Custodianship
Ecