MPP Linguistic Services

Technical and legal translations en-de, fr-de & professional language services

MPP Small Print

0 - General

Sometimes it's nice to be surprised. Especially if it is a pleasant surprise. However, in a working relationship, we would prefer to only surprise you with high quality of our work. Therefore, for the nitty-gritty of daily routine, the following are what we consider fair conditions that we will apply unless previous alternative arrangements have been made.

These are the issues that we consider most important. Let us know if we have forgotten anything, so that we can include further elements in later versions of this page:

1 - Our Rates

Rates depend on many things: the linguistic and/or technical problems involved in a project, the working relationship with the client, the volume of work and of data to be shuttled, tight or loose deadlines, and, last but not least, the quality of the source text.

So, do not expect to see our rates here in US Dollars, GB Pounds, or Euros. If you have been working with us in the past, you know our current rates, and will be notified if they change. If not, you might be interested to see the rates grid that we have elaborated over the years in order to cope with the most common configurations.

Do not worry if you find this grid too complicated. We prefer to send you a quotation which takes into account the details of your project. We are currently preparing a form you can use to describe those details in a Request For Proposals.

2 - Your Orders

Our full commitment to your project starts once we have confirmed your signed purchase order including all the relevant project details. Then the dates, deadlines, volumes, rates and other details discussed during project preparation become firm and binding.

After confirmation, you are free to stop the project at any stage provided we have agreed on a procedure of compensation for work already executed and for work lost due to our availability on your project. If no such agreement exists, MPP Linguistic Services reserves the right to invoice any fair proportion up to 100 per cent of the amount of the confirmed purchase order.

3 - Deadlines & Termination

In order to meet the project deadlines, and to deliver on time and on budget, the information for performing the job must be made available under the conditions specified in the purchase order.

Bad project management or information that is incomplete, incorrect or not on schedule might jeopardise timely delivery and alter the character of the project. While MPP Linguistic Services will do everything possible to respect the initial project framework, we may suggest problem solutions including shifting deadlines or higher cost. Should our suggestions not get an adequate, timely response from you, we reserve the right to terminate the project immediately without prejudice to our right to claim the entire fees for the project (see point 2, Your Orders).

4 - Word Count & Volume

We prefer you specifying the exact amount of work to be done. But if you do not, or can not, we count ourselves and let you know as soon as possible, but no later than upon delivery. When you pay us by word, we count the source words, normally using the software we used for the job. And if we can not count the source words, we count the target words and add 15 per cent for English or French source material. Repetitive text will be counted normally. You are free to eliminate repetitions from the source text and restitute them afterwards at your own risk. However, we might propose you mutually beneficial solutions.

5 - Delivery

E-mail is our preferred way of receiving or delivering work. If you have other preferences, please let us know. We normally compress our files using WinZip, and, if necessary, Uuencode. Please tell us if this causes problems for you.

Upon delivery, we let you know the amount we intend to invoice for the work done. If you do not agree, please tell us before our next invoice. Otherwise, we will assume that you agree.

6 - Our Invoices

We try to bill our work for you on the 20th of each month; expect to receive intermediate invoices for big jobs. VAT is included if applicable. No VAT is charged for clients in the US and in EU countries outside France.

7 - Your Payments

We expect payment within 30 days counted from the end of the month in which you received the invoice. Past this date, we are legally obliged to apply 1.5 times the legal interest rates for each month completed.

Please, pay by money transfer free of charges for MPP to the account and in the currency indicated in the invoice concerned.

8 - Conflicts

Nobody is perfect, so let's find reasonable solutions to quality issues. We feel that objections to the quality of work delivered should be raised in writing within a reasonable amount of time, in any event no later than within two weeks after delivery.

Objections to work quality should contain the following information:

• Name and function of the person/persons responsible for the quality control

• A statement to the effect that the person/persons responsible for revision are German native speakers qualified for revision work by training and/or experience

• A statement as to the source text quality (sufficient for a correct translation)