About Able Swordplay

You've heard this from other companies before:

  • We are the premier provider...
  • We are a globally distributed small business...
  • We are a leading service provider for...

    • Yeah, right.

    The frequent truth is that these companies make exaggerated claims that reflect more what they want to be someday, rather than what they can do for you today. 

    Able Swordplay knows exactly the capabilities and limitations of what we can do for your business.  No hype.  Just performance based on the expert blend of sound business practices, traditional values of quality, and creativity.  We won't ever be a multi-billion- global-premier-we can do whatever-just trust us company, because it is the craftsmanship of every single assignment done well that is our standard of success.

    ASP was started in 2007 to provide advice on investment-grade collectables featuring arms and armor.  Yep, that's the reason for all the fencing images.  In 2011 ASP reorganized to specialize in software engineering management, consulting services and training.

    Registered with Dun & Bradstreet   DUNS: 806133430

    US Government Registration  CAGE Code: 4VYT4

    Copyright 2007-2014

    Able Swordplay LLC              (v4.0)

    Security Clearance:  TS/SCI w FS Poly

    Able Swordplay is proud to be a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

     

     

     

    Standard Terms & Conditions

    Project Management is a cornerstone of Able Swordplay’s value to the client.  ASP follows the Project Management Institute (PMI) Code of Ethics as a professional and a member in good standing of PMI.   See the PMI Code of Ethics here or search at PMI.org.   When acting in a consulting role, ASP advises in the best interests of the client and to achieve the client’s goals, with no interest or influence from any other third party.   

    ASP operates with a commercial model  that includes industry best practices and processes generally accepted for the smooth conduct of business between private parties.  We will only accept work when documented in a written agreement, defining the scope, deliverables, duration, and pricing of the work.  While the detail of that documentation may be tailored to the specific engagement, ASP will not begin work on verbal discussions alone.  This practice protects both the client and ASP.   Work documentation may include formal documents, letter agreements, or simple email, as long as they are issued from and authorized by principals of both ASP and the client. 

    Unless stipulated otherwise in the work agreement, the following terms are in effect:  1) Priced deliverables will either be billed upon delivery, or at increments as agreed to.  Invoices are due upon receipt.  2) A five (5) working day review period will allow the client to inspect the deliverables which have acceptance standards.  At the end of the fifth day after the day of submission, the deliverable shall be deemed as accepted and the full value of the deliverable shall be due, unless the client notifies ASP in writing of a non-acceptance prior to the end of the review period.  Not all deliverables have acceptance standards, and deliverables are presumed accepted upon delivery unless an exception for non-acceptance is exercised by the client in accordance with the terms of the agreement.  Notwithstanding, ASP will provide reasonable accommodation to the client’s preferred adjustments to the deliverable(s), which may or may not incur additional cost to the client.  3) Hourly billing will be done in 1 hour increments, with the first 15 minutes of any single one-hour consultation provided at no cost.  Thereafter, any work beyond the first 15 minutes of the hour will be billed as a full hour.  4) Deliverables produced in the course of the work shall be considered work-for-hire and ownership conveyed to the client upon acceptance, with a non-revocable license for unlimited use by ASP, which is established by the client’s acceptance, except for any prior intellectual property or branding such as trademarks, logos, copyright or patents, which pre-exist the work.  5) Privity of Contract is a legal principle which describes the standing of two parties to a contract.  ASP may perform work through various agreements and contracts which include multiple parties plus a final consumer/user of the work.   Privity of Contract establishes the exclusive and binding contract between ASP and the party (Client) who is the signatory to the agreement or contract.  As such, ASP cannot accept new, expanded, or revised work assignment from any party other than the Client.  Notwithstanding, changes or supplemental instructions to the original work agreement which do not affect scope, acceptance standards, overall schedule, or overall price, will normally be acceptable on a case-by-case basis.  6)  Because ASP values long-term relationships with its clients, ASP will not solicit to contract with any Clients of ASP’s clients, for work that is in competition with its client’s establish business, for a period of not less than 12 months.  7)  ASP provides services and products as a vendor and/or independent contractor.  No employment relationship is made by any contract between ASP and any other party.  8) By accepting work performed or deliverables generated by ASP, the client acknowledges that ASP provide its best efforts to achieve the goals of its client by consulting advice, teaching, management and all other services, without any guaranteed outcome.  Further, Client agrees to hold harmless ASP against any and all liability including attorney's fees and other legal expenses, arising directly or indirectly from any failure to achieve its goals, and further shall indemnify and hold ASP harmless against any and all liability Imposed or claimed, for injury or death of any person or damage to any property and including attorney's fees and other legal expenses.

    Attendance Policy, Terms and Conditions for Instructor-Led Training Courses

    Eligibility

    Able Swordplay offers commercial, B2B courses dealing with business, project management, contracting, and system engineering.  Most courses offered by Able Swordplay are for employer-sponsored training to develop their workforce.  To enroll in these courses, a person must be an employee or sponsored by:  1) a government organization or 2) a legal business entity with a valid DUNS number.  As such, the agreement to provide/receive training is a contract between ASP and the legal entity, not the attending individual.  ASP is not a degree-granting institution. 

    On occasion, individuals without government or company affiliation may register for courses by specific prior arrangements.  Please contact ASP for more details.  

    Methods of Payment

    Payment for the course is due upon registration, but no later than 21 days prior to the class.  In advance of the course, ASP accepts:

    • VISA and MasterCard credit cards, credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, and American Express)

    • Fully executed, authorized and signed Purchase Order

    • Fully executed, authorized and signed Government Training Form (e.g. SF 182, DD Form 1556)      

    Prices are per student. Number of students may be limited at particular sites; registrations are processed in the order received. Classes are subject to cancellation at ASP’s discretion.  All course materials are included in the price.  Travel, lodging, and meals for the attendees are not included, unless specified in the Purchase Agreement / Contract.

    Please plan your training with commitment

    You may cancel your course without a penalty up to 21 calendar days before the start of the course.  At 21 days before the start date, full payment is due. However, individual substitutions are permitted at any time up to the start of the class. Within the 21 days period before the start of a scheduled class, if an individual cannot attend, the organization may either 1) cancel the attendance for that class, in which case the full amount is payable and due, or 2) receive a one-time credit of 50% of the cost of the scheduled course to another course within the next 12 months. All changes to the original registration/booking for any course must be made in writing from the purchasing organization.  When the course will be held at a customer-hosted location, then it is the customer’s responsibility to provide the facilities, as detailed in the specific purchase agreement or contract.  In the event the scheduled course session is cancelled by the customer with less than 21 calendar-days prior to course start, the customer is liable for all costs incurred by ASP in preparation for this course, including non-refundable expenses such as airfare, plus 50% of the total agreed-upon cost.  ASP strives to make attendance at a course effective and efficient. Rarely, a course will need to be cancelled.  When a course is cancelled by ASP, all prepayments will be refunded; however ASP assumes no responsibility for costs incurred by the customer, including travel and accommodations.

    Receiving credit, CEU/PDUs, and Certifications

    To receive full credit, any attendee must be present and participate in the curriculum.  Recognizing that some interruptions are unavoidable, up to 30 minutes of absence is allowable to receive full credit, provided any knowledge checks, quizzes, or testing is completed satisfactorily by the end of the course.  Course materials are provided either in advance by email or in hardcopy at the time of training.  Certificates of completion are sent by US Postal Service after completion of the course.

    Confidentiality

    It is common to provide limited consulting by the presenter to the attendees for issues that are of current and operational concern.  In such instances, ASP agrees to hold in strict confidence any information not already in the public domain, which the customer or it’s sponsored attendees may disclose during the course, and will take all reasonable steps to safeguard any such information from third-parties.  Customer acknowledges that this promise of confidentiality is between ASP and the customer, but not between the customer and any other attendees in the course.  The customer also acknowledges that it has the obligation to identify any proprietary or confidential information, and also to protect that information from disclosure from any and all attendees in the course with whom it does not intend to share that proprietary or confidential information. 

    Inclement Weather

    ASP follows the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) snow & dismissal procedures (see www.OPM.gov ).  When OPM issues closure of government facilities due to adverse weather conditions, training will be suspended and rescheduled at a later time.  For OPM-issued “delayed opening” the course start will be delayed by 1 hour from its originally scheduled time.

    Copyright

    ASP aggressively enforces its rights in copyright.  All material provided within the course is the property of Able Swordplay LLC or its partners, or as otherwise noted.  No reproduction or reuse of any materials provided in the courses is allowed without written permission from ASP.  No instructor or presenter can give exception to this policy.  Customer agrees to not use any of the materials in any way without express written consent by ASP, except that attendees may retain the course material which is provided and share within the customer’s organization, that course material in the same form as it was provided.  For reprint or redistribution permission, please email inquiry@ableswordplay.com, subject: “copyright”.   

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