Terms of Use

Effective Date: October 1, 2026

These Terms of Use govern access to and use of the Respire USA website, the Eco-Quest public directory, Respire Verification Summaries, and other public information, features and resources made available through the website (collectively, the “Site”).

By accessing or using the Site, you agree to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these Terms, you should not use the Site.

These Terms of Use are a counsel review draft.

Respire USA is an independent verification platform and public discovery directory. Through its assessment system, Respire conducts structured independent research, verification, and due diligence; evaluates evidence under its methodology; and reaches independent findings and conclusions within defined assessment scopes.

Depending on the subject, purpose, and scope of an assessment, Respire's due diligence may include examination of identity, operating reality, claims, credentials, certifications, regulatory position, relationships, supply-chain representations, operational consistency, and other material evidence. Respire may identify qualification status, evidentiary strengths and weaknesses, gaps, deficiencies, inconsistencies, contradictions, unresolved matters, areas requiring additional substantiation, and matters Respire believes warrant attention or remediation.

The Site also provides access to Eco-Quest, Respire's public discovery directory. Entities included in Eco-Quest have undergone a Respire assessment applicable to their inclusion. Public directory content may include a Verification Summary and other approved information reflecting the applicable assessment scope and findings. Eco-Quest does not publish the full underlying assessment record.

Eco-Quest is intended to help users discover relevant organizations, programs, services, standards, technologies, manufacturers and community resources and understand additional context concerning them.

Directory records may include general entity or resource information and, where approved for publication, a Respire Verification Summary.

A Respire Verification Summary is a controlled public presentation of approved assessment information. It is not the complete underlying Respire assessment record.

Findings and verification information must be understood according to the subject, scope, methodology, assessment or review date, and any qualifications or limitations associated with the applicable record.

Directory inclusion does not constitute a blanket endorsement of an organization or every product, service, claim, program, credential, activity or future action associated with it.

Respire assessments involve investigation, verification, evaluation of evidence, application of Respire's methodology, and independent human judgment.

Respire may reach findings and conclusions concerning the matters within a defined assessment scope. Findings may be favorable, unfavorable, qualified, incomplete or unresolved, as supported by the assessment record. Respire may also identify gaps, deficiencies, inconsistencies, contradictions, areas requiring additional substantiation, and matters requiring further review.

Respire's findings represent Respire's independent assessment of the evidence reviewed under the applicable methodology. Where a matter is subject to an official determination by a regulator, certification body, court, governmental authority or other competent authority, a Respire assessment does not replace that authority's official determination.

The Site may allow individuals, communities, organizations, businesses or other users to request an assessment or ask Respire to examine a particular matter.

Respire may review proposed scope, feasibility, timing, conflicts, available evidence, cost where applicable and other relevant considerations before accepting work.

Submitting a request does not automatically initiate an assessment.

Submission does not establish that submitted allegations, claims or information are true or false.

Respire is not required to accept requested work.

A request does not guarantee a particular assessment result, directory inclusion or publication.

Submitting a request does not, by itself, create a paid professional engagement.

Where Respire accepts a paid assessment engagement, the specific scope, deliverables, fees and other engagement terms may be governed by a separate proposal, statement of work, engagement agreement or other written terms.

Payment compensates Respire for the work performed. Payment does not purchase a favorable finding, qualification, directory inclusion, publication, removal or suppression of adverse evidence, a methodology exception, or a predetermined outcome.

Depending on scope, a client report may include qualification findings, verification findings, conclusions, evidence analysis, identified gaps or deficiencies, unresolved matters, inconsistencies or contradictions, areas requiring additional substantiation, recommendations, and a remediation roadmap.

Respire may express its independent opinion concerning those matters based on the evidence reviewed and its applicable methodology. Identification of a gap or recommended action reflects Respire's assessment and judgment; it is not merely a recitation of source material.

Implementation of a recommendation or remediation measure does not guarantee a particular future Respire assessment result, certification, regulatory determination, directory status or decision by another party.

Respire findings, Verification Summaries, directory status and other Respire assessment information must not be quoted, reproduced, displayed or characterized in a manner that materially expands, alters or misrepresents their stated scope, date, qualifications or meaning.

For example, a finding concerning a particular product, program, facility, credential, claim or activity must not be represented as verification of an entire organization when the assessment did not support that broader conclusion.

Users and assessed subjects may not state or imply that Respire assessed matters outside the stated scope.

• They may not characterize a Respire assessment as a certification unless Respire expressly issued or authorized that characterization.
• They may not state or imply that Respire guarantees safety, legality, compliance or future performance.
• They may not imply a blanket Respire endorsement or affiliation where none exists.
• They may not present an expired, superseded or historical finding as a current Respire assessment.
• They may not omit material scope, date, qualification or limitation information in a manner that changes the meaning of an authorized Respire reference.

The Respire USA name, Eco-Quest name, logos, marks, methodology names, assessment materials, Verification Summary formats, website content, original compilations and other proprietary materials may be protected by intellectual-property and other applicable laws.

No use of Respire's name, logo, marks or assessment findings may falsely imply sponsorship, endorsement, certification, partnership, affiliation or approval beyond what Respire has expressly authorized.

Permission to use a Respire mark, badge, Verification Summary, quotation or other assessment reference may be subject to separate written authorization or usage requirements.

Users may access and use the Site for lawful personal, informational, research, procurement, professional and business purposes consistent with these Terms.

Users may share links to public Respire pages and may reference public Respire information in a manner that accurately preserves its source, scope, date, qualifications and meaning.

Ordinary indexing of public Site pages by legitimate search engines and other standard web-discovery services is not prohibited by these Terms, subject to Respire's technical controls and applicable law.

Except with Respire's prior written authorization or as otherwise permitted by applicable law, users may not systematically harvest, scrape, crawl, copy, download or bulk extract substantial portions of the Eco-Quest directory, Respire Verification Summaries, assessment-derived content, or other proprietary Site content for commercial exploitation.

Users may not reproduce substantial portions of Respire's directory or verification content as a substitute or competing database; resell, license or commercially redistribute Respire-derived datasets; use substantial proprietary Respire assessment or methodology content to develop or train a competing commercial verification, assessment or due-diligence product; or circumvent technical measures intended to protect non-public systems or restrict automated access.

Nothing in this section prohibits ordinary individual use of the public Site, appropriate quotation or reference, sharing links, legitimate search-engine indexing, or uses protected by applicable law.

• Users may not interfere with the operation or security of the Site.
• Users may not attempt unauthorized access to non-public Respire systems, assessment records or data.
• Users may not use the Site for unlawful, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading purposes.
• Users may not misrepresent Respire findings, directory status or Verification Summaries.

Eco-Quest may provide links to websites, resources, services or information operated by third parties.

Providing access to a third-party resource does not give Respire control over that resource and does not, by itself, constitute endorsement of all information, products, services, practices or activities available through it.

Users are responsible for reviewing applicable third-party terms, privacy practices and other information when interacting with external resources.

Respire provides a Corrections / Disputes process for challenges concerning public directory information.

A person or organization that believes a public Respire record contains inaccurate, incomplete or outdated information may submit the record at issue, the information being challenged and relevant supporting evidence.

Submission does not guarantee that information will be changed or removed. Respire evaluates submitted information through its evidence, human-review and controlled-publication process.

Use and interpretation of Respire assessments, directory records and Verification Summaries are subject to Respire's Assessment Limitations, which should be read together with these Terms.

The Assessment Limitations address assessment scope, review dates, evidence availability, unresolved information, independent findings and recommendations, human review, public versus private assessment information, directory inclusion, and other boundaries affecting interpretation of Respire information.

Respire endeavors to apply its methodology carefully and independently. Information available to Respire may nevertheless be incomplete, unavailable, outdated, inaccessible or subject to change.

Respire does not guarantee that the Site or an assessment identifies every potentially relevant fact, event, record, condition or risk. The absence of an identified adverse finding should not be interpreted as proof that no adverse information or risk exists.

Respire may conduct independent due diligence and may evaluate and express findings or opinions concerning regulatory position, certification integrity, credential sufficiency, claim substantiation, operational reality, supply-chain representations, relationships and other matters within an assessment scope.

Those findings are Respire's independent assessment and professional judgment under its methodology. They do not constitute an official determination by a regulator, certification body, court or other competent authority unless the applicable authority itself issued the determination being reported.

Where a decision requires an official legal, regulatory, certification or other authoritative determination, users remain responsible for obtaining that determination from the appropriate authority.

Respire may modify, update, suspend or discontinue Site features, directory information or public content as its services and methodology evolve.

Monitoring may identify new information after an assessment is completed, but monitoring does not retroactively rewrite the historical assessment. Where appropriate, Respire may conduct a new reassessment and issue a new dated assessment record.

Updates to public information remain subject to Respire's applicable review and publication controls.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Site, Eco-Quest directory, public Verification Summaries, and other publicly available Site content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. Respire does not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, continuously available, or free from technical defects or harmful components.

Respire conducts assessments, verification, research, and due diligence in accordance with defined scopes and its applicable methodology. Findings and conclusions reflect the evidence available to Respire, the sources accessible or obtainable, the applicable assessment scope, and the circumstances existing at the time of the assessment. Respire does not guarantee that every potentially relevant fact, record, source, relationship, event, or change will be identified or available for review.

Respire does not warrant or guarantee that an assessed entity, organization, product, service, program, credential, activity, or other subject is free from risk; will remain unchanged after assessment; will continue to satisfy applicable assessment criteria; or will comply with every law, regulation, certification requirement, contractual obligation, or other standard that may apply to it.

Information obtained from governmental authorities, regulators, registries, certification bodies, companies, organizations, publications, databases, and other third-party sources may be incomplete, delayed, unavailable, inaccurate, subsequently corrected, or changed after Respire's review. Respire evaluates such evidence under its methodology but does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, continued availability, or future accuracy of information maintained or published by independent third parties.

Except as expressly provided in a separate written agreement governing paid assessment or other professional services, Respire disclaims all warranties, express or implied, concerning the Site and its publicly available content to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement.

Nothing in this Disclaimer of Warranties limits any obligation Respire expressly accepts under a separate written assessment engagement, service agreement, or other applicable written agreement.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Respire USA will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive, or consequential damages arising from or relating to use of the Site, Eco-Quest, public Verification Summaries, other publicly available information, or third-party websites, resources, services, or information referenced through the Site, including loss of profits, revenue, business opportunities, data, or goodwill.

Respire's assessments, findings, conclusions, and Verification Summaries reflect the defined scope of the applicable assessment, the evidence available and reviewed, applicable source limitations, and circumstances existing at the time of the assessment. Respire is not liable for losses resulting solely from subsequent changes in facts or circumstances; information that was unavailable, withheld, inaccessible, incomplete, or inaccurate at the time of review; or inaccuracies or omissions originating from independent third-party sources, except to the extent liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

Users remain responsible for determining how information made available through the Site or Eco-Quest applies to their circumstances and for making their own decisions. No assessment, findings, conclusion, directory inclusion, or Verification Summary constitutes a guarantee of a particular outcome or eliminates the need for additional professional advice or diligence where appropriate.

Respire is not responsible for the availability, content, accuracy, security, practices, products, services, or actions of third-party websites or resources that may be referenced or linked through the Site. The inclusion of a link or reference does not, by itself, constitute Respire's endorsement of the third party or of information outside the scope of Respire's applicable assessment.

Paid Professional Services. Assessments, due-diligence engagements, monitoring, reassessments, and other professional services accepted by Respire may be governed by a separate written engagement agreement or service agreement. Where such an agreement applies, the allocation and limitation of liability relating to those professional services will be governed by that agreement. Nothing in these public Terms is intended to expand, reduce, replace, or override obligations, remedies, warranties, liability limitations, or other terms expressly agreed to in a separate written agreement between Respire and a client.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under applicable law.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Respire USA and its owner, officers, employees, contractors, agents, and representatives from and against third-party claims, liabilities, damages, losses, judgments, costs, and reasonable attorneys' fees arising from your:

• material violation of these Terms;
• unlawful or unauthorized use of the Site, Eco-Quest, or Respire materials;
• unauthorized use of Respire's name, trademarks, logos, or other proprietary materials;
• material alteration, misuse, or misrepresentation of a Respire assessment, finding, conclusion, Verification Summary, directory information, or other Respire-issued material; or

representation or implication that Respire has certified, endorsed, approved, recommended, guaranteed, or verified an entity, product, service, claim, activity, or other matter beyond the scope actually assessed or stated by Respire.

This indemnification obligation applies only to the extent that such conduct gives rise to a third-party claim, liability, or expense involving Respire. It does not arise merely because you access, rely upon, appropriately cite, or appropriately share information that Respire makes publicly available through the Site or Eco-Quest.

Respire will provide reasonable notice of a claim for which it seeks indemnification under this section and reasonable cooperation in connection with the defense or resolution of that claim. This section does not require indemnification for Respire's own conduct to the extent liability for that conduct cannot lawfully be transferred or limited.

If a separate written agreement governs a paid assessment, due-diligence engagement, monitoring, reassessment, or other professional service, indemnification obligations relating to that engagement will be governed by the applicable agreement. These public Terms do not expand, reduce, replace, or override indemnification obligations expressly established in a separate written agreement.

These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to your use of the Site, Eco-Quest, or publicly available Respire content will be governed by the laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles, except to the extent applicable law requires otherwise.

Before initiating formal legal proceedings concerning a dispute arising under these Terms, you and Respire agree to make a reasonably good-faith effort to resolve the matter informally. A person seeking to raise a dispute with Respire should provide written notice describing the nature of the dispute and the relief or resolution sought. Respire will have a reasonable opportunity to review and respond.

If a dispute arising under these Terms cannot be resolved informally, and unless applicable law requires otherwise, any legal proceeding will be brought in a state or federal court of competent jurisdiction located in Nevada, and each party consents to the jurisdiction of those courts.

Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking temporary, preliminary, or other appropriate injunctive or equitable relief when reasonably necessary to protect intellectual property, confidential information, proprietary materials, or other rights for which immediate relief may be appropriate.

If a separate written agreement governs a paid assessment, due-diligence engagement, monitoring, reassessment, or other professional service, the governing-law and dispute-resolution provisions of that agreement will control disputes arising from that engagement to the extent they differ from these Terms. These public Terms do not alter, or override dispute-resolution provisions expressly agreed to in a separate written agreement.

Respire may update these Terms from time to time. The effective date displayed with the Terms identifies the current version.

Where required by applicable law, Respire will provide any additional notice or obtain consent required for material changes.

Questions concerning these Terms may be submitted through the contact information provided on the Respire USA website.