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The following Terms and Conditions are found within the IGSA Policy Handbook (Handbook) and Bylaws posted on the IGSA website.  They are presented here for the convenience of the Member who is reminded that they are responsible for reading and adhering to both the Policy Handbook and Bylaws.

RIGHTS TO USE IGSA INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
  1. Members may have access to confidential information in the course of their participation as a Member. Members-only documents are considered confidential information.
  2. Members must be in good standing to have the right to use any IGSA Intellectual Property in technology and /or products they produce for commercial benefit. Members who fail to retain membership are no longer in good standing and will lose the right to use IGSA Intellectual Property
  3. Member companies in legitimate possession of Members-only documents may share their IGSA confidential information with non-employee contractors and/or consultants providing that the recipient agrees to execute a non-disclosure agreement or is bound by non-disclosure with the Member through a consulting agreement or IGSA license agreement.
  4. Contractors and/or consultants to member companies are not entitled to commercialize any IGSA Intellectual Property (e.g.: standards) without also being a member of IGSA or having executed a separate IGSA license agreement.
  5. IGSA reserves the right to inform regulators of any company that uses IGSA’s Intellectual Property without being a member in good standing.
  6. Use of IGSA Intellectual Property (including but not limited to IGSA developed standards, Whitepapers, Publications, and other copyrighted materials) in commercial technology and/or products is only allowed by:
  7. - Members in good standing; meaning Members who have paid the required dues, fees, and assessments in accordance with the IGSA Bylaws and who are not suspended
    - Members who have executed and returned to IGSA, the appropriate Opt-in, License, and Sub-license forms
    - Non-members who have executed and returned to IGSA a License agreement for Intellectual Property that IGSA has agreed to make licensable
  8. A government regulatory agency is able to request free copies of IGSA Standards; access upon approval of the IGSA President.  Government-sponsored operators must be Members.
  9. Access and use of IGSA Intellectual Property by Regulatory Authorities is permitted solely by Regulatory Authorities.  Regulatory Authorities cannot share any IGSA Intellectual Property with a 3rd party to use in a technology or product they wish to commercialize unless they become a member.

  10. MEMBERSHIP

  11. To become a Member a company must meet the qualifications as set out in the Handbook Policy 101 and the Bylaws Article 3.
  12. Members in good standing may seek more than one Manufacturer Identification number (MID) for an annual fee as explained in the Handbook Policy 101.  Failure to pay the annual fee for the additional MID(s), will result in revocation of those MID(s) and an update to the MID registry.
  13. A Member’s subsidiary or affiliate company or companies may not hold Voting membership.
  14. Members can only share non-public IGSA information with wholly owned subsidiary companies.
  15. Members must abide by the Document Distribution and Non-Disclosure rules as set forth in the Handbook Policy 101.
  16. Members developing extensions to IGSA standards must follow the rules as set forth in the Handbook Policy 102.
  17. Members must respond to a Request for Patent Notice issued by IGSA disclosing Patents held by Members that may be required as part of an IGSA standard being developed.  This follows the rules set forth in Handbook Policy 103.
  18. Members failing to respond to a Request for Patent Notice or failing to list all owned Patents which may be required for a IGSA standard, are deemed to have agreed to make licenses available to the Essential Claims as set forth in the Handbook Policy 103.
  19. Committee Chairs are required to file with IP.COM any significant ideas that are discussed in a committee meeting to create prior art, as per Handbook Policy 103
  20. Only Platinum and Gold Members are eligible for Board of Director seats.  Non-Board of Directors Members may be invited to participate in open session portions of Board meetings.
  21. Members who have failed to renew their membership but then later wish to renew during the same calendar year, must rejoin at the full fee.
  22. Members that do not pay their membership dues in full will have their membership privileges suspended when the membership invoice is thirty (30) days past due.  Their membership will be terminated when the invoice is sixty (60) days past due.
  23. Members agree to continue to be bound by all policies and bylaws until the date a Member indicates their intention not to renew or until expiration of the sixty (60) day grace period, whichever shall first occur. The obligation of the Member to keep IGSA Confidential Information confidential shall continue until such time as the Confidential Information is publicly known, without fault on the part of the Member.
  24. The IGSA Board of Directors may, at any time, enact Special Assessments to generate revenues required by IGSA as set forth in the Bylaws Article 3.