askCivic

Terms of Service

Welcome to askCivic, our AI-powered Software as a Service (SaaS) designed for government and public-sector users. By subscribing to or using askCivic, you agree to these Terms of Service and all policies incorporated by reference. askCivic provides a base subscription for named users, with optional higher-tier licenses for additional users or agency-wide use. These Terms form a binding legal agreement between you (the user or subscribing organization) and us, and they govern your access to and use of askCivic. Please read them carefully.

1. Service and Subscription

Access and License: We grant you a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use askCivic according to these Terms. Your license is limited to the subscription tier and number of users you have paid for. For example, the base plan covers one named account; higher tiers allow licensing for all members of a procurement team or agency as specified.

Fees and Payment: In return for access to AskCivic, you agree to pay the subscription fees as described in your order. Fees are due in advance of each subscription term and are non-refundable.

Service Changes: We may update or discontinue features of AskCivic, or the entire service, but we will use reasonable efforts to notify you in advance.

2. User Responsibilities and Use Restrictions

Lawful Use: You agree to use AskCivic only for lawful, authorized purposes. AskCivic is intended for use by government and public-sector organizations; if you are a government user, you confirm you have any required approvals. You will not use AskCivic to violate any law, regulation or third-party right.

Account Security: You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials. You must supervise users of your account and promptly notify us of any unauthorized use.

Prohibited Actions: Do not attempt to reverse-engineer askCivic, scrape data, or use it for unlawful content. Do not input personal data or sensitive information you cannot disclose; remember that if you use askCivic for official business, those inputs may be subject to public disclosure laws (see Section 4).

Agency Policies: Especially for government users: any communications, inputs or outputs through askCivic may be considered agency records. You should follow your organization's data policies and compliance obligations and acceptable use policies.

3. Chat Records and Data Retention

Logging and Retention: askCivic automatically records all user queries and AI responses (chat logs) to provide, maintain, and support the service. We do not use your content to train AI models, and we route AI requests only to providers that do not retain or train on it. We retain these logs for legitimate business and legal reasons (e.g. system debugging, compliance). Industry best practices emphasize that retention policies must explicitly cover chat logs and similar content.

Public Records Notice: Because askCivic is aimed at public-sector use, chat logs and related communications could be deemed public records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or similar state laws. You acknowledge that your inputs and the AI's outputs may therefore be requested by the public under applicable law. Inquiries for records that may be received will be routed to the user for disposition.

Privacy: We do not sell personal data, and we limit data collection to what is needed for the Service.

4. AI Disclaimers and Accuracy

AI Limitations: askCivic uses machine learning to generate information, but generative AI responses may be imperfect, outdated or misleading. While we strive to employ processes to limit this risk, the risk exists that outputs may be incorrect. We do not guarantee uninterrupted operation or that askCivic will meet every requirement.

User Verification: You agree to independently verify any critical information from askCivic before acting on it, inclusive of sending to Civic staff through the "Send to Civic" function. You assume full responsibility for how you use askCivic's output.

Bias and Oversight: AI can reflect biases present in its training data. You should critically evaluate recommendations and outputs, especially in decision-making contexts. askCivic is meant to assist your team, not replace human judgment.

5. Intellectual Property

Our IP: We and our licensors retain all rights, title, and interest in AskCivic's software, documentation, and all intellectual property. You receive only the limited license expressly granted in these Terms. You agree not to infringe our copyrights or other proprietary rights.

Your Data: You retain ownership of any data or content you submit through askCivic. By submitting it, you grant us a worldwide license to use that data solely for providing the Service, including generating answers and maintaining service quality. We do not use customer data, including your submitted content and chat records, to train AI models, and we configure our model routing to exclude providers that collect or retain your data. Third-party model providers process inputs and outputs to provide the Service, subject to their applicable data-handling policies. Our logging and retention practices are described in Section 3. We do not claim ownership of your data.

6. Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability

No Warranty: askCivic is provided "as is", with all faults, and we disclaim all warranties of any kind. This includes (without limitation) all implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, and non-infringement. We cannot guarantee the Service will be error-free or uninterrupted.

Limited Liability: To the maximum extent permitted by law, we will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages whatsoever arising out of or relating to your use of AskCivic. This includes damages for lost profits, loss of data, business interruption, or similar losses. Our total liability for any claim related to AskCivic shall be limited to the amount you paid us for the Service in the twelve months before the claim.

Basis of the Bargain: You acknowledge that these limitations are essential terms of this agreement, and that they have been taken into account in setting the subscription fees.

7. Termination

Termination by You: You may terminate your subscription at any time by providing written notice. No refunds will be provided for partial subscription periods already paid, unless required by law.

Termination by Us: We may suspend or terminate your access if you breach these Terms (for example, by non-payment or misuse of the Service). We will give notice of a breach and a chance to cure if reasonable, unless immediate termination is necessary to protect our service or comply with law.

8. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms from time to time. When material changes are made, we will notify you (for example, by email or an in-app notice) before they take effect. Your continued use of AskCivic after changes means you accept the revised Terms.

9. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and the State of Texas. Any disputes arising under or related to these Terms will be resolved in state or federal courts in that jurisdiction.

10. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, please contact us at support@civicinitiatives.com.

By using askCivic, you acknowledge that you have read and understood these Terms, including the limitations and disclaimers regarding AI outputs and data retention. You agree to comply with all provisions herein. Thank you for choosing askCivic.