Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service constitute a legally binding agreement between you, whether personally or on behalf of an entity, and Hefei Nizhuang Network Technology Co., Ltd., operating as Smooth Coat, concerning your access to and use of the smoothcoat.buzz website as well as any related services, applications, and professional engagements.

By accessing or using our website, or by engaging our professional services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree with all of these Terms, you are expressly prohibited from using the website and must discontinue use immediately.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to the website. Your continued use of the website after revised Terms are posted constitutes acceptance of those changes. It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically.

2. Definitions

For the purposes of these Terms:

• Company, We, Us, or Our refers to Hefei Nizhuang Network Technology Co., Ltd., a company registered in Anhui Province, China, operating under the brand name Smooth Coat.
• Services refers to computer integrated systems design, network architecture design, data center infrastructure design, systems integration, cloud and hybrid infrastructure architecture, security architecture and compliance engineering, and related consulting and professional services offered by the Company.
• Website refers to smoothcoat.buzz and all subdomains, pages, and content accessible through this domain.
• You or Client refers to the individual or legal entity accessing or using the Website or engaging the Services.
• Engagement means a specific project or ongoing service relationship governed by a separate written agreement, statement of work, or service order.
• Deliverables means the tangible and intangible outputs produced by the Company in the course of providing Services, including but not limited to architecture diagrams, specifications, documentation, configurations, reports, and recommendations.

3. Services

3.1 Scope of Services

Smooth Coat provides computer integrated systems design and related professional services as described on our Website and as detailed in individual statements of work or service agreements. The scope, timeline, deliverables, and fees for each engagement are defined in a separate written agreement executed by both parties.

Information on the Website about our services is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute a binding offer. A binding agreement for services is formed only upon mutual execution of a written statement of work or service agreement.

3.2 Professional Standards

We undertake to perform all Services with reasonable skill and care, consistent with generally accepted professional standards in the computer systems engineering industry. We will assign qualified personnel with appropriate expertise to each engagement.

3.3 Client Responsibilities

For the successful delivery of Services, the Client agrees to:

• Provide timely access to relevant systems, personnel, documentation, and facilities as reasonably requested
• Designate a primary point of contact with authority to make decisions on behalf of the Client
• Review and respond to deliverables, questions, and requests for input within agreed timeframes
• Ensure that any third-party systems, software, or data provided to us are properly licensed and authorized for use in the engagement

4. Intellectual Property

4.1 Our Intellectual Property

The Website and its entire contents, features, and functionality — including but not limited to all text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio, video, code, design elements, and the selection and arrangement thereof — are owned by the Company, its licensors, or other providers and are protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

The Smooth Coat name, the Smooth Coat logo, and the tagline Smooth Engineering. Solid Protection. are trademarks of Hefei Nizhuang Network Technology Co., Ltd. You may not use these marks without our prior written permission.

4.2 Project Deliverables

Unless otherwise specified in a written agreement, upon full payment for Services rendered, the Client receives a perpetual, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the Deliverables for the Client's internal business purposes. The Company retains ownership of all pre-existing intellectual property, methodologies, tools, frameworks, and know-how used in creating the Deliverables.

4.3 Restrictions

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any material from our Website except as incidental to normal web browsing or as expressly permitted in writing by us.

5. Confidentiality

In the course of providing Services, we may receive confidential information from the Client, including but not limited to business plans, technical specifications, system configurations, security information, financial data, and trade secrets. We agree to:

• Use confidential information solely for the purpose of providing the Services
• Protect confidential information using at least the same degree of care we use for our own confidential information
• Limit access to confidential information to personnel with a need to know for the engagement
• Return or securely destroy confidential information upon the Client's request or at the conclusion of the engagement, subject to any legal retention requirements

Confidential information does not include information that: is or becomes publicly available through no fault of the receiving party; was already in the receiving party's possession without restriction; is independently developed without use of the confidential information; or is required to be disclosed by law or court order.

6. Fees and Payment

The fees, payment schedule, and expense reimbursement terms for each engagement are specified in the applicable statement of work or service agreement. Unless otherwise stated in the agreement:

• Fees are quoted in United States Dollars or Chinese Renminbi as specified in the agreement
• Invoices are payable within thirty calendar days of the invoice date
• Late payments may accrue interest at the rate of 1.5% per month or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, whichever is lower
• The Client is responsible for all applicable taxes, duties, and levies, excluding taxes based on the Company's net income

7. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

• The Company's total aggregate liability for any and all claims arising out of or relating to an engagement, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client to the Company under the specific statement of work or service agreement giving rise to the claim during the twelve months preceding the event giving rise to liability.
• In no event shall the Company be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including without limitation loss of profits, data, use, goodwill, or business interruption, whether or not the Company has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
• The Company shall not be liable for any delay or failure to perform resulting from causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, war, terrorism, riots, embargoes, civil or military authority, fire, floods, accidents, strikes, or shortages of transportation, facilities, fuel, energy, labor, or materials.

The limitations in this section apply regardless of the theory of liability and survive any failure of essential purpose of any limited remedy.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Website is provided on an as is and as available basis. The Company makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the Website, including but not limited to:

• The accuracy, completeness, or currency of the information on the Website
• The availability, reliability, or security of the Website
• The absence of viruses, malware, or other harmful components
• Any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement

While we endeavor to keep the Website information accurate and up to date, the computer systems engineering field evolves rapidly, and information may become outdated. You should verify critical information with us directly before making decisions based on Website content.

9. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and contractors from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

• Your violation of these Terms of Service
• Your use of the Website in a manner not authorized by these Terms
• Your infringement of any third-party intellectual property or other right
• Any unauthorized use of information or materials you provide to us

10. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms and any dispute arising out of or in connection with them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the People's Republic of China, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms, including the breach, termination, or validity thereof, shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiations between the parties. If the parties are unable to resolve the dispute within thirty days, either party may submit the dispute to binding arbitration administered by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission in accordance with its rules then in effect. The arbitration shall be conducted in Shanghai, China, in the English language. The arbitral award shall be final and binding on both parties.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief from a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the infringement or misappropriation of its intellectual property rights or confidential information.

11. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Website immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including without limitation if you breach these Terms. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including but not limited to ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

Termination of an active services engagement is governed by the terms of the applicable statement of work or service agreement.

12. General Provisions

12.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with any applicable statement of work or service agreement, constitute the entire agreement between you and the Company regarding the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, both written and oral.

12.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or severed if modification is not possible, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

12.3 Waiver

No waiver by the Company of any term or condition set out in these Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or a waiver of any other term or condition. Any failure of the Company to assert a right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

12.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. The Company may assign or transfer its rights and obligations under these Terms without restriction.

12.5 No Third-Party Beneficiaries

These Terms do not create any third-party beneficiary rights in any individual or entity not a party to these Terms.

13. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us: