2.1. Only this this document, together with the application for quote, the quotation document, (when accepted and signed by the Customer) and the terms of use of the GPTC logos and certification marks (“Terms of Use”) shall form the terms and conditions of Contract between the parties (“the Contract”).
2.2. This document describes the rights, responsibilities and duties of GPTC, and the organization, as identified in the Contract (the “Customer”), whose System(s) or Product(s) (“System”)– shall mean the organizational structure, responsibilities, activities, resources and events that together provide organized procedures and methods of implementation) (“Product”= shall mean the product within the scope of certification) to ensure the capability of the Customer to meet the applicable standard(s).
2.3. The Certificate awarded by GPTC, covers only those services or products manufactured and/or supplied strictly within the scope of the Customer ’s System as Certified by GPTC.
2.4. The Customer remains solely liable for any defect in its products, services or system and shall defend, protect and indemnify GPTC from any claim, liability and all defect, loss, cost, expense arising out of or in connection with the said products, services or System.
2.5 No terms and conditions of the Customer shall apply to the Contract.

3.1. The GPTC intellectual property rights, titles and interests in all service mark(s), trademark(s), certification mark(s) other names or logos, copyright works and inventions remain the property of GPTC and cannot be sold or licensed by the Customer.
3.2. GPTC shall award a license to the Customer to use its certification mark(s) and label(s) for the duration of this Contract (equal to Q-Plus certification validity) when used in accordance with the applicable Terms of Use (as amended from time to time), which are available on the GPTC web site upon request.
3.3. GPTC will audit the use of logos and/or marks. GPTC reserves the right to substitute or withdraw the right to use any or all logos, marks, certificates and audit documentation at any time in the event of non-compliance with the Terms of Use or should the Contract be terminated, for whatever reason.
3.4. Intellectual property rights, titles and interests in all service mark(s) trademark(s), other names or logos and copyright works belonging to organizations which formally approve GPTC to offer the Services or organizations working on their behalf (the “accreditation Body(ies)”) shall remain the property of the respective organizations.
3.5. Use of the service mark(s) trademark(s), other names or logos and copyright works described in Clause 3.4 are governed by Standards and rules which are available from the Accreditation Body or GPTC.
3.6. All claims and uses of the accreditation Body’s service mark(s), trademark(s), other names or logos and copyright works must be in compliance with the requirements of the relevant Standards and rules.
3.7. The Customer acknowledges the title of the Accreditation Body’s intellectual property rights and that the Accreditation Body shall continue to retain full ownership of the intellectual property rights and that nothing shall be deemed to constitute a right for the customer to use or cause to be used any of the intellectual property rights.
3.8. GPTC reserves the right to use any information that is brought to its attention and to investigate any infringements of trademark, service mark and intellectual property rights of the Accreditation Body.

4.1. GPTC will appoint competent qualified auditors to conduct audits and assessments of the Customer ’s System in accordance with the Accreditation Body’s rules and procedures and GPTC’s management system requirements.
4.2. GPTC will ensure that audit and assessment services are delivered at a frequency determined by GPTC in order for GPTC to maintain confidence in the ongoing efficacy of the System.
4.3. GPTC will issue audit and non-conformance reports, as appropriate, after each audit activity.
4.4. GPTC will issue a Certificate on successful completion of the initial certification assessment to the satisfaction of GPTC.

5.1. The Customer agrees to comply with any conditions set by GPTC for the issue of a Certificate and recognizes that GPTC has clear and explicit rights to revise the requirements of certification within the period of validity of the certificate.
5.2. The Customer consents to GPTC using outsourced resources in the delivery of its obligations appertaining to this Contract.
5.3. The Customer shall ensure that its System complies with the current versions of the rules, regulations and Standard(s) against which it is certified. Current versions of the rules, regulations and Standards can be obtained from the respective websites of the Accreditation Bodies, or from GPTC or from the Standards issuing authority.
5.4. The customer agrees to make necessary arrangements for….
a) Regular surveillance audits as determined by GPTC and must provide GPTC with reasonable cooperation and assistance and Allow GPTC to access all premises, equipment, personnel and subcontractor (as applicable) and documentation deemed necessary by GPTC to verify the maintenance of the System.
b) Investigation of complaints;
5.5. The Customer shall allow the participation of assessment observer from GPTC or its nominated relevant party (as necessary).
5.6. The customer shall keep record of all complaints made known to it relating to compliance with certification requirements and makes these records available to GPTC when requested, and takes appropriate action with respect to such complaints and any deficiencies found in products that affect compliance with the requirements for certification and documents the action taken.
5.7. The Customer agrees that:
a) GPTC has the right to undertake unannounced or short notice surveillance evaluations.
b) GPTC and its Accreditation Bodies have the right to implement higher surveillance frequencies based on a risk assessment of the Customer’s Certificate scope, System and location.
c) Additional surveillance visits, as deemed necessary by GPTC, will be charged at GPTC’s rates current at the time of supply of such services.
5.8. The Customer recognizes that:
a) Initial Certification will only be granted once all non-compliances are corrected.
b) On-going certification is reliant on continued compliance with the Standards rules and regulations of the relevant Accreditation Body, which may change from time to time, including the requirement to address any non-conformances to the satisfaction of GPTC in the specified time periods.
5.9. The Customer shall inform GPTC promptly of any significant changes to its product(s), services, resources, management, System or any other circumstances, which may materially impact on the continued validity of its certification, for example but without limitation: change of site, additional sites, change of process, change of ownership, change of scope. In such circumstances the Customer shall agree to the payment of any applicable additional fees and expenses deemed necessary for GPTC to assess the impact and maintain confidence in the System.
5.10. The Customer shall allow the Accreditation Body, or its representative, access to any part of the audit or surveillance process for the purposes of witnessing GPTC’s audit team performing the audit of the System to determine conformity with the requirements of the Standard. This will include the right of access to confidential information. The Customer will not have the right within this Contract to refuse such a request either by the Accreditation Body, its representative or GPTC.
5.11. The Customer agrees that information relating to its certification and scope of certification can be made publicly available by GPTC and the Accreditation Body.
5.12. The Customer shall declare to GPTC any activity which may create a conflict of interest in relation to its Certified System.
5.13. Where necessary the Customer shall also enter into and maintain a valid License Agreement with the Accreditation Body for its certification scheme.

6.1. GPTC shall have right to suspend or withdraw the Customer’s certification on 7 days written notice (or with immediate effect in the case of urgent need) and reserves the right to make public the fact that such action has been taken when, in the reasonable opinion of GPTC:
a) The Customer ’s acts, omissions or conduct bring or may bring GPTC, the Accreditation Body or its Standards into disrepute;
b) The Customer represents, promotes or advertises any products or Systems which are outside the scope of its Certificate as Certified by GPTC;
c) The Customer makes fraudulent misrepresentation or provides GPTC with any inaccurate or misleading information, which is not corrected within three working days or immediately on being notified by GPTC;
d) The Customer is in material breach of any term of this Contract;
e) The Customer is in breach of or is not subject to the requisite License Agreements, including any attributable to the Accreditation Body; or
f) The Customer fails to maintain or demonstrate an effective System such that the confidence in the Certificate is adversely affected.
6.2. Where it considers it appropriate, GPTC may, at its sole discretion, inform the Customer of its intention to suspend or withdraw certification and to allow the Customer a reasonable opportunity to take corrective action, within such timescales as GPTC may reasonably specify, before the suspension or withdrawal takes effect.
6.3. In the event of GPTC’s withdrawal from accreditation or inability to continue to supply certification accredited by the respective Accreditation Body, GPTC will notify the Customer within thirty (30) days of such withdrawal and the Certificates relating to the respective scope of the Accreditation Body will be suspended ipso facto within six (6) months after the date of withdrawal.
6.4. On suspension or withdrawal of certification the Customer shall immediately, cease to use any trademarks associated with GPTC and the Accreditation Body, or to sell any products that have previously been labelled or marked (or authorized labelling and marking) using the trademarks, and cease to make any claims that imply that they comply with the requirements for certification.
6.5. The Customer shall advise all relevant existing customers of the suspension or withdrawal in writing within three (3) working days (or other period as determined by GPTC) of the withdrawal or suspension taking effect, and maintain records of that advice.
6.6. The Customer shall, as requested by GPTC, either destroy all electronic and hardcopy Certificates relating to the certification and at its own expense remove all claims, service mark(s) trademark(s), other names or logos and copyright works from products, documents, advertising and marketing materials with immediate effect or return all such certification to GPTC. The Customer shall also cooperate with GPTC and its Accreditation Bodies to confirm that these obligations have been met and shall, if requested, confirm in writing the destruction or return of all such references or certificates by one of its authorized representative.

Customers wishing to complain or appeal about the decisions of GPTC shall do so in accordance with the GPTC Complaints and Appeals Processes which may change from time to time and are available on request.

GPTC conducts its audit activity through a sampling process to determine if the System meets the Standard(s). Any statement of conformity issued by GPTC in the form of reports, Certificates or other communications is based on these sampling processes. GPTC does not warrant, represent or undertake that these statements mean that all activities are in conformance with the relevant Standard(s) at the time of the audit or that subsequent to the audit activity those activities audited will continue to be in conformity with the relevant Standard. The Customer undertakes to make all customers and end users aware of the foregoing provisions of this Clause. GPTC accepts no liability to the Customer in the event that any loss or claim is suffered by the Customer as a result of any finding that the System does not comply with the Standards.

This Contract constitutes the sole obligations to be undertaken by GPTC, and the sole rights and remedies of the Customer.

10.1. The Customer hereby warrants and covenants with GPTC that it will at all times during the subsistence of the Contract comply with all reasonable requirements necessary for the issuance of the Certificate including (but without prejudice to the generality thereof) all statutes, rules, regulations issued by any statutory or other competent authority, all recommendations, codes and similar matters issued by any authority pursuant to which in compliance with which or for the purpose of which the Certificate is issued or such other reasonable requirements of GPTC as are necessary to enable the Certificate to be issued and maintained in force in accordance with the standards reasonably expected of accredited or competent certification.

10.2. The Customer hereby warrants the completeness and accuracy of all documents and accuracy of all information supplied to GPTC for the purposes of the Contract, both at the time of supply and subsequently. The Customer further warrants that in the event that it discovers that certain information provided is not accurate or complete, it will notify GPTC of this as soon as it becomes aware of it.

11.1. Services Fees are quoted (and amended from time to time) for services agreed to be supplied pursuant to the Contract (“Services Fees”) on the assumption that the information supplied by the Customer was accurate and complete.
11.2. Services Fees include the cost of audit services and the use of the GPTC logo.
11.3. Expenses and disbursements may be charged separately in accordance with the quoted terms.
11.4. Any service required or supplied additional to the agreed services will be charged at GPTC’s rates current at the time of supply of such services.
11.5. Services Fees may be reviewed and amended from time to time, normally but not exclusively on an annual basis.
11.6. Payment is due as per the stated terms on the invoice. Payment shall be made in full, without set off or deduction.
11.7. In the event that any payment is not made when due, GPTC reserves the right to charge interest (at the statutory rate on commercial debts then applicable) from the due date until payment in full, and/or suspend the provision of all Services and/or terminate the Contract (including suspension or withdrawal of the Certificate), without prejudice to GPTC’s other rights and remedies.
11.8. All fees and expenses quoted are exclusive of all taxes including but not limited to value added or sales tax, which will be charged at the current rate of the Country in which the services are supplied.

12.1 If the Customer postpones all or part of the services with less than 30 working days’ notice, GPTC reserves the right to either:
• Charge an additional fee amounting to the greater of 25% of the Services Fee in question or one-man day at the then current rate or
• where the costs and resources cannot be defrayed, charge all or part of the Services Fee as appropriate.

13.1 Should the Customer wish to cancel or withdraw from the Contract and without prejudice to GPTC’s other rights and remedies hereby reserved, GPTC shall charge and be entitled to recover either: …
• An additional fee amounting to 50% of the Services Fee in question or where the costs and resources cannot be defrayed, charge all or…
• part of the Services Fee as appropriate plus the cost at the then current man day-rate of any work performed up to the receipt by GPTC of the notice of the cancellation or withdrawal.

14.1. Either party may terminate the Contract:
By notice: – Either party may give three months’ written notice to the other and the Contract shall terminate upon expiry of said three-month period. or
By default: – Immediately upon either party being notified in writing by the other of any material breach of this Contract and the material breach not being remedied within 14 days from the date of receipt of said notification. If either party goes into liquidation, receivership or an administrator is appointed for all or part of the undertaking thereof. If either party ceases to trade, whether in whole or in part.
14.2. In the event of the Contract being terminated (except in the case of material breach by GPTC) the GPTC Certificate issued pursuant hereto shall immediately become invalid and the Customer shall cease to be entitled to use the same or any logo or mark of GPTC and its Accreditation Bodies and shall destroy all electronic and hardcopy Certificates relating to the certification and at its own expense remove all claims, service mark(s) trademark(s), other names or logos and copyright works from products, documents, advertising and marketing materials with immediate effect. The Customer shall confirm in writing that these obligations have been met and shall provide full co-operation to enable GPTC and its Accreditation Bodies to carry out any verification activities necessary.

15.1. Subject to Clause 15.2 below the aggregate liability of GPTC, or its respective offices, representatives and employees, to the Customer for all direct loss in contract, tort or otherwise arising out of or in connection with this Contract shall be limited to 150% of the payments due by the Customer to GPTC within the calendar year of the date that such liability arises.
15.2. Except in respect of death or personal injury caused by negligence of GPTC or fraudulent misrepresentation in respect of which liability shall be unlimited, GPTC shall not be liable to the Customer for any loss of profit (whether direct or indirect), contracts or goodwill, loss or corruption of data or for any indirect, special or consequential loss or damage or any other claims for compensation whatsoever which arise out of or in connection with performance or non-performance of the Contract by GPTC.

16.1. The Customer shall fully and effectively indemnify GPTC and keep GPTC indemnified against all loss of or damage to any property or costs, expenses, claims, actions, demands and liabilities arising from or caused by:
a) The use or misuse by the Customer of any Certificate, license, logo, service mark or trademark provided by GPTC in accordance with the Contract;
b) Any breach of the Contract by the Customer;
c) Illness, injury or death to any personnel of GPTC, the Customer, its subcontractors, suppliers or customers, together with any of their employees, agents or directors (“Customer Group”), other than where due to the negligence of GPTC; and
d) Damage to or loss of property or equipment owned, leased or used by GPTC or the Customer Group (except to the extent that GPTC has liability under the immediately preceding Clause (Liability).
16.2. The Customer hereby acknowledges that a breach, default, non-compliance or non-observance by it of its duties and obligations owed under the Contract or otherwise may result in GPTC being in breach, default, non- compliance or non-observance of its duties, liabilities and obligations owed to third parties such that GPTC will be liable in damages or otherwise will sustain loss, costs or expense. Any such damages, loss, cost and expense are hereby agreed to be within the contemplation of the parties as being the probable results of any such breach, default, noncompliance or non-observance by the Customer of its duties and obligations owed.

