Terms of Business

UK only quotations are valid for 3 months from the date of submission. GKA reserves the right to revise quotations after this date.

Quotations are based on values in GBP but may be shown for reference in US Dollars (USD) or Euros (€).

GKA will endeavour to assess the feasibility of the project prior to quotation, however, in some cases, this may not be possible until fieldwork has commenced.

In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, initial research findings and proposals provided by GKA, when GKA receives neither the commission nor payment for the proposals, remain the property of GKA. Their contents cannot be revealed to third parties without permission.

Invoices & charges

Invoices are payable in GBP unless agreed otherwise in writing.

GKA will invoice 50% of the estimated total project cost upon confirmation a project has been commissioned. This will be due 30 days from the date of invoice. The remaining 50% will be invoiced on completion of the project, due 30 days from the date of invoice. Invoices not paid within 30 days are subject to a late payment charge of 2% per month. Late payment could result in a delayed start to the work commissioned or a halt to any work in progress.

Due to the volatility in exchange rates, GKA reserves the right to revise quotations and invoiced amounts to reflect any changes where the currency to be invoiced changes in value by 2% or more against the GBP between the date of quotation and the date of commission. Any further fluctuation in currency exchange rates between the date of commission and the date of receipt of settling payment will be borne by GKA unless the settling payment is not made by its due date as quoted on the invoice.

Invoices are exclusive of VAT (20%) – chargeable only to domestic clients.

Where venue costs have been included, these are for GKA’s preferred venues. If you have any specific requests, these may result in an increase in fees.

Client catering for a full day at venue includes max 2 x meals plus soft drinks per attendee, evening at venue assumes 1 x meal plus soft drinks per attendee. All alcohol or additional food requirements will be charged at cost + 15%.

All incidental expenses incurred by clients and additional incentives requested by clients will be charged at cost +15%.

Any client postage to be charged at cost at final invoice stage.

Cash/voucher incentives charged at 15% of total PLUS £50 administration fee.

If cheques are required as payment of incentives these will be charged at 25% of total PLUS £50 administration fee.

If GKA is requested to create a screener a one-off charge of £75.00 will be added to the final invoice. GKA consider that a maximum of 12 screening questions, lasting no more than five minutes, to be included within the price of a project. Any additional screening requirements will involve additional costs and honoraria to account for the time taken by the recruitment team and respondents.

Please note venue costs are based on access one hour prior and one hour after the event. Should you arrive before this time, we reserve the right to pass on the additional fees charged to us by the venue.

Postponement, cancellation & changes

In the event of a project being postponed or cancelled after commissioning, the following charges will be applied:

• £150 minimum project set-up fee
• Any additional costs (+15%) that are incurred e.g. venues etc.
• 6 to 7 working days prior to fieldwork commencing (or first venue date): 20% of full project fees (PLUS cancellation fees to recruiter/interviewers and respondents)
• 5 working days prior to fieldwork commencing (or first venue date):  50% of full project fees
• Less than 5 days or cancellation after fieldwork commences (or first venue date):  100% of project fees

Changes to the questionnaire, once programming and/or translations have begun, may be subject to further charges.

Late delivery of materials, or any action/decision by the client which delays/cancels fieldwork may be subject to further charges.

All changes to field specifications must be made in writing.

Reasonable control

GKA shall not be held liable for delays or delivery failure that arise from an act or event beyond GKA’s reasonable control (including, but without limitation, strikes, postal/communication delays, industrial action, fire/accident, governmental act, natural catastrophe or any other act or event beyond the control of GKA).

GKA shall not be held liable for any failure or defective working of audio or visual equipment at viewing facility or for any subsequent cost incurred.

Incidence

Unless otherwise stipulated in the quote all costs are provided assuming 70% incidence. GKA reserve the right to adjust costs to consider a more accurate incidence rate based on the screen out information provided.

Materials

Where possible and unless otherwise agreed, all completed project material will be sent back electronically. Courier costs are not included and will be charged at cost.

