Billing Policy

1. General Billing Information

1.1 Currency and Tax

• All prices are quoted and invoiced in Australian Dollars (AUD) unless otherwise specified
• All figures exclude GST unless explicitly stated as "GST inclusive"
• GST at the current rate (10%) will be added to all invoices for Australian clients
• International clients may be exempt from GST depending on their location and service type

1.2 Payment Terms

• Standard Payment Terms: 14 days from invoice date
• New Clients: May require payment on receipt for initial projects
• Large Projects: 50% deposit required before commencement, balance on completion
• Monthly Retainers: Payment due in advance on the 24th of each month

1.3 Accepted Payment Methods

• Bank transfer (EFT) - preferred method
• Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
• PayPal for international clients
• Cheque (minimum 7 days clearance required)
• Cash payments accepted for amounts under $1,000

2. Service-Specific Billing

2.1 Hourly Services & Ad-Hoc Work

• Standard Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:45 AM to 5:15 PM AEST/AEDT
• Overtime Rate: 1.2x standard rate for work outside standard hours
• Weekend/Holiday Rate: 1.5x standard rate
• Minimum Billing: 30 minutes for any work session
• Time Tracking: All time tracked in 15-minute increments
• Invoicing: Monthly in arrears, due within 14 days

2.2 Agile Innovation Packages & Retainers

• Billing Cycle: Monthly in advance
• Invoice Date: 24th of each month for the following month
• Unused Hours: Do not roll over unless specified in agreement
• Additional Hours: Billed at standard hourly rate in arrears
• Package Changes: Effective from the next billing cycle with 30 days notice

2.3 Fixed-Price Projects

• Deposit: 50% of total project cost before commencement
• Milestone Payments: As defined in project proposal
• Final Payment: Due before project delivery/go-live
• Scope Changes: Additional work billed at hourly rates
• Project Cancellation: Client liable for work completed plus 25% of remaining balance

2.4 Team Augmentation Services

• Monthly Commitment: Billed in advance on the 24th of each month
• Additional Days: Billed in arrears at daily rate + 20%
• Consultant Leave: No charge for planned leave with 2+ weeks notice
• Public Holidays: No charge for Australian public holidays

2.5 Cloud Services & Hosting

• Management Fee: Monthly fee billed in advance
• Infrastructure Costs: Pass-through costs billed monthly in arrears
• Currency Conversion: USD costs converted to AUD using RBA rate on billing date
• Setup Fees: One-time fee billed with first month's service
• Data Transfer: Excessive usage may incur additional charges

3. Rate Structure

3.1 Standard Rates (Excluding GST)

3.2 Annual Rate Reviews

• Rates reviewed annually at the start of each financial year (July 1st)
• Rate changes communicated with 30 days notice
• Existing contracts honored until renewal or expiry

4. Invoicing Procedures

4.1 Invoice Details

• Detailed breakdown of work performed and time spent
• Clear description of services provided
• Project or task reference numbers
• GST breakdown and total amount due
• Payment terms and due date
• Bank account details for payment

4.2 Invoice Delivery

• Invoices sent electronically via email in PDF format
• Hard copies available upon request
• All invoices include our ABN and contact information
• Payment reminders sent 7 days before due date

4.3 Invoice Queries

• Queries must be raised within 7 days of invoice date
• Contact: Accounts
• Undisputed portions of invoices remain payable
• Response provided within 2 business days

5. Late Payments & Collections

5.1 Late Payment Charges

• Interest Rate: 15% per annum or RBA cash rate + 10%, whichever is greater
• Calculation: Daily compound interest on overdue amounts
• Administration Fee: $50 for each overdue notice sent
• Collection Costs: Client liable for all reasonable collection costs

5.2 Service Suspension

• Services may be suspended for accounts 30+ days overdue
• 48 hours written notice provided before suspension
• Suspension lifted upon payment of overdue amounts
• No service level guarantees during suspension period

5.3 Account Termination

• Accounts 90+ days overdue may be terminated
• 14 days written notice provided before termination
• Outstanding work completed and billed
• Account referred to debt collection agency

6. Third-Party Costs

6.1 Software Licenses & Tools

• Client responsible for purchasing required licenses
• TekZilla can procure on client's behalf with 15% administration fee
• Annual subscriptions billed annually in advance
• License costs passed through at actual cost plus admin fee

6.2 Cloud Infrastructure

• AWS/Azure/GCP costs passed through monthly
• Management fee charged separately
• Usage monitoring and optimization included
• Cost alerts set up for budget management

6.3 External Services

• Security audits, penetration testing, specialist consultants
• Pre-approved by client before engagement
• Invoiced separately or included in project costs
• TekZilla coordination fee may apply

7. Refunds & Credits

7.1 Service Credits

• Credits issued when TekZilla unable to provide agreed services
• Pro-rata credits for service outages beyond SLA
• Credits applied to next invoice or refunded if account closing
• Credits expire 12 months from issue date

7.2 Refund Policy

• No refunds for completed work or services already provided
• Unused prepaid hours may be refunded upon agreement termination if unused and outside contractual commitments
• Refunds processed within 30 days of approval
• Processing fees may apply for credit card refunds

8. Special Circumstances

8.1 Travel & Expenses

• Client pre-approval required for travel over $500
• Travel time charged at 50% of standard rate
• Accommodation and meals at actual cost
• Local transport and parking costs included
• Receipts provided for all expenses over $50

8.2 Rush Jobs & Emergency Support

• Same-day requests: 2x standard rate
• After-hours emergency support: 1.5x standard rate
• Weekend emergency work: 2x standard rate
• Minimum 2-hour billing for emergency calls

8.3 Long-Term Commitments

• 12+ month contracts may qualify for 5-10% discount
• Volume discounts available for large projects
• Quarterly payment terms available for established clients
• Custom payment arrangements considered case-by-case

9. Dispute Resolution

9.1 Billing Disputes

• Notify Accounts within 7 days of invoice
• Provide detailed explanation of disputed items
• Continue payment of undisputed portions
• Good faith resolution attempted within 14 days

9.2 Escalation Process

• Unresolved disputes escalated to senior management
• External mediation available if required
• Legal action as last resort
• All collection costs recoverable from client

10. Policy Updates

10.1 Changes to Policy

• Policy reviewed annually or as required
• Changes communicated 30 days in advance
• Continued service constitutes acceptance
• Current version always available at tekzilla.com.au/billing-policy