Terms of Use

1. Acceptance of these terms

By accessing or using responsa.io or our scoping tool at app.responsa.io (together, "Responsa," "we," "us"), you agree to these Terms of Use. If you don't agree, please don't use the site or tool. If you're using Responsa on behalf of an agency, office, or company, you're confirming you have the authority to bind that organization to these terms.

2. What Responsa does

Responsa helps federal program offices scope requirements and connect with a vetted network of independent consultants and micro businesses. Responsa is not a staffing agency, a federal contractor, a party to any engagement or contract that results from a connection made through our service, or a provider of legal, acquisition, or contracting advice. Any resulting engagement, statement of work, or contract is between the agency and the consultant directly.

Responsa is currently in limited early access. Features, availability, and these terms may change as the service develops.

3. Eligibility and accounts

You must be at least 18 years old to use Responsa. Consultant accounts are issued by invitation after an application and vetting process; you're responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential and for all activity under your account. You agree to provide accurate information in any application, vetting form, or profile, and to update it if it materially changes (for example, a change in SAM.gov registration or clearance status).

4. No guarantee of matching or award

Submitting an application, completing vetting, or having an active consultant account does not guarantee you'll be matched to any requirement, selected by any agency, or awarded any contract. Submitting a requirement does not guarantee Responsa will identify a suitable match, or that any match will result in a successful engagement. Consultants won't be matched to opportunities until their SAM.gov registration is complete.

5. Not legal or contracting advice

Content on responsa.io and in our tool — including explanations of contract types (such as FFP, FFP-LOE, and T&M), acquisition concepts, or vetting criteria — is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, or federal acquisition advice. You should consult a qualified attorney, accountant, or contracting professional for guidance specific to your situation.

6. Prohibited content

Do not submit classified information, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), export-controlled material, source-selection-sensitive material, or any other information you're not authorized to share through any form, field, or communication with Responsa. We may remove such content and/or terminate access if this is violated.

7. Acceptable use

You agree not to: misrepresent your identity, qualifications, or authority; attempt to access accounts or data that aren't yours; scrape, reverse-engineer, or interfere with the operation of our site or tool; use Responsa for any unlawful purpose; or attempt to circumvent our vetting or matching process in bad faith.

8. Intellectual property

The Responsa name, logo, and the content, design, and code of responsa.io and our scoping tool (excluding content you submit) are owned by Responsa. You may not copy, reproduce, or create derivative works from them without our written permission. Content you submit through our forms (applications, requirement descriptions, profile information) remains yours — you're granting us only the rights needed to use it for the purposes described in our Privacy Policy.

9. Third-party links and services

Our site and tool may link to or rely on third-party services (for example, SAM.gov, Supabase, Resend, or sites you link to in a resume submission). We don't control and aren't responsible for the content, policies, or practices of third-party sites or services.

10. Disclaimer of warranties

Responsa is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We don't warrant that the site or tool will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure, or that any information provided through them is accurate or complete.

11. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Responsa and its founder will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising from your use of, or inability to use, the site or tool — including lost business, lost opportunities, or lost data — even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Our total liability for any claim arising from these terms or your use of Responsa will not exceed $100.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold Responsa harmless from any claims, damages, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of the site or tool, your violation of these terms, or information you submit that infringes or misappropriates a third party's rights.

13. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to Responsa at any time, with or without notice, including for violating these terms, submitting prohibited content, or providing materially false information in an application or vetting form.

14. Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute arising from these terms or your use of Responsa will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Virginia, and you consent to that venue and jurisdiction.

15. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms as Responsa develops. If we make material changes, we'll update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of responsa.io or our tool after a change means you accept the updated terms.

16. Contact us

Questions about these terms: brian@responsa.io.