EAAGuard Marketplace Terms

Last updated: 2026-05-15. Draft - subject to legal review before first paying customer.

1. Nature of the Marketplace

EAAGuard operates a marketplace that connects clients seeking accessibility audits with independent third-party auditors. EAAGuard is not a party to the audit engagement itself.

• Auditors listed on the platform are independent contractors. They are not employees, partners, agents or sub-contractors of EAAGuard.
• EAAGuard verifies certain credentials submitted by auditors but does not certify, endorse, warrant or guarantee the quality, accuracy, completeness or legal sufficiency of any audit, report, recommendation or deliverable produced by an auditor.
• All professional opinions, ratings and conclusions in an audit report are those of the individual auditor.

2. EAAGuard's Role

EAAGuard provides:

• A request-and-quote workflow between clients and auditors.
• Payment intermediation via Paddle (Merchant of Record).
• Identity and credential checks on auditors at intake.
• A rating and review system for clients to share feedback.

EAAGuard does not:

• Perform the audit itself.
• Approve, supervise or quality-check auditor deliverables.
• Represent that an audit by a marketplace auditor results in EAA compliance, WCAG conformance or protection from regulatory action.

3. Platform Fee

EAAGuard charges a platform fee of 20% of the quoted audit price. The platform fee is included in the price paid by the client and remitted to the auditor net of fee.

4. Client Obligations

• Provide accurate information about the site or service to be audited.
• Cooperate in good faith with the auditor.
• Pay the quoted price through the platform.
• Independently verify that any auditor-provided documents (e.g. accessibility statement drafts) meet the client's legal needs before relying on them.

5. Auditor Obligations

• Maintain accurate credentials.
• Deliver the audit as agreed with the client.
• Disclose any conflict of interest.
• Comply with applicable law in the auditor's jurisdiction.

Auditors are responsible for their own tax, social security and professional insurance obligations.

6. Non-Circumvention

6.1 Introduction is platform-mediated

When EAAGuard shortlists an auditor for a client request, when an auditor submits a bid in response to that request, or when a client and an auditor first interact through the EAAGuard messaging or quote workflow, the introduction is made by EAAGuard. This is true even if the parties later discover that they were previously aware of each other.

6.2 12-month exclusivity for introduced parties

For a period of twelve (12) months after a platform-mediated introduction, the client and the auditor agree that any accessibility-audit work between them - whether the originally-quoted engagement, a follow-up audit, a remediation engagement, retainer, or any related professional service - will be contracted, invoiced and paid through EAAGuard, subject to the platform fee.

This applies whether the work was first discussed on the platform or off it, whether the parties were introduced by accident or by EAAGuard's shortlist, and whether the client uses an affiliate, parent company, subsidiary or related entity to engage the auditor (or vice versa).

6.3 Prohibited behaviour

Both clients and auditors agree they will not:

• Solicit or accept an off-platform payment for work that originated through an EAAGuard introduction.
• Share or request personal contact information (private email, phone, messaging app, payment-app handles) in the bid workflow with the intent of moving the engagement off platform.
• Use the EAAGuard messaging or bid workflow to communicate identifying information designed to bypass the platform.
• Engage an auditor, or be engaged by a client, via a related entity for the purpose of circumventing this clause.

6.4 Liquidated damages

The parties acknowledge that proving the exact loss caused by a circumvention is difficult, and agree the following sums are a reasonable pre-estimate of EAAGuard's loss (not a penalty):

• 30% of the gross value of the off-platform engagement, or EUR 200, whichever is higher.
• Plus all reasonable costs of investigation and recovery.

This is in addition to, not in lieu of, EAAGuard's right to seek injunctive relief.

6.5 Termination and reputation

A confirmed breach of this section is grounds for immediate suspension or termination of the breaching party's EAAGuard account or marketplace listing. EAAGuard may also flag the auditor as ineligible for future shortlisting.

6.6 Out of scope

This clause does not apply to:

• Engagements between a client and an auditor that pre-date the parties' first contact through EAAGuard and that the client can document with prior contracts.
• Work outside the scope of accessibility auditing or accessibility remediation (e.g. unrelated software development, design, copywriting).

7. Reporting Abuse

If you are asked to take work off-platform, or are otherwise contacted in a way that violates these terms, please write to [email protected]. We:

• Treat such reports confidentially.
• Do not retaliate against parties who report in good faith.
• May contact you for clarifying information before taking action.

We will not act on anonymous reports unless they include verifiable evidence (screenshots, message logs, transaction records). Frivolous or malicious reports may themselves be a breach of these terms.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• EAAGuard's liability for any claim arising out of the Marketplace is capped at the platform fees received from the relevant client in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.
• EAAGuard is not liable for the work product, opinions, omissions, delays or breaches of any auditor.
• The Marketplace is provided as is, without warranty of any kind, express or implied.

9. Ratings and Reviews

Clients may rate auditors (1-5) and leave a written review after a request is marked delivered. EAAGuard may remove reviews that contain unlawful or abusive content but does not edit ratings.

10. Termination

EAAGuard may suspend or remove an auditor from the Marketplace at its discretion, including on the basis of consistent low ratings, verified complaints, or a confirmed breach of Section 6.

11. Governing Law

This agreement is governed by the laws of the jurisdiction where EAAGuard is established. Mandatory consumer-protection laws of the client's residence apply where required.

12. Changes

EAAGuard may update these terms. Updates take effect on the date stated at the top of the document. Continued use of the Marketplace after that date constitutes acceptance.