Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of AECGrade, including all websites, applications, APIs, documentation, and related services (collectively, the "Service"), provided by Future Standard LLC ("Company," "we," "our," or "us").

By accessing or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Service.

You represent that you have the authority to enter into these Terms on behalf of yourself or the entity you represent.

1.1 Agreement and Electronic Acceptance

By creating an account (if offered), clicking "Sign Up," "Create Account," or similar buttons, submitting a URL for analysis, or otherwise accessing or using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and any referenced policies.

If you are entering into these Terms on behalf of an entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that entity, and all references to "you" refer to that entity.

You agree that your electronic acceptance constitutes a legally binding agreement equivalent to a written signature.

2. Service Overview and Intended Use

AECGrade provides automated and semi-automated website analysis, grading, benchmarks, and recommendations intended to help architecture, engineering, and construction firms understand and improve their public web presence ("Users").

The Service is provided solely for informational and productivity purposes. It does not provide professional engineering, architectural, legal, marketing agency, SEO consulting, or other regulated professional services.

You remain solely responsible for:

• Verifying all outputs and recommendations
• Ensuring compliance with applicable laws, contracts, and policies that apply to your website and marketing
• Exercising independent judgment about your business, brand, and client acquisition strategy

We may add, modify, suspend, or discontinue features at any time without notice.

3. Accounts and Security

Certain features may require account registration.

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials
• All activity occurring under your account, whether authorized or not
• Ensuring all users under your account comply with these Terms

You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized use. We are not liable for losses caused by unauthorized access resulting from your failure to secure your credentials.

4. Fees, Subscriptions, and Payment

Some features may require payment.

Unless otherwise stated:

• Fees are billed in advance and are non-refundable
• You are responsible for all applicable taxes
• We may change pricing or plans with reasonable notice
• Failure to pay may result in suspension or termination

5. Intellectual Property and User Content

5.1 Company Intellectual Property

The Service, including all software, designs, content, datasets, scoring methodologies, trademarks, trade dress, and documentation, is owned by or licensed to Future Standard LLC and protected by intellectual property laws.

No rights are granted except the limited right to use the Service under these Terms.

5.2 User Content

You retain ownership of content you submit, upload, or generate using the Service ("User Content"), subject to the rights you grant below.

By submitting User Content, you grant the Company a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, use, reproduce, modify, display, and distribute such User Content solely to operate, improve, secure, and market the Service.

You represent that you have all rights necessary to grant this license, including authority to analyze URLs and related public website content you submit.

5.3 Feedback, Suggestions, and Feature Requests

If you submit, communicate, or provide any ideas, suggestions, feature requests, enhancements, recommendations, feedback, or other input related to the Service ("Feedback"), whether through the Service, email, support channels, or otherwise, you acknowledge and agree that:

• The Feedback is provided voluntarily and without expectation of compensation, attribution, or confidentiality;
• The Company may use, implement, modify, commercialize, or incorporate the Feedback into the Service or any other products or services, in whole or in part, without restriction;
• The Feedback shall be deemed a "work made for hire" to the maximum extent permitted by law, and to the extent not deemed a work made for hire, you hereby irrevocably assign to the Company all right, title, and interest in and to such Feedback, including all intellectual property rights worldwide;
• You waive any moral rights, rights of attribution, or similar rights in connection with the Feedback.

The Company has no obligation to use, acknowledge, or respond to any Feedback.

6. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use the Service unlawfully or in violation of applicable standards
• Access the Service via automated means without permission
• Reverse engineer or create derivative works except as permitted by law
• Interfere with security or system integrity
• Upload malicious code
• Misrepresent identity or affiliation
• Submit URLs or requests intended to harass, harm, or violate the rights of others

We may suspend or terminate access for violations.

7. No Professional Relationship; Marketing and Technical Limitations

The Service does not create an engineering, architectural, legal, fiduciary, agency, marketing consultant, or other professional services relationship.

You acknowledge that:

• Outputs may rely on assumptions, heuristics, third-party data, or incomplete crawling
• Search engines, AI systems, and web standards change frequently
• Final responsibility for your website, content, and business outcomes remains with you

Licensed Professional Responsibility (Where Applicable)

Where your website or marketing materials include professional certifications, seals, or jurisdictional claims, you represent and warrant that:

• Such representations comply with applicable laws and professional rules
• Licensed professionals remain responsible for work product and representations as required by law
• The Service is not a substitute for compliance review by qualified professionals where required

8. Grades, Analysis Outputs, and Accuracy

While we strive for accuracy, the Service may contain errors, omissions, outdated references, approximations, or default assumptions.

