Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the [Program Name] website and services operated by [Legal Entity Name] ("we," "us," or "our"). By using our website, submitting a business for consideration, or applying for or accepting an award, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the service.

1. Who we are and what we do

[Program Name] is a private awards program that recognizes local businesses that meet a published set of criteria. We are an independent program. We are not a government body, a chamber of commerce, or affiliated with any other organization or award that uses a similar name. Recognition is based on our own methodology, described on our methodology page.

2. Definitions

• Operator: a business owner or representative who interacts with the program.
• Methodology: the published criteria we use to evaluate a business.
• Pre-qualified: a business our methodology has cleared as meeting the criteria.
• Award: the recognition issued to a business that is pre-qualified, completes an application, and pays the application processing fee.
• Marks: our names, logos, badges, and the award designation.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and authorized to act for the business you submit or represent. You agree that the information you provide is accurate and that you will keep it current.

4. The award, the methodology, and what is and is not guaranteed

Awards are issued only to businesses that (a) are pre-qualified under the published methodology, (b) complete the application, and (c) pay the application processing fee. Pre-qualification means our methodology has cleared the business at the time of evaluation. It is a guarantee that, on a completed and paid application, the award will be issued. It is not a guarantee of any commercial result, increased revenue, ranking, or third-party recognition. We do not promise any outcome beyond issuing the award and producing the associated assets. We evaluate using information available to us and may decline or revoke recognition as described in Section 6 and in the Revocation and appeals policy.

5. Application processing fee, billing, and automatic renewal

• Fee. The application processing fee is $99 per year. It covers production of your winner page, your asset kit, and your verification report. The fee is for production and processing. It does not purchase the award itself, which is granted by the methodology.
• Automatic renewal. Your enrollment renews automatically each year at the then-current annual rate unless you cancel before the renewal date. By enrolling, you authorize us to charge your payment method on each renewal date.
• Consent. We obtain your express affirmative consent to the recurring charge at checkout and keep a record of it.
• Price changes. If the renewal price changes, we will notify you in advance by email before the change takes effect.
• Cancellation. You may cancel at any time, by the same online method you used to enroll (click to cancel) or by emailing [contact email]. Cancellation stops future renewals. Your current term remains active through its paid period unless a refund applies under Section 5.
• Refunds. [State the refund policy plainly. Recommended starting point: the fee is refundable within [X] days of the initial charge if the winner page has not yet been published; renewals are not refundable once charged. Confirm with counsel and state it exactly.]

6. Use of our marks and revocation

If your business is awarded, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to display the award badge and to state that you received the award, only as described in the asset guidelines and only while your enrollment is active and in good standing. You may not alter the badge, imply a tier or ranking that does not exist, or use the marks in a misleading way. We may revoke the award and this license if the underlying public signals change materially, if information about the business proves false, or if you misuse the marks, as set out in the Revocation and appeals policy.

7. Your information and content

You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you submit. You grant us permission to display your business name, location, category, and award status on public winner pages, city pages, and program communications. Do not submit information you do not have the right to share.

8. Our intellectual property

The program name, logos, badges, methodology text, website copy, and the Mr. Centurion character and likeness are our property or are licensed to us, and are protected by trademark and copyright law. Except for the limited award-badge license in Section 6, nothing here grants you any right to our marks or content.

9. Acceptable use

You agree not to misuse the website: no scraping beyond normal use, no attempts to break security, no fraudulent applications, no use of the service to mislead the public about an award. We may suspend access for violations.

10. Third-party services

We use third-party providers for payment processing, hosting, email, and analytics. Your use of those features may be subject to their terms. We are not responsible for third-party services outside our control.

11. Disclaimers

The service is provided "as is" and "as available." We disclaim all warranties to the fullest extent permitted by law, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted or error-free, or that any award will produce any particular result.

12. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total liability for any claim arising out of or relating to the service or these Terms will not exceed the amount you paid us in the twelve months before the claim. We will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for lost profits or revenue.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless from claims arising out of your use of the service, your content, your use of the marks, or your violation of these Terms.

14. Term and termination

These Terms apply while you use the service. We may suspend or terminate access for violation of these Terms. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, dispute resolution) survive.

15. Dispute resolution and governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of [Governing-law state], without regard to conflict-of-law rules. [Choose and confirm with counsel: a binding arbitration clause with a class-action waiver, or court jurisdiction in a named county.] You agree to bring any claim within one year after it arises, to the extent the law allows.

16. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. If we make material changes, we will post the new version with a new effective date and, where required, notify you. Continued use after changes means you accept the updated Terms.

17. Contact

[Legal Entity Name]
[Physical mailing address]
[Contact email]