Digital safety copies of completed materials will be kept for one month from final invoice date unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Respondent recruitment

GKA operates the following policy unless otherwise agreed in writing by the client:

Respondent attendance at a central location:

Incentive charges

• Not required: Yes
• Up to 30 minutes late: Yes
• More than 30 minutes late: No
• ‘No show’ – less than 25% of the sample: No
• ‘No show’ – more than 25% of sample: No

Recruitment charges

• Not required: Yes
• Up to 30 minutes late: Yes
• More than 30 minutes late: Yes
• ‘No show’ – more than 25% of sample: No

Recruit (only) where the client or clients’ agent conducts interviews (face to face or telephone) in office/home – costs assume that we will be given, in writing, interviewer availability and that interviewers will adhere to it. Any rearranging or cancellation of appointments will be charged at £25 per or full recruitment fee for any respondent who is unable to attend the rearranged interview time.

Personal data to the third party – if this is required, please confirm before the commencement of recruitment, what personal data you will require and what the personal data will be used for?

If exclusions are not provided to GKA, in writing, before a project commences, any recruitment (and interview) that should have been excluded will be charged in full.

List projects – costs and timings assume that the lists provided are up to date and accurate, have full titles, names, addresses and telephone numbers and have a sufficient number of names to complete quota. Additional travel expenses MAY be incurred depending upon geographic areas covered by lists.

Where the client is responsible for programming and hosting an online survey, it is assumed that there will be an autostop in place to prevent the commissioned quota being exceeded. If this is not the case, all additional completes will be charged on a pro-rata basis.

Any contact details of respondents recruited by GKA should be deleted from your systems at the close of fieldwork.

Re-contact

In accordance with the MRS Codes of Conduct, respondents must be informed at recruitment of any future re-contact. If there are to be future stages/waves (not currently commissioned) that require us to ask a re-contact question, you must inform us: when the re-contact will occur, the purpose of the re-contact, who will be conducting the re-contact (GKA, another party or both).

Incentives

Any changes in schedule/moderator availability will result in the following honoraria charges:

For telephone interviews:

• Within one full working day – full charge
• Between two and three full working days – 50% charge
• Between four and five working days – 25% charge

For central locations with a length of interview two hours or less:

• Within three working days – full charge
• Between four and five full working days – 50% charge
• Between six and seven working days – 25% charge

For central locations with a length of interview greater than two hours:

• Within five working days – full charge
• Between six and 10 full working days – 50% charge
• Between 11 and 15 working days – 25% charge

Scripting & data processing

All costs are estimated and will be confirmed upon receipt of the final questionnaire, data requirement and analysis specification.

Unless otherwise specified, DP costs are based on no more than two data extractions, an interim and a final data file. Any additional extracts will  be charged at £200 per

Only client-approved materials will be programmed. Testing will be undertaken internally and a final test version sent to the client for approval. Any amendments required as a result of changing the materials after this approval will be charged at an additional £200 per hour (min. £200)

If specific data layouts and formats are required, a data map must be provided with the final questionnaire, before any programming has begun. If it is provided later, further work may be required in order to match requirements which will incur further costs and could delay delivery.

In the event of an error caused by the negligence or otherwise, in any data, tabulations or reports supplied to the client, GKA will aim to correct the error but will not be held liable for the consequences of the error beyond the provision of corrected data, tabulations and reports.

Transcripts

Please note our standard delivery time for transcripts is three working days. If the interview takes place outside of office hours the 72-hours will begin from 9am the next working day.

If a client template is provided, this will increase to four working days for completion.

The above is standard unless otherwise stated. 

Code of conduct and data protection

GKA complies with the Data Protection Act, our client must confirm that any contact details they provide have been notified and given consent that their names and information may be used for market research. We will notify our client of instances where the individual is no longer at the address (but not of any new address), not known, deceased or declined to be interviewed.

GKA adhere to the Market Research Society and BHBIA Code of Conduct, in particular, the articles governing client and respondent confidentiality, data protection, adverse event reporting and the use of research findings. In accepting a quotation from GKA a client is deemed to agree to be bound by this professional code.