Disclaimer

As part of Pilot Origination and Design idea submission process, Consumers Energy will not accept any confidential information. Therefore, all information submitted to Consumers Energy using the Pilot Idea Form, or otherwise disclosed orally or in writing to Consumers Energy, regardless of whether it is marked or identified as confidential or proprietary, will not be considered confidential, and Consumers Energy will have no obligation to keep any such information confidential or to follow any restriction regarding the use of such information. Moreover, the submitter waives any claims against Consumers Energy for breach of confidentiality, trade secrets misappropriation, ownership rights in any product or program implemented by Consumers Energy incorporating the submitter’s ideas or information, or rights to be remunerated therefore. The submitter is advised to carefully consider these requirements and to only submit information to the Company that respondents do not want to be kept confidential or secret.

Provision of this Pilot Idea Form and receipt of a proposal and any information attached thereto in no way constitutes Consumers Energy’s acceptance or support of the proposed technology or idea in any way whatsoever. All submittals are the property of Consumers Energy. Neither Consumers Energy or an agent acting on its behalf assumes any liability resulting from the information or application apparatus, methods or processes disclosed in a proposal and/or any information attached thereto. Any use or reliance on this submission form, a proposal and/or any information attached thereto by a third party shall be at the third party’s sole risk.

Respondents are encouraged to identify and describe any patent, copyright, or other proprietary rights that the submitter or others may possess protecting any aspects of the proposed idea and any restrictions that may affect Consumers Energy’s implementation of the idea. If the idea is selected for implementation, then the submitter should also be prepared to contract with Consumers Energy regarding the transfer of any background proprietary rights related to the idea to Consumers Energy.