9. Terms & Termination

9.1 General Termination Rights

Either party may terminate this Agreement under the conditions specified below. Termination does not relieve either party of obligations accrued prior to the effective termination date.

• For Convenience: Clients on monthly billing may terminate with 30 days' written notice. Annual contracts are binding for the full term unless otherwise specified in a separate Master Services Agreement (MSA).
• For Cause: RankForge reserves the right to immediately suspend or terminate services upon material breach of contract, non-payment exceeding 15 days past due, or violation of acceptable use policies.
• Force Majeure: Neither party shall be liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from events beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, government actions, or internet infrastructure failures.

9.2 Notice Periods & Billing

Notice periods vary by service tier. Final billing is calculated based on services rendered through the effective termination date.

Prepaid retainers are non-refundable for completed work. Any unearned portion of prepaid fees will be refunded within 14 business days following the effective termination date. Outstanding invoices must be settled within 15 days of receipt.

9.3 Post-Termination Obligations

Upon termination, both parties agree to the following wind-down procedures:

• RankForge Obligations:
  • Complete all work-in-progress scheduled within the notice period
  • Transfer all campaign assets, login credentials, and platform access rights
  • Deliver final performance report and campaign summary within 7 business days
  • Discontinue all active outreach and link building campaigns immediately upon effective date
• Client Obligations:
  • Settle all outstanding invoices within 15 days of termination
  • Revoke RankForge access to third-party tools after asset transfer confirmation
  • Remove any references to ongoing partnership in public marketing channels within 30 days

9.4 Data Handling & Confidentiality

All client data, including but not limited to analytics data, keyword research, content assets, and campaign reports, remains the exclusive property of the client. RankForge will:

• Provide a complete data export in standard formats (CSV, PDF, JSON) within 14 business days of termination
• Securely archive backups for 30 days post-termination to prevent accidental data loss
• Permanently delete all client data from active systems and backups after the 30-day retention period, unless required by law, audit requirements, or specific contractual obligations

Confidentiality obligations survive termination for a period of three (3) years. Trade secrets and proprietary methodologies remain protected indefinitely.

9.5 Dispute Resolution & Governing Law

Any disputes arising from termination or post-termination obligations shall be resolved through good-faith negotiation between designated representatives. If unresolved within 30 days, disputes shall be subject to binding arbitration in San Francisco, California, under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California, excluding conflict of law principles.

9.6 Contact Information

For termination requests, billing inquiries, or data export requests, please contact:

RankForge Legal & Compliance Department
Email: legal@rankforge.com
Phone: +1 (555) 123-4567 ext. 800
Address: 123 SEO Boulevard, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94102

Response time: Within 2 business days for termination requests. Data exports: 14 business days. Billing inquiries: 1-2 business days.