17.1 GPTC shall not be liable in any respect should it be delayed or prevented from discharging its obligations under the Contract as a result of any matter beyond its reasonable control (“Force Majeure”) and the time for performance shall be extended by the period of Force Majeure.

18.1 Except as may be required by law or required by the Accreditation Body, GPTC and the Customer will treat as strictly confidential and will not disclose to any third party without prior written consent of the other, any information which comes into their possession, the possession of their employees, agents or others by virtue of the Contract, provided that this Clause shall not extend to information which was rightfully in the possession of such party prior to the commencement of the negotiations leading to the Contract or which was already public knowledge or becomes so at a future date (otherwise than as a result of a breach of this Clause) or which is required to be disclosed by law. The foregoing obligations as to confidentiality shall survive any termination of the Contract.

19.1 All matters arising out of or in connection with this Contract shall be governed in accordance with UAE Laws and the parties submit to the jurisdiction of the Dubai Courts or any Court of competent jurisdiction as determined by GPTC.

20.1. GPTC warrants that it will provide the services with reasonable care and skill.
20.2. Subject to the foregoing, all conditions, warranties, terms and undertakings, express or implied, statutory or otherwise, are hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law.

21.1 Any delay or omission on the part of either party to exercise or avail itself of any right power or privilege that it has or may have hereunder shall not operate as a waiver of any breach or default by the other party. A right under this Contract may only be waived if in writing and signed by an authorized representative.

22.1. This Contract (as defined in Clause 2.1) is addendum to Certification Proposal / Contract, arrangements and undertakings between the parties and constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to its subject matter.

22.2. GPTC reserves the right to make variations to this Contract, by giving the Customer not less than fourteen (14) days’ notice of the variation, with the Contract as varied applying immediately on the expiry of such notice.

23.1 Neither party shall assign the Contract or any of its rights and obligations hereunder whether in whole or in part without the prior written consent of the other.

24.1 If any provision of the Contract shall be found by any court or administrative body of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable the invalidity or unenforceability of such provisions shall not affect the other provisions of the Contract and all provisions not affected by such invalidity or unenforceability shall remain in full force and effect. The parties hereby agree to attempt to substitute for any invalid or unenforceable provision a valid or enforceable provision which achieves to the greatest extent possible the economic legal and commercial objectives of the invalid or unenforceable provision.

25.1 Headings and numberings of Clauses are for ease of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation or construction of the Contract.

26.1. Any application, notice or any other communication, if it is made according to this Clause, shall be considered to be valid:
a) If it is sent by pre-paid first-class mail, the second working day as from the date of delivery
b) If it is delivered in person, in the moment of delivery in the address specified in this Clause
c) If it is sent by fax, in the date of transmission, provided that a copy confirming the notification is sent on the same working date by pre-paid first-class mail in the manner established in this Clause; or
d) If it is sent by e-mail, when received by the recipient in a legible way.
26.2. However, if the delivery is carried out in person or by fax or e-mail on a day that is not a working day, or after 4:00 p.m. on a working day, the notification shall be considered to be made on the following working day.
26.3. Any application, notice or any other communication, in the case that it is sent by mail, or delivered in person, or sent by fax, or sent by e-mail shall be addressed to the recipient using the contact details, which may change from time to time, specified on the GPTC web site (www.isafe.ae), or on request, or in any other address that the recipient could have notified in writing to the sender as the address for notifications.

27.1. The parties to the Contract are independent contractors and nothing in the Contract shall be deemed to place the parties in the relationship of employer / employee, principal / agent, partners or a joint venture.
27.2. GPTC reserves the right to exercise some or all of this Contract through its other offices and representatives
27.3. The Contract (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply to the Contract.

For and on behalf of GPTC
Name : Zahid Mahmood
Position: Certification Director
Date: / /2021
Signature:
Company Stamp:

For and on behalf of Customer
We hereby confirm that we have read and understood all above conditions and are in full agreement with.
Name :
Position:
Date:
Signature:
Company Stamp: