Contract for Strategic Alliance or Strategic Alliance Agreement
Agreement made on the ______________ (date) , between ________________
(Name of Company) , a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state
of ______________, with its principal office located at __________________________
_______________ (street address, city, state, zip code) , referred to herein as
Company 1 , and _____________________ (Name of Company) , a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the state of ______________, with its principal
office located at _________________________________________ (street address,
city, state, zip code) , referred to herein as Company 2 .
Whereas, Company 1 manufactures and distributes _______________________
(Name or Description of Product) , hereinafter called Company 1 Product , and
Company 2 manufactures and distributes ___________________________ ( Name or
Description of Product) , hereinafter called Company 2 Product ; and
Whereas, these Products do not compete with one another and serve differing
functions; and
Whereas, these Products are complementary, and purchasers of one Product
are often interested in purchasing the other Product; and
Whereas, the parties to this Agreement wish to join in a strategic alliance under
which each party will promote the Product of the other, with the goal of increasing sales
of both Products;
Now, therefore, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants contained in this
Agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1. Mutual Promotion
Each of the parties will make a good faith commercially reasonable effort to
promote the sale of the Product of the other. Specifically, Company 1 will promote the
sale of Company 2 Product and Company 1 will promote the sale of Company 2
Product. A party is not authorized to sell the Product of the other or accept orders for
the sale thereof but rather must refer prospective customers to the other party, and the
other party will be responsible for arranging and completing the sale, including the
collection of the sales price. The selling party may fix the terms and conditions of sales
of its Product in its sole discretion.
2. Term
This Agreement will remain in effect until terminated by one of the parties. A
party may terminate this Agreement at any time by giving at least ______ (number)
days notice to the other.
3. Coordination
A contact person for each party will coordinate the efforts of that party under this
Agreement. The initial contact persons are as follows:
_____________________ (Name of Contact Person) ______________
(Name of Company 1) (Address) ____________________________
(Telephone Number) ______________
(Fax Number) ______________
(E-mail Address) ______________
_____________________ (Name of Contact Person) ______________
(Name of Company 2) (Address) ____________________________
(Telephone Number) ______________
(Fax Number) ______________
(E-mail Address) ______________
A party's contact person may be changed at any time by giving notice of the change to
the other party. The notice must include the name and contact information for the new
contact person. The contact person for each party must be available at reasonable
times and on reasonable notice to meet with, converse with, or otherwise communicate
with the contact person for the other party regarding issues arising under this
Agreement.
4. Relationship of Parties
This Agreement does not create a joint venture, partnership, or principal/agent
relationship between the parties and nothing in this Agreement may be used to imply
such a relationship. Neither party has the right, power, or authority to obligate or bind
the other in any manner unless authorized in writing by the other party in a specific
instance. The parties do not intend to share profits or losses arising from the sale of
their Products, to co-own a business or any property, or to create a taxable entity under
I.R.C. § 761(a). The parties must report the income and expenses arising out of the sale
of each of their Products on their own income tax returns, and any expense incurred by
a party in promoting the sale of the Product of the other party must be treated as an
expense of promoting the Product of the party incurring the expense. No employees of
a party are under the control, management, or supervision of the other and are not
intended to be employees of the other for purposes of any federal, state, or local laws or
regulations including, but not limited to, those covering unemployment insurance,
employment taxes, and workers' compensation. Employees of one party are also not
intended to be employees of the other party for purposes of fringe benefits provided to
employees of the other party.
5. Intellectual Property
This Agreement does not give either party any ownership right or interest in the
other party's trade name, trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, know-how,
proprietary data, confidential information, or other intellectual property. Each party
agrees to comply with the instructions of the other regarding the use of the other party's
intellectual property in the promotion of the other party's Product, including properly
marking promotional material with the other party's trademarks and copyrights and
properly marking samples of Products on which the other party holds one or more
patents, whether issued or pending.
6. Confidential Information
Confidential Information means all information that has been developed by one of
the parties (the Owner ), which that party considers valuable, proprietary, and
confidential and which is disclosed to the other party (the Recipient ). For this purpose,
the Recipient includes employees or agents of the Recipient. Confidential Information
includes all materials, notes, analyses, compilations, studies, or other physical or
electronic documents, whether prepared by the Owner or by others, to the extent that
such documents contain, reflect, or are otherwise based in whole or in part on
Confidential Information. Confidential Information does not include any information, or
any portion of any document based thereon, that: (a) was known to the Recipient at the
time of its disclosure by the Owner; (b) was or becomes generally available to the public
other than as a result of a disclosure by the Recipient; or (c) was or becomes available
to the Recipient on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Owner,
provided that such source is not, to the Recipient's knowledge, subject to a
confidentiality obligation with respect to such information.
7. Limitations on Disclosure
Recipient must follow commercially reasonable procedures to maintain the
confidentiality of the Owner's Confidential Information and may not disclose, reproduce,
or otherwise discuss or make available all or any part of the Confidential Information in
any form to any person or entity at any time. However, the Recipient may disclose all or
any part of the Confidential Information to its employees and agents on a need-to-know
basis relating solely to the performance of this Agreement. The Recipient must inform
each of its employees and agents to whom the Confidential Information is disclosed of
the nature of the information and must require them to treat such information
confidentially. At the request of the Owner, the Recipient must obtain confidentiality
Agreements in a form approved by the Owner from each of its employees and agents to
whom the Confidential Information is disclosed. If the Recipient is requested or ordered
to disclose all or any part of the Confidential Information in any judicial or administrative
proceeding, the Recipient must give the Owner prompt written notice of such request or
order so that the Owner may take appropriate lawful preventive action. If the Recipient
is nonetheless compelled to disclose all or any part of the Confidential Information, it
may do so without liability under this Agreement so long as it uses its best efforts to
obtain assurances that confidential treatment will be accorded to such information.
8. Limitations on Use
Recipient may not use the Confidential Information for any purpose other than
the performance of this Agreement.
9. Return or Destruction
Upon the request of the Owner, the Recipient must promptly return all copies of
Confidential Information furnished by the Owner, and must promptly destroy other
Confidential Information, including all copies of notes, analyses, compilations, studies,
or other physical or electronic documents prepared by the Recipient. Each party's
Confidential Information must be returned or destroyed promptly following the
termination of this Agreement.
10. Non-Solicitation of Personnel
Each of the parties agrees not to hire or engage in any attempt to hire employees
of the other party during the term of this Agreement and for a period of one year
following its termination. Likewise, each of the parties agrees not to engage or attempt
to engage the other party's independent contractors during that period of time.
11. Remedies
Each of the parties agrees that money damages will not be a sufficient remedy
for any breach of the sections of this Agreement relating to confidential information and
non-solicitation of personnel. Accordingly, a party will be entitled to specific performance
and injunctive or other equitable relief as a remedy for any such breach, and the parties
each further agrees to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in
connection with such remedy.
12. Indemnification
Each of the parties agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the other party and its
agents and employees from and against all claims, demands, obligations, and liabilities
of any nature whatsoever, and all related costs and expenses (including reasonable
attorneys' fees), resulting solely and directly from the indemnifying party's breach of this
Agreement, negligence, or willful misconduct. No indemnification is required for any
claim or liability resulting from the breach of this Agreement by the party seeking
indemnification or resulting from the negligence of misconduct of either the party
seeking indemnification or a third party. Each party agrees to give the other prompt
written notice of any claim or other matter as to which it believes this indemnification
provision applies. The indemnifying party has the right to defend against any such claim
with counsel of its own choosing and to settle or compromise such claim as it deems
appropriate. Each party also agrees to cooperate with the other in the defense of any
such claim or other matter.
13. Miscellaneous Provisions
A. Binding Effect
The provisions of this Agreement are binding upon and will inure to the
benefit of the successors and assigns of the parties.
B. Notice
Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given under
this Agreement must be in writing and mailed by certified mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the contact person for the party to be
notified or to whom the communication is directed. All notices and other
communications will be deemed to be given at the expiration of three days after
the date of mailing, unless the contact person acknowledges receipt prior to that
time.
C. Severability
The invalidity of any portion of this Agreement will not and shall not
be deemed to affect the validity of any other provision. If any provision of
this Agreement is held to be invalid, the parties agree that the
remaining provisions shall be deemed to be in full force and effect as if
they had been executed by both parties subsequent to the
expungement of the invalid provision.
D. No Waiver
The failure of either party to this Agreement to insist upon the performance
of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, or the waiver of any breach
of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, shall not be construed as
subsequently waiving any such terms and conditions, but the same shall
continue and remain in full force and effect as if no such forbearance or waiver
had occurred.
E. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance
with the laws of the State of _______________.
F. Attorney’s Fees
In the event that any lawsuit is filed in relation to this Agreement, the
unsuccessful party in the action shall pay to the successful party, in addition to all
the sums that either party may be called on to pay, a reasonable sum for the
successful party's attorney fees.
G. Mandatory Arbitration
Any dispute under this Agreement shall be required to be resolved by
binding arbitration of the parties hereto. If the parties cannot agree on an
arbitrator, each party shall select one arbitrator and both arbitrators shall then
select a third. The third arbitrator so selected shall arbitrate said dispute. The
arbitration shall be governed by the rules of the American Arbitration Association
then in force and effect.
H. Entire Agreement
This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement between the parties
and any prior understanding or representation of any kind preceding the date of
this Agreement shall not be binding upon either party except to the extent
incorporated in this Agreement.
I. Modification of Agreement
Any modification of this Agreement or additional obligation assumed by
either party in connection with this Agreement shall be binding only if placed in
writing and signed by each party or an authorized representative of each party.
J. Assignment of Rights
The rights of each party under this Agreement are personal to that party
and may not be assigned or transferred to any other person, firm, corporation, or
other entity without the prior, express, and written consent of the other party.
14. Counterparts
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute but one and
the same instrument.
15. Compliance with Laws
In performing under this Agreement, all applicable governmental laws,
regulations, orders, and other rules of duly-constituted authority will be followed and
complied with in all respects by both parties.
16. In this Agreement, any reference to a party includes that party's heirs, executors,
administrators, successors and assigns, singular includes plural and masculine includes
feminine.
WITNESS our signatures as of the day and date first above stated.
____________________________ ____________________________
(Name of Company 1) (Name of Company 2)
By: ____________________________ By: ______________________________
____________________________ _________________________
(P rinted Name & Office in Corporation) (P rinted Name & Office in Corporation)
____________________________ ____________________________
(Signature of Officer) (Signature of Officer)