Contract Conditions

UNITED NATIONS GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR SERVICES CONTRACT

1.0 LEGAL STATUS: The Contractor shall be considered as having the legal status of an independent contractor vis-à-vis the United Nations. The Contractor's personnel and sub-contractors shall not be considered in any respect as being the employees or agents of the United Nations.

2.0 SOURCE OF INSTRUCTIONS: The Contractor shall neither seek nor accept instructions from any authority external to the United Nations in connection with the performance of its services under this Contract. The Contractor shall refrain from any action, which may adversely affect the United Nations and shall fulfill its commitments with the fullest regard to the interests of the United Nations.

3.0 CONTRACTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYEES: The Contractor shall be responsible for the professional and technical competence of its employees and will select, for work under this Contract, reliable individuals who will perform effectively in the implementation of this Contract, respect the local customs, and conform to a high standard of moral and ethical conduct.

4.0 ASSIGNMENT: The Contractor shall not assign, transfer, pledge or make other disposition of this Contract or any part thereof, or any of the Contractor's rights, claims or obligations under this Contract except with the prior written consent of the United Nations.

5.0 SUB-CONTRACTING: In the event the Contractor requires the services of sub-contractors, the Contractor shall obtain the prior written approval and clearance of the United Nations for all sub-contractors. The approval of the United Nations of a sub-contractor shall not relieve the Contractor of any of its obligations under this Contract. The terms of any sub-contract shall be subject to and conform with the provisions of this Contract.

6.0 OFFICIALS NOT TO BENEFIT: The Contractor warrants that no official of the United Nations has received or will be offered by the Contractor any direct or indirect benefit arising from this Contract or the award thereof. The Contractor agrees that breach of this provision is a breach of an essential term of this Contract.

7.0 INDEMNIFICATION: The Contractor shall indemnify, hold and save harmless, and defend, at its own expense, the United Nations, its officials, agents, servants and employees from and against all suits, claims, demands, and liability of any nature or kind, including their costs and expenses, arising out of acts or omissions of the Contractor, or the Contractor's employees, officers, agents or sub-contractors, in the performance of this Contract. This provision shall extend, inter alia, to claims and liability in the nature of workmen's compensation, products liability and liability arising out of the use of patented inventions or devices, copyrighted material or other intellectual property by the Contractor, its employees, officers, agents, servants or sub-contractors. The obligations under this Article do not lapse upon termination of this Contract.

8.0 INSURANCE AND LIABILITIES TO THIRD PARTIES

8.1 The Contractor shall provide and thereafter maintain insurance against all risks in respect of its property and any equipment used for the execution of this Contract.

8.2 The Contractor shall provide and thereafter maintain all appropriate workmen's compensation insurance, or its equivalent, with respect to its employees to cover claims for personal injury or death in connection with this Contract.

8.3 The Contractor shall also provide and thereafter maintain liability insurance in an adequate amount to cover third party claims for death or bodily injury, or loss of or damage to property, arising from or in connection with the provision of services under this Contract or the operation of any vehicles, boats, airplanes or other equipment owned or leased by the Contractor or its agents, servants, employees or sub-contractors performing work or services in connection with this Contract.

8.4 Except for the workmen's compensation insurance, the insurance policies under this Article shall:

1. Name the United Nations as additional insured;

2. Include a waiver of subrogation of the Contractor's rights to the insurance carrier against the United Nations;

3. Provide that the United Nations shall receive thirty (30) days written notice from the insurers prior to any cancellation or change of coverage.

8.5 The Contractor shall, upon request, provide the United Nations with satisfactory evidence of the insurance required under this Article.

9.0 ENCUMBRANCES/LIENS: The Contractor shall not cause or permit any lien, attachment or other encumbrance by any person to be placed on file or to remain on file in any public office or on file with the United Nations against any monies due or to become due for any work done or materials furnished under this Contract, or by reason of any other claim or demand against the Contractor.

10.0 TITLE TO EQUIPMENT: Title to any equipment and supplies that may be furnished by the United Nations shall rest with the United Nations and any such equipment shall be returned to the United Nations at the conclusion of this Contract or when no longer needed by the Contractor. Such equipment, when returned to the United Nations, shall be in the same condition as when delivered to the Contractor, subject to normal wear and tear. The Contractor shall be liable to compensate the United Nations for equipment determined to be damaged or degraded beyond normal wear and tear.

11.0 COPYRIGHT, PATENTS AND OTHER PROPRIETARY RIGHTS: The United Nations shall be entitled to all intellectual property and other proprietary rights including but not limited to patents, copyrights, and trademarks, with regard to products, or documents and other materials which bear a direct relation to or are produced or prepared or collected in consequence of or in the course of the execution of this Contract. At the United Nations' request, the Contractor shall take all necessary steps, execute all necessary documents and generally assist in securing such proprietary rights and transferring them to the United Nations in compliance with the requirements of the applicable law.

12.0 USE OF NAME, EMBLEM OR OFFICIAL SEAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS: The Contractor shall not advertise or otherwise make public the fact that it is a Contractor with the United Nations, nor shall the Contractor, in any manner whatsoever use the name, emblem or official seal of the United Nations, or any abbreviation of the name of the United Nations in connection with its business or otherwise.

13.0 CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION

13.1 All maps, drawings, photographs, mosaics, plans, reports, recommendations, estimates, documents and all other data compiled by or received by the Contractor under this Contract shall be the property of the United Nations, shall be treated as confidential and shall be delivered only to United Nations authorized officials on completion of work under this Contract.

13.2 The Contractor may not communicate at any time to any other person, Government or authority external to the United Nations, any information known to it by reason of its association with the United Nations which has not been made public except with the authorization of the United Nations; nor shall the Contractor at any time use such information to private advantage. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of this Contract.

14.0 FORCE MAJEURE; OTHER CHANGES IN CONDITIONS

14.1 In the event of and as soon as possible after the occurrence of any cause constituting force majeure, the Contractor shall give notice and full particulars in writing to the United Nations, of such occurrence or change if the Contractor is thereby rendered unable, wholly or in part, to perform its obligations and meet its responsibilities under this Contract. The Contractor shall also notify the United Nations of any other changes in conditions or the occurrence of any event which interferes or threatens to interfere with its performance of this Contract. On receipt of the notice required under this Article, the United Nations shall take such action as, in its sole discretion, it considers to be appropriate or necessary in the circumstances, including the granting to the Contractor of a reasonable extension of time in which to perform its obligations under this Contract.

14.2 If the Contractor is rendered permanently unable, wholly, or in part, by reason of force majeure to perform its obligations and meet its responsibilities under this Contract, the United Nations shall have the right to suspend or terminate this Contract on the same terms and conditions as are provided for in Article 15, "Termination", except that the period of notice shall be seven (7) days instead of thirty (30) days.

14.3 Force majeure as used in this Article means acts of God, war (whether declared or not), invasion, revolution, insurrection, or other acts of a similar nature or force.

15.0 TERMINATION

15.1 Either party may terminate this Contract for cause, in whole or in part, upon thirty (30) days notice, in writing, to the other party. The initiation of arbitral proceedings in accordance with Article 16 "Arbitration" below shall not be deemed a termination of this Contract.

15.2 The United Nations may terminate forthwith this Contract at any time should the mandate or the funding of the Mission/Agency be curtailed or terminated, in which case the Contractor shall be reimbursed by the United Nations for all reasonable costs incurred by the Contractor prior to receipt of the notice of termination.

15.3 In the event of any termination by the United Nations under this Article, no payment shall be due from the United Nations to the Contractor except for work and services satisfactorily performed in conformity with the express terms of this Contract.

15.4 Should the Contractor be adjudged bankrupt, or be liquidated or become insolvent, or should the Contractor make an assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or should a Receiver be appointed on account of the insolvency of the Contractor, the United Nations may, without prejudice to any other right or remedy it may have under the terms of these conditions, terminate this Contract forthwith. The Contractor shall immediately inform the UN of the occurrence of any of the above events.

16.0 SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

16.1 Amicable Settlement: The Parties shall use their best efforts to settle amicably any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of this Contract or the breach, termination or invalidity thereof. Where the parties wish to seek such an amicable settlement through conciliation, the conciliation shall take place in accordance with the UNCITRAL Conciliation Rules then obtaining, or according to such other procedure as may be agreed between the parties.

16.2 Arbitration: Any dispute, controversy or claim between the Parties arising out of this Contract or the breach, termination or invalidity thereof, unless settled amicably under the preceding paragraph of this Article within sixty (60) days after receipt by one Party of the other Party's request for such amicable settlement, shall be referred by either Party to arbitration in accordance with the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules then obtaining. The arbitral tribunal shall have no authority to award punitive damages. In addition, unless otherwise expressly provided in this Contract, the arbitral tribunal shall have no authority to award interest in excess of six percent (6%), and any such interest shall be simple interest only. The parties shall be bound by any arbitration award rendered as a result of such arbitration as the final adjudication of any such controversy, claim or dispute.

17.0 PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES: Nothing in or relating to this Contract shall be deemed a waiver, express or implied, of any of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, including its subsidiary organ.

18.0 TAXEMPTION

18.1 Section 7 of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations provides, inter-alia, that the United Nations, including its subsidiary organs, is exempt from all direct taxes, except charges for public utility services, and is exempt from customs duties and charges of a similar nature in respect of articles imported or exported for its official use. In the event any governmental authority refuses to recognize the United Nations exemption from such taxes, duties or charges, the Contractor shall immediately consult with the United Nations to determine a mutually acceptable procedure.

18.2 Accordingly, the Contractor authorizes the United Nations to deduct from the Contractor's invoice any amount representing such taxes, duties or charges, unless the Contractor has consulted with the United Nations before the payment thereof and the United Nations has, in each instance, specifically authorized the Contractor to pay such taxes, duties or charges under protest. In that event, the Contractor shall provide the United Nations with written evidence that payment of such taxes, duties or charges has been made and appropriately authorized.

19.0 OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW: The Contractor shall comply with all laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations bearing upon the performance of its obligations under the terms of this Contract.

20.0 AUTHORITY TO MODIFY: Pursuant to the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, only the Chief of Administrative Services Division possesses the authority to agree on behalf of the United Nations to any modification of or change in this Contract, to a waiver of any of its provisions or to any additional contractual relationship of any kind with the Contractor. Accordingly, no modification or change in this Contract shall be valid and enforceable against the United Nations unless provided by an amendment to this Contract signed by the Contractor and the Chief of Administrative Division or his/her delegated Officer.