information held by Indiefield about the supplier is for the purposes of supplier selection and appraisal only.
The supplier will deliver the goods / service as specified by Indiefield by the due date.
Any delay to deliverables may result in Indiefield (without prejudice to any other rights it may have, including a right to damages):
7.4.1 cancelling the contract in whole or in part.
7.4.2 refusing to accept further deliveries.
The supplier will notify Indiefield of any possible delays.
The supplier will take precautions to ensure that goods arrive at their destination undamaged. They will ensure that goods are suitably packaged and protected against any damage that may occur through delivery or storage. Risk of loss or damage to goods will not pass to Indiefield until Indiefield has received and checked goods are in working order.
If, within a reasonable time, any defects are found to be present in the deliverables from the supplier, Indiefield will not be deemed to have accepted the goods / services.
Indiefield assumes that all packaging and containers are supplied free and will return them only if requested at the supplier's risk and expense.
In any instance where goods are delivered in excess of Indiefield's request, Indiefield is under no obligation to pay or return the excess goods and will charge the supplier to return goods at their risk.
If any goods or services are not in accordance with the specification or the supplier fails to comply with any terms of the contract, Indiefield may in its discretion and whether or not any goods or services have been accepted in part:
7.5.1 cancel the contract.
7.5.2 reject the goods or services (in whole or in part) and return them as appropriate to the supplier, and the supplier will refund in full any monies previously paid by Indiefield for the said goods or services.
7.5.3 give the supplier the opportunity at the supplier's expense to either remedy any defect in the goods or services or to supply or perform replacement goods or services to ensure that the terms of the contract are fulfilled.
7.5.4 refuse to accept any further deliveries of goods or services without any liability to the supplier.
The supplier will indemnify Indiefield in full from and against all direct, indirect or consequential liability, loss, damages, injury, costs and expenses (including legal expenses) awarded against or incurred or paid by Indiefield as a result of or in connection with:
7.5.5 breach of any warranty given the supplier.
7.5.6 any claim that the Goods or Services or their use, resale or importation infringes any British or foreign patent, copyright, registered design right, trademark, trade name or other intellectual property right of any third party except to the extent the claim arises from any specifications, drawings, samples or descriptions provided by Indiefield.
7.5.7 any claim made against Indiefield in respect of any liability, loss, damage, cost or expense sustained by Indiefield or its employees or agents or by any customer or third party to the extent that such liability, loss, damage, cost or expense was caused by, relates to or arises from the goods provided or services performed by the supplier.
7.5.8 any act or omission of the supplier or its employees, agents or sub-contractors in supplying, delivering and installing the goods or performing the services in accordance with the contract.
The price will be fixed as stated in the final cost document and will not vary without Indiefield's written consent. Unless otherwise stated price will be exclusive of VAT. The price will include all charges relating to packaging, transportation, duties and insurance. Any additional costs should be defined by the supplier prior to acceptance of contract.
The supplier will invoice Indiefield on completion of work and Indiefield will pay valid invoices providing the Indiefield job number and payment details are displayed and accurate.
Indiefield reserves the right to off-set any amounts payable to the supplier against any amount owed by the supplier to Indiefield.
Indiefield may postpone or cancel any order in whole or in part at any time, prior to delivery. Indiefield will pay the supplier fair and reasonable compensation for work undertaken at the time of cancellation. Such compensation will not include loss of profits or any consequential loss.
Indiefield may terminate the contract immediately with written notice if the supplier:
7.7.1 breaches any term of the contract.
7.7.2 makes any arrangement with its creditors, becomes subject to an administration order or goes into bankruptcy, liquidation, or receivership.
7.7.3 has a receiver trustee or liquidator appointed over any of the supplier's properties or assets.
7.7.4 is unable to pay its debts generally as they become due or ceases or threatens to cease to carry on its business.
7.7.5 Indiefield reasonably considers that any of the above events is about to occur. The rights of Indiefield described above are in addition and without prejudice to Indiefield's other legal rights and remedies.
Neither Indiefield nor the supplier shall be liable for failure to perform its obligations under the contract if such failure results from circumstances beyond the party's reasonable control, providing that the party claiming any such excuse shall give prompt notice of the circumstances, and shall take all reasonable action to mitigate the delay.
The supplier will not transfer, subcontract or assign any part of the work detailed in the contract or specification without the prior written consent of Indiefield.
Indiefield and the supplier agree that both have a corporate responsibility for maintaining a high standard of responsible, ethical and legal conduct in all business transactions between them and in regard to their impact on society, suppliers, clients and the world around them. Indiefield and the supplier therefore make the following undertakings:
7.10.1 neither shall denigrate the other or competitor organisations or their employees in any medium.
7.10.2 neither shall offer or accept hospitality or gifts in excess of the reasonable and accepted norms of business interaction or act in any way that might reasonably be deemed to constitute favours or inducements in respect of decisions.
7.10.3 both parties shall have in place policies and where appropriate measurable initiatives to minimise the environmental impact of their businesses, to preclude illegal or immoral working practices including child labour or exploitative wages, to act ethically in relation to the businesses they are engaged with.
The specifications, questionnaires, drawings, samples and information issued by Indiefield in connection with the contract are confidential and their use must be confined to the supplier, his sub-contractors or employees solely for the purpose of carrying out the contract.
On completion of the contract the said questionnaires, drawings, samples and information shall be (at Indiefield's sole option) returned to Indiefield or destroyed.
Apart from the normal operation of this website the materials on this site including but not limited to text graphics and images may not be copied distributed downloaded or used in anyway unless they are clearly attributed to Indiefield Limited unless otherwise indicated. Modifications are not allowed under any circumstances. Indiefield® is a registered trademark and trading name of Indiefield Limited.
We work exceptionally hard to ensure all our services and delivery are to the highest standard and meet client expectations. It is our mission to keep the quality control as high as possible at all times.
If you have a complaint, comment or idea about any part of the service provided by our company, we want to know about it. Please email client.services@indiefield.co.uk.