Welcome to Provendor.net (“Platform,” “We,” “Us,” or “Our”). We provide a marketplace connecting businesses (“Clients”) seeking security consulting services with independent security professionals and firms (“Consultants”). These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of our Platform and the services provided through it.
By accessing or using the Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you disagree with any part of the terms, you must not use our Platform.
1. Definitions
| Term | Description |
| Platform | The website and/or application owned and operated by Provendor.net. |
| Client | A user who posts projects and contracts Consultants for SCaaS. |
| Consultant | An independent contractor or firm who offers and provides SCaaS to Clients. |
| Security Consulting as a Service (SCaaS) | Security-related services, including but not limited to penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, security architecture review, compliance auditing, and incident response planning. |
| Project | A specific job or engagement posted by a Client and accepted by a Consultant. |
| Service Fee | The fee charged by the Platform to Clients and/or Consultants for using the marketplace (e.g., a percentage of the total Project price). |
2. User Accounts and Eligibility
- Registration: To use most features of the Platform, you must register for an account and provide accurate, current, and complete information.
- Eligibility: You must be at least 18 years old and capable of forming a binding contract. If you are registering on behalf of an entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.
- Security: You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account password and for all activities that occur under your account.
3. Marketplace Operations and SCaaS Projects
- Consultant Relationship: Consultants are independent contractors and are not employees, agents, or partners of Provendor.net. We do not supervise, direct, or control the work performed by Consultants.
- Project Agreements: The Client and Consultant are solely responsible for negotiating and agreeing upon the scope, deliverables, schedule, and price of any Project. These agreements are solely between the Client and Consultant.
- Platform Role: Our role is limited to facilitating the connection between Clients and Consultants, and providing payment processing and dispute resolution mechanisms. We make no representations or warranties regarding the quality or legality of the SCaaS provided by Consultants.
4. Financial Terms and Payment
- Payment Processing: All payments for Projects must be made through the Platform’s designated payment processor. Direct payments outside of the Platform are a violation of these Terms.
- Service Fee: We charge a Service Fee to Clients and/or Consultants, as specified on our Fee Schedule page ([Link to Fee Schedule]). By using the Platform, you agree to the deduction of this fee.
- Escrow: Funds for Projects will be held in escrow by the Platform or its payment processor until the Client approves the deliverables or a resolution is reached via the Dispute Resolution process.
- Taxes: Users are solely responsible for any applicable taxes (e.g., income, VAT, sales tax) arising from the services they provide or receive through the Platform.
5. Confidentiality and Data Security (Critical for SCaaS)
- Confidential Information: Users acknowledge that in the course of a Project, they may receive Confidential Information (CI), which may include sensitive corporate data, source code, network diagrams, and vulnerability data.
- Obligation: All Users agree to:
- Maintain all CI in strict confidence.
- Only use CI for the purpose of the Project.
- Implement and maintain reasonable security measures to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, or use of CI.
- Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA): Clients and Consultants are strongly encouraged to execute a separate, project-specific Non-Disclosure Agreement before commencing work. The Platform is not a party to such NDAs.
6. Intellectual Property
- Deliverables: Unless otherwise agreed in the Project contract, all intellectual property rights in the deliverables created by the Consultant for the Client shall be assigned to and owned by the Client upon final payment.
- Platform IP: All content on the Platform (text, graphics, logos, software) is the property of Provendor.net and is protected by intellectual property laws. You may not use our IP without express written permission.
7. Warranties and Disclaimers
THIS SECTION LIMITS OUR LIABILITY.
- “AS IS” Basis: The Platform and all services provided are offered on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis.
- No Warranty: We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or that the quality of any SCaaS obtained from Consultants will meet your expectations.
- Client Risk: Clients acknowledge that security testing activities (e.g., penetration testing) inherently carry a risk of system instability or damage, and they assume all risks associated with engaging a Consultant.
8. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, [Your SCaaS Marketplace Name] shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Platform or the SCaaS provided by Consultants, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Our total aggregate liability to any User for all claims arising out of or related to these Terms shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amount of Service Fees paid by the User to us in the 12 months preceding the claim, or (b) $100 USD.
9. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless [Your SCaaS Marketplace Name], its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in any way connected with:
- Your access to or use of the Platform.
- Your violation of these Terms, including the confidentiality obligations.
- Any Project, including any claim by a third party related to the SCaaS provided or received.
10. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
- Governing Law: These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the country, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
- Informal Resolution: Users agree to first attempt to resolve any dispute informally with the other party (Client/Consultant).
- Platform Mediation: If an informal resolution is not possible, Clients and Consultants agree to submit the dispute to the Platform’s Dispute Resolution Process ([Link to Dispute Process]), which may involve mediation or binding arbitration administered by the Platform or a designated third-party.
- Binding Arbitration: Any legal claim or dispute arising from these Terms or the Platform that is not resolved through the Platform’s internal process will be submitted to binding arbitration.].
11. General Provisions
- Entire Agreement: These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Provendor.net concerning the use of the Platform.
- Modifications: We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the updated Terms on the Platform and/or by email. Your continued use of the Platform after the changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.
- Contact Information: For any questions about these Terms, please contact us at provendor.net@gmail.com.