Grades and recommendations may vary based on timing, inputs, crawl coverage, third-party APIs, and changes to your website after analysis.

You must independently verify all outputs before relying on them for business, procurement, hiring vendors, or making representations to clients or regulators.

9. No Reliance; Business and Marketing Risk

You acknowledge and agree that outputs generated by the Service, including scores, grades, metrics, summaries, and recommendations, are NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR INDEPENDENT BUSINESS, TECHNICAL, OR LEGAL JUDGMENT and are not guaranteed to produce any particular business outcome (including search rankings, lead volume, or revenue).

Outputs generated by the Service do not constitute a formal audit, certification, or attestation. Any incorporation of Service outputs into your planning does not convert the Service into professional services provided by the Company.

The Service may not account for:

• Non-public or authenticated areas of a website we cannot access
• Competitor actions, market conditions, or brand positioning
• Offline marketing, referrals, or relationship-driven revenue channels
• Contractual obligations between you and clients or vendors

All reliance decisions remain solely with you. The Service is one input among many and does not replace strategy, execution, or professional advice where needed.

For the avoidance of doubt, any damages arising from reliance on Service outputs may be treated as consequential damages for purposes of applicable limitations, including costs incurred to revise websites, campaigns, or collateral, subject to Section 15.

The Company shall not be responsible for consequences arising from reliance on Service outputs without independent verification.

10. Third-Party Materials

The Service may reference third-party standards, tools, documentation, or websites ("Third-Party Materials").

We do not control or endorse Third-Party Materials and are not responsible for their accuracy, availability, or compliance.

Reliance on Third-Party Materials is at your own risk.

11. Data, Availability, and Backups

The Service may be interrupted, suspended, or discontinued at any time.

You acknowledge that:

• Data loss or corruption may occur
• You are responsible for maintaining backups of information you care about
• We are not liable for loss of User Content or saved reports beyond what we expressly commit to in product documentation

Once outputs are exported, downloaded, or shared, they are outside the Company's control, and the Company bears no responsibility for their use, modification, or interpretation.

No Duty to Update or Warn

We have no obligation to monitor, update, or notify you of changes to search algorithms, analytics definitions, or best practices that may affect prior outputs.

Previously generated results may become outdated and should be reverified before use.

12. Privacy

Your use of the Service is subject to our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect personal information.

13. Export Controls and Compliance

You represent that you are not located in a sanctioned jurisdiction, are not listed on restricted party lists, and will comply with all export, import, and sanctions laws.

We may restrict access to comply with legal obligations.

14. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE", WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.

15. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, FUTURE STANDARD LLC SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, GOODWILL, OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION.

Business and Marketing-Related Exclusions

Without limiting the foregoing, the Company shall not be liable for costs or damages related to:

• Lost leads, proposals, or revenue
• Website redesign, agency fees, or marketing spend
• Search ranking or traffic changes
• Reputation or brand impacts
• Delays in campaigns or launches
• Errors in third-party platforms (including search engines and analytics providers)

This exclusion applies even if the Company has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Liability Cap

Our total liability shall not exceed the lesser of:

• Fees paid by you in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim, or
• One hundred U.S. dollars ($100)

Your sole remedy is to stop using the Service.

16. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Future Standard LLC and its affiliates from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

• Your use or reliance on the Service
• Your User Content
• Your violation of these Terms or applicable law

The Company reserves the right to assume exclusive control of the defense and settlement of any indemnified matter.

17. Termination

We may suspend or terminate access at any time, with or without notice, including for violations or non-payment.

Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately. Sections 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, and 20 shall survive termination.

18. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

Any dispute shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Pinellas County, Florida.

You waive the right to a jury trial and to participate in any class, collective, or representative action, and you waive any objection based on forum non conveniens or lack of personal jurisdiction.

Any claim must be brought within one (1) year of accrual or it is permanently barred.

19. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms by posting a revised version and updating the "Last updated" date.

Continued use constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

20. General Provisions

• Assignment: You may not assign without consent; we may assign freely
• Severability: Invalid provisions do not affect remaining provisions
• Waiver: Failure to enforce is not a waiver
• Entire Agreement: These Terms and referenced policies constitute the entire agreement

No Third-Party Beneficiaries

These Terms are for the sole benefit of you and the Company. No third party shall have any rights to enforce these Terms.

21. Legal Advice Disclaimer

The Company does not provide legal, accounting, tax, or compliance advice. Consult qualified professionals as needed.