Marketing Research Agreement
This Agreement is made , between
(date)
, a corporation
(Name of Manufacturer)
corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of , with
(name of state)
its principal office located at
,
(street address, city, state, zip code)
referred to herein as Manufacturer , and , a
(Name of Consultant)
corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of
,
( name of state)
with its principal office located at
,
(street address, city, state, zip code)
referred to herein as Consultant .
WHEREAS , Manufacturer is presently planning the design and development of a new product;
and
WHEREAS , Manufacturer desires to have the marketing potential for the new product analyzed
and determined by a marketing research firm; and
WHEREAS , Consultant is a marketing research firm desiring to perform the product survey;
NOW, THEREFORE , for and in consideration of the matters described above, and of the
mutual benefits and obligations set forth in this Agreement, the parties agree as follows:
I. Product Identification. Manufacturer is planning the design and development of a
biotech product called
,
( name of product)
to be used for
,
(describe purpose of product)
hereinafter called the Product. The Product is within the line of products that Manufacturer
presently markets, but represents a significant advancement in the state of the art and techniques
to be used by Manufacturer. Manufacturer desires to determine the projected degree of public
acceptance and use of the Product prior to making the financial investment necessary to redesign
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manufacturing facilities and to establish a new marketing and sales program. Consultant shall
conduct all negotiations and liaison with, and reporting to, Manufacturer directly through a
representative (the Representative ) who shall be identified to Consultant in writing on or before
.
(date)
II. Objective of Project. Consultant proposes to conduct a survey of projected consumers to
gauge the acceptability of the Product if the Product is made available for public consumption.
Consultant shall collect, organize, and analyze the necessary data to conduct a Product
Development Survey of a representative sample of the consuming public. Consultant shall
interpret and present the results, reflecting the sample size and test area, and shall aid
Manufacturer in applying the obtained results to the specific objective of assisting in formulating
a decision to proceed with, or refrain from, the manufacture of the new Product.
III. Procedural Planning.
A. Consultant proposes that consumer reaction be measured by the use of a
questionnaire. The questionnaire shall be designed by Consultant, and the questions
would be so constructed as to obtain information from the consumer relative to areas of
policy, product, market, and methods to be used by Manufacturer.
B. Policy questions shall be designed to generate information pertaining to pricing,
credit, discounts, inventory, and turnover of the Product based on indicated public
acceptance. Product questions shall be designed to generate information pertaining to the
public's needs and tastes, to the competition's advantages and disadvantages, and to
possible alterations or additions suggested by public reaction.
C. Marketing questions shall include questions relative to determination of the
composition of the purchasing segment of the public, including geographical, age, sex,
and income considerations, and the activities of all competitors in the field. Methods
questions shall determine sales, advertising, service, and marketing techniques.
D. Consultant shall be responsible for the selection, training, and supervision of all
survey personnel to be used by Consultant, and any increase in staff necessitated by the
scope of the project shall be minimized by Consultant. Consultant proposes to obtain
samples, to be selected randomly by use of
( number)
.
( source of names of consumers)
Sampling shall commence days after authorization from Manufacturer
(number)
to proceed, and shall be completed within days after commencement of
(number)
sampling. Sampling shall be conducted over a consumer area described as follows:
(describe consumer area)
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IV. Compensation. In consideration of performance of this Agreement, Manufacturer will
pay Consultant $ on completion of the work. Consultant agrees that such
sum shall be full compensation for all services under this Agreement. As an independent
contractor, Consultant will pay all expenses in connection with this Agreement, and
Manufacturer will not incur any indebtedness on behalf of Consultant in connection with
expenses resulting from this Agreement.
V. Data Collection Sources. The data essential to a compilation of consumer attitudes shall
be collected by Consultant from general field research by use of the questionnaire form and
follow up of nonresponsive contacts, statistical review and analysis of reported results, and
collaboration with
,
(name of source)
a source having performed similar surveys currently documented and presently available to the
public.
VI. Data Collection Methods. Preliminary testing of the effectiveness of the questionnaire
and the training of Consultant's personnel shall be conducted by Consultant commencing
, for a period of days. Consultant shall then have
( date) (number)
days within which to revise the questionnaire form and provide supplementary
(number)
training to personnel if required. Collection of data will commence on
,
(date)
and Consultant shall supervise all collection efforts including all field work. Consultant shall also
inspect and edit all data collected from the field, as it is received.
VII. Organization of Data.
A. Consultant shall organize the collected data, enabling Consultant to extract and
interpret desired results from the data. The data shall be examined to select only that
information relative to the specific objective of the survey. Consultant shall examine all
collected data for relevance, reliability, and practicability, and only use that data meeting
these three criteria for the presentation to be made to Manufacturer. Consultant shall
classify and arrange all data to be used for the presentation to Manufacturer in a manner
to facilitate interpretation of the data by Manufacturer.
B. Consultant shall analyze the data to determine any relationships between the data
obtained, such as trends, and shall apply statistical techniques to the analysis to verify the
authenticity and accuracy of the analysis. Any relevant issues developed as a result of the
survey shall be included in the presentation, even if they were not originally projected or
anticipated as a Product of the survey.
C. Consultant shall be responsible for selecting the specific data to be included in the
final presentation and for developing a listing of all sources, authorities, and references
used by Consultant in arriving at stated conclusions.
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VII. Independent Contractor. Nothing herein shall be construed to create an employer-
employee relationship between the Manufacturer and Consultant. Consultant is an independent
contractor and not an employee of the Manufacturer or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates. The
consideration set forth in Section IV shall be the sole consideration due Consultant for the
services rendered hereunder. It is understood that the Manufacturer will not withhold any
amounts for payment of taxes from the compensation of Consultant hereunder. It is further
understood that Consultant is free to contract for similar services to be performed for other
manufacturers while under contract with Manufacturer.
IX. Interpretation of Data. Consultant shall determine the quantitative and qualitative
significance of the data collected, establish tentative conclusions by direct and correlative
studies, test the feasibility and accuracy of the tentative conclusions by reviewing all data and
alternatives, and establish final conclusions based on interpretation of all of the above
considerations.
X. Presentation of Results. Consultant shall be responsible for a determination of the
method of presentation of survey results, for the preparation and accuracy of the final report, and
for the presentation of the report, which shall be done in conjunction with an oral presentation of
the interpretation of the results. The presentation to Manufacturer or its Representative shall not
be made any later than , and an additional presentation to Manufacturer
(date)
may be scheduled within days, at the discretion of Representative.
(number)
XI. Application of Results. Consultant shall assist Manufacturer or Representative
in applying the specific data and conclusions reached by Consultant to the specific objective of
deciding whether to proceed with manufacture of the Product. This assistance will be available at
the time of the presentation of the survey results.
XII. 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.
XIII. 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.
XIV. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in
accordance with the laws of the State of .
(name of state)
XV. Notices. Unless provided herein to the contrary, any notice provided for or concerning
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given when sent by certified
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or registered mail if sent to the respective address of each party as set forth at the beginning of
this Agreement.
XVI. 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.
XVII. Mandatory Arbitration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and anything herein to the
contrary, 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.
XVIII. 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.
XIX. 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.
XX. 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.
XXI.. 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.
XXII. 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.
XXIII. Noncompetition. On termination of this Agreement, Consultant agrees that it will not
own or operate (directly or indirectly) a business planning the design and development of a
biotech product within a radius of miles from the principal place of business of
(number)
Manufacturer, for a period of years. Consultant agrees that this noncompetition
(number)
section is necessary to protect the Business of the Manufacturer, and that Consultant's violation
of this section would result in irreparable harm to the Manufacturer. If Consultant breaches this
section, Manufacturer shall be entitled to injunctive relief in addition to any other remedies
legally available. This section shall survive termination of this Agreement.
XXIV. Trade Secrets. Consultant agrees not to disclose to any person or entity any trade secrets
as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, including, but not limited to, information regarding
the business of Manufacturer , including its customers, products, prices, and manner of
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operations, without first obtaining the written consent of Manufacturer . If Consultant breaches
this section, Manufacturer shall be entitled, among other remedies, to injunctive relief
prohibiting Consultant from disclosing such information. This section shall survive termination
of this Agreement.
XXV. Confidentiality. Consultant agrees that: (i) all knowledge and information that
Consultant may receive from Manufacturer , from its Consultants or other consultants of
Manufacturer , or by virtue of the performance of services under and pursuant to this Agreement,
relating to inventions, products, processes, machinery, apparatus, prices, discounts, costs,
business affairs, future plans, or technical data that belong to Manufacturer ; including its
customers, products, prices, and manner of operations, and (ii) all information provided by
Consultant to Manufacturer in reports of work done, together with any other information
acquired by or as direct result of employment as a Consultant by Manufacturer , shall be regarded
by Consultant as strictly confidential and held by Consultant in confidence, and solely for the
benefit and use of Manufacturer , and shall not be used by Consultant or directly or indirectly
disclosed by Consultant to any person whatsoever except to Manufacturer or with prior written
permission of Manufacturer.
WITNESS our signatures as of the day and date first above stated.
(Name of Manufacturer) (Name of Consultant)
By: By:
(Signature of Officer) (Signature of Officer)
(Printed or Types Name) (Printed or Types Name)
(Office in Corporation) (Office in Corporation)
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