General Conditions - Expert Witness Contract - Part II

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26 Liability

The Contractor is liable for any damage caused by the Contractor, its employees, subcontractors, or agents to Canada or any third party. Canada is liable for any damage caused by Canada, its employees or agents to the Contractor or any third party. The Parties agree that no limitation of liability or indemnity provision applies to the Contract unless it is specifically incorporated in full text in the Articles of Agreement. Damage includes any injury to persons (including injury resulting in death) or loss of or damage to property (including real property) caused as a result of or during the performance of the Contract.

27 Intellectual Property Infringement and Royalties

1. The Contractor represents and warrants that, to the best of its knowledge, neither it nor Canada will infringe any third party's intellectual property rights in performing or using the Work, and that Canada will have no obligation to pay royalties of any kind to anyone in connection with the Work.
2. If anyone makes a claim against Canada or the Contractor concerning intellectual property infringement or royalties related to the Work, that Party agrees to notify the other Party in writing immediately. If anyone brings a claim against Canada, according to Canada's Department of Justice Act, R.S., 1985, c. J-2, the Attorney General of Canada must have the regulation and conduct of all litigation for or against Canada, but the Attorney General may request that the Contractor defend Canada against the claim. In either case, the Contractor agrees to participate fully in the defence and any settlement negotiations and to pay all costs, damages and legal costs incurred or payable as a result of the claim, including the amount of any settlement. Both Parties agree not to settle any claim unless the other Party first approves the settlement in writing.
3. The Contractor has no obligation regarding claims that were only made because:
   1. Canada modified the Work or part of the Work without the Contractor's consent or used the Work or part of the Work without following a requirement of the Contract; or
   2. Canada used the Work or part of the Work with a product that the Contractor did not supply under the Contract (unless that use is described in the Contract or the manufacturer's specifications); or
   3. the Contractor used equipment, drawings, specifications or other information supplied to the Contractor by Canada (or by someone authorized by Canada); or
   4. the Contractor used a specific item of equipment or software that it obtained because of specific instructions from the Contracting Authority; however, this exception only applies if the Contractor has included the following language in its own contract with the supplier of that equipment or software: "[Supplier name] acknowledges that the purchased items will be used by the Government of Canada. If a third party claims that equipment or software supplied under this contract infringes any intellectual property right, [supplier name], if requested to do so by either [Contractor name] or Canada, will defend both [Contractor name] and Canada against that claim at its own expense and will pay all costs, damages and legal fees payable as a result of that infringement." Obtaining this protection from the supplier is the Contractor's responsibility and, if the Contractor does not do so, it will be responsible to Canada for the claim.
4. If anyone claims that, as a result of the Work, the Contractor or Canada is infringing its intellectual property rights, the Contractor must immediately do one of the following:
   1. take whatever steps are necessary to allow Canada to continue to use the allegedly infringing part of the Work; or
   2. modify or replace the Work to avoid intellectual property infringement, while ensuring that the Work continues to meet all the requirements of the Contract; or
   3. take back the Work and refund any part of the Contract Price that Canada has already paid.

If the Contractor determines that none of these alternatives can reasonably be achieved, or if the Contractor fails to take any of these steps within a reasonable amount of time, Canada may choose either to require the Contractor to do (c), or to take whatever steps are necessary to acquire the rights to use the allegedly infringing part(s) of the Work itself, in which case the Contractor must reimburse Canada for all the costs it incurs to do so.

28 Amendment and Waivers

1. To be effective, any amendment to the Contract must be done in writing by the Contracting Authority and the authorized representative of the Contractor.
2. While the Contractor may discuss any proposed modifications to the Work with other representatives of Canada, Canada will not be responsible for the cost of any modification unless it has been incorporated into the Contract in accordance with subsection 1.
3. A waiver will only be valid, binding or affect the rights of the Parties if it is made in writing by, in the case of a waiver by Canada, the Contracting Authority and, in the case of a waiver by the Contractor, the authorized representative of the Contractor.
4. The waiver by a Party of a breach of any condition of the Contract will not be treated or interpreted as a waiver of any subsequent breach and therefore will not prevent that Party from enforcing of that term or condition in the case of a subsequent breach.

29 Assignment

1. The Contractor must not assign the Contract without first obtaining the written consent of the Contracting Authority. Any assignment made without that consent is void and will have no effect. The assignment will be effective upon execution of an assignment agreement signed by the Parties and the assignee.
2. Assignment of the Contract does not relieve the Contractor from any obligation under the Contract and it does not impose any liability upon Canada.

30 Suspension of the Work

1. The Contracting Authority may at any time, by written notice, order the Contractor to suspend or stop the Work or part of the Work under the Contract for a period of up to one hundred eighty (180) days. T he Contractor must immediately comply with any such order in a way that minimizes the cost of doing so. While such an order is in effect, the Contractor must not remove any part of the Work from any premises without first obtaining the written consent of the Contracting Authority. Within these one hundred eighty (180) days, the Contracting Authority must either cancel the order or terminate the Contract, in whole or in part, under section 28 or section 29.
2. When an order is made under subsection 1, unless the Contracting Authority terminates the Contract by reason of default by the Contractor or the Contractor abandons the Contract, the Contractor will be entitled to be paid its additional costs incurred as a result of the suspension plus a fair and reasonable profit.
3. When an order made under subsection 1 is cancelled, the Contractor must resume work in accordance with the Contract as soon as practicable. If the suspension has affected the Contractor's ability to meet any delivery date under the Contract, the date for performing the part of the Work affected by the suspension will be extended for a period equal to the period of suspension plus a period, if any, that in the opinion of the Contracting Authority, following consultation with the Contractor, is necessary for the Contractor to resume the Work. Any equitable adjustments will be made as necessary to any affected conditions of the Contract.

31 Default by the Contractor

1. If the Contractor is in default in carrying out any of its obligations under the Contract, the Contracting Authority may, by giving written notice to the Contractor, terminate for default the Contract or part of the Contract. The termination will take effect immediately or at the expiration of a cure period specified in the notice, if the Contractor has not cured the default to the satisfaction of the Contracting Authority within that cure period.
2. If the Contractor becomes bankrupt or insolvent, makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or takes the benefit of any statute relating to bankrupt or insolvent debtors, or if a receiver is appointed under a debt instrument or a receiving order is made against the Contractor, or an order is made or a resolution passed for the winding down of the Contractor, the Contracting Authority may, to the extent permitted by the laws of Canada, by giving written notice to the Contractor, immediately terminate for default the Contract or part of the Contract.
3. If Canada gives notice under subsection 1 or 2, the Contractor will have no claim for further payment except as provided in this section. The Contractor will be liable to Canada for all losses and damages suffered by Canada because of the default or occurrence upon which the notice was based, including any increase in the cost incurred by Canada in procuring the Work from another source. The Contractor agrees to repay immediately to Canada the portion of any advance payment that is unliquidated at the date of the termination.
4. Upon termination of the Contract under this section, the Contracting Authority may require the Contractor to deliver to Canada, in the manner and to the extent directed by the Contracting Authority, any completed parts of the Work, not delivered and accepted before the termination and anything the Contractor has acquired or produced specifically to perform the Contract. In such a case, subject to the deduction of any claim that Canada may have against the Contractor arising under the Contract or out of the termination, Canada will pay or credit to the Contractor:
   1. the value, of all completed parts of the Work delivered to and accepted by Canada, based on the Contract Price, including the proportionate part of the Contractor's profit or fee included in the Contract Price; and
   2. the cost to the Contractor that Canada considers reasonable in respect of anything else delivered to and accepted by Canada.
   The total amount paid by Canada under the Contract to the date of the termination and any amount payable under this subsection must not exceed the Contract Price.
5. Title to everything for which payment is made to the Contractor will, once payment is made, pass to Canada unless it already belongs to Canada under any other provision of the Contract.
6. If the Contract is terminated for default under subsection 1, but it is later determined that grounds did not exist for a termination for default, the notice will be considered a notice of termination for convenience issued under subsection 1 of section 29.

32 Termination for Convenience

1. At any time before the completion of the Work, the Contracting Authority may, by giving notice in writing to the Contractor, terminate for convenience the Contract or part of the Contract. Once such a notice of termination for convenience is given, the Contractor must comply with the requirements of the termination notice. If the Contract is terminated in part only, the Contractor must proceed to complete any part of the Work that is not affected by the termination notice. The termination will take effect immediately or, as the case may be, at the time specified in the termination notice.
2. If a termination notice is given pursuant to subsection 1, the Contractor will be entitled to be paid, for costs that have been reasonably and properly incurred to perform the Contract to the extent that the Contractor has not already been paid or reimbursed by Canada. The Contractor will be paid:
   1. on the basis of the Contract Price, for all completed work that is inspected and accepted in accordance with the Contract, whether completed before, or after the termination in accordance with the instructions contained in the termination notice;
   2. the Cost to the Contractor plus a fair and reasonable profit for all work terminated by the termination notice before completion; and
   3. all costs incidental to the termination of the Work incurred by the Contractor but not including the cost of severance payments or damages to employees whose services are no longer required, except wages that the Contractor is obligated by statute to pay.
3. Canada may reduce the payment in respect of any part of the Work, if upon inspection, it does not meet the requirements of the Contract.
4. The total of the amounts, to which the Contractor is entitled to be paid under this section, together with any amounts paid, due or becoming due to the Contractor must not exceed the Contract Price. The Contractor will have no claim for damages, compensation, loss of profit, allowance arising out of any termination notice given by Canada under this section except to the extent that this section expressly provides. The Contractor agrees to repay immediately to Canada the portion of any advance payment that is unliquidated at the date of the termination.

33 Dispute Resolution

The parties agree that, both during and after the performance of the work under the contract, each of them shall make bona fide efforts to resolve any disputes arising between them by negotiation. In the event that the parties cannot resolve a dispute through negotiation, they agree to submit the dispute to mediation. The parties will jointly select a mediator and will bear the cost of mediation equally. In the event that one or more issues remain in dispute following completion of the mediation, then the parties agree to submit those issues to binding arbitration pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Act.

34 Accounts and Audit

1. The Contractor must keep proper accounts and records of the cost of performing the Work and of all expenditures or commitments made by the Contractor in connection with the Work, including all invoices, receipts and vouchers. The Contractor must retain records, including bills of lading and other evidence of transportation or delivery, for all deliveries made under the Contract.
2. If the Contract includes payment for time spent by the Contractor, its employees, representatives, agents or subcontractors performing the Work, the Contractor must keep a record of the actual time spent each day by each individual performing any part of the Work.
3. Unless Canada has consented in writing to its disposal, the Contractor must retain all the information described in this section for six (6) years after it receives the final payment under the Contract, or until the settlement of all outstanding claims and disputes, whichever is later. During this time, the Contractor must make this information available for audit, inspection and examination by the representatives of Canada, who may make copies and take extracts. The Contractor must provide all reasonably required facilities for any audit and inspection and must furnish all the information as the representatives of Canada may from time to time require to perform a complete audit of the Contract.
4. The amount claimed under the contract, calculated in accordance with the Basis of Payment provision in the Articles of Agreement, is subject to government audit both before and after payment is made. If an audit is performed after payment, the Contractor agrees to repay any overpayment immediately on demand by Canada. Canada may hold back, deduct and set off any credits owing and unpaid under this section from any money that Canada owes to the Contractor at any time (including under other contracts). If Canada does not choose to exercise this right at any given time, Canada does not lose this right.

35 Right of Set-off

Without restricting any right of set-off given by law, Canada may set-off against any amount payable to the Contractor under the Contract, any amount payable to Canada by the Contractor under the Contract or under any other current contract. Canada may, when making a payment pursuant to the Contract, deduct from the amount payable to the Contractor any such amount payable to Canada by the Contractor which, by virtue of the right of set- off, may be retained by Canada.

36 Notice

Any notice under the Contract must be in writing and may be delivered by hand, courier, mail, facsimile or other electronic method that provides a paper record of the text of the notice. It must be sent to the Party for whom it is intended at the address stated in the Contract. Any notice will be effective on the day it is received at that address. Any notice to Canada must be delivered to the Contracting Authority.

37 Conflict of Interest and Values and Ethics Codes for the Public Service

The Contractor acknowledges that individuals who are subject to the provisions of the Conflict of Interest Act, 2006, c. 9, s. 2, the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons, the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service or all other codes of values and ethics applicable within specific organizations cannot derive any direct benefit resulting from the Contract.

38 No Bribe or Conflict

1. The Contractor declares that no bribe, gift, benefit, or other inducement has been or will be paid, given, promised or offered directly or indirectly to any official or employee of Canada or to a member of the family of such a person, with a view to influencing the entry into the Contract or the administration of the Contract.
2. The Contractor must not influence, seek to influence or otherwise take part in a decision of Canada knowing that the decision might further its private interest. The Contractor must have no financial interest in the business of a third party that causes or would appear to cause a conflict of interest in connection with the performance of its obligations under the Contract. If such a financial interest is acquired during the period of the Contract, the Contractor must immediately declare it to the Contracting Authority.
3. The Contractor warrants that, to the best of its knowledge after making diligent inquiry, no conflict exists or is likely to arise in the performance of the Contract. In the event the Contractor becomes aware of any matter that causes or is likely to cause a conflict in relation to the Contractor's performance under the Contract, the Contractor must immediately disclose such matter to the Contracting Authority in writing.
4. If the Contracting Authority is of the opinion that a conflict exists as a result of the Contractor's disclosure or as a result of any other information brought to the Contracting Authority's attention, the Contracting Authority may require the Contractor to take steps to resolve or otherwise deal with the conflict or, at its entire discretion, terminate the Contract for default. Conflict means any matter, circumstance, interest, or activity affecting the Contractor, its personnel or subcontractors, which may or may appear to impair the ability of the Contractor to perform the Work diligently and independently.

39 Survival

All the Parties' obligations of confidentiality, representations and warranties set out in the Contract as well as the provisions, which by the nature of the rights or obligations might reasonably be expected to survive, will survive the expiry or termination of the Contract.

40 Severability

If any provision of the Contract is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that provision will be removed from the Contract without affecting any other provision of the Contract.

41 Successors and Assigns

The Contract is to the benefit of and binds the successors and permitted assignees of Canada and of the Contractor.

42 Contingency Fees

The Contractor certifies that it has not directly or indirectly, paid or agreed to pay and agrees that it will not, directly or indirectly, pay a contingency fee for the solicitation, negotiation or obtaining of the Contract to any person, other than an employee of the Contractor acting in the normal course of the employee's duties. In this section, "contingency fee" means any payment or other compensation that depends or is calculated based on a degree of success in soliciting, negotiating or obtaining the Contract and "person" includes any individual who is required to file a return with the registrar pursuant to section 5 of the Lobbyist Registration Act, R.S. 1985, c. 44 (4th Supplement).

43 International Sanctions

1. Persons in Canada, and Canadians outside of Canada, are bound by economic sanctions imposed by Canada. As a result, the Government of Canada cannot accept delivery of goods or services that originate, either directly or indirectly, from the countries or persons subject to economic sanctions. Details on existing sanctions can be found at: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/trade/sanctions-en.asp.
2. The Contractor must not supply to the Government of Canada any goods or services which are subject to economic sanctions.
3. The Contractor must comply with changes to the regulations imposed during the period of the Contract. The Contractor must immediately advise Canada if it is unable to perform the Work as a result of the imposition of economic sanctions against a country or person or the addition of a good or service to the list of sanctioned goods or services. If the Parties cannot agree on a work around plan, the Contract will be terminated for the convenience of Canada in accordance with section 29.

44 Code of Conduct for Procurement

The Contractor certifies that it has read the Code of Conduct for Procurement and agrees to be bound by its terms.

45 Harassment in the Workplace

1. The Contractor acknowledges the responsibility of Canada to ensure, for its employees, a healthy work environment, free of harassment. A copy of the Treasury Board policy, the Policy on the Prevention and Resolution of Harassment in the Workplace, which is also applicable to the Contractor, is available on the Treasury Board Website.
2. The Contractor must not, either as an individual, or as a corporate or unincorporated entity, through its employees or subcontractors, harass, abuse, threaten, discriminate against or intimidate any employee, contractor or other individual employed by, or under contract with Canada. The Contractor will be advised in writing of any complaint and will have the right to respond in writing. Upon receipt of the Contractor's response, the Contracting Authority will, at its entire discretion, determine if the complaint is founded and decide on any action to be taken.

46 Entire Agreement

The Contract constitutes the entire and only agreement between the Parties and supersedes all previous negotiations, communications and other agreements, whether written or oral, unless they are incorporated by reference in the Contract. There are no terms, covenants, representations, statements or conditions binding on the Parties other than those contained in the Contract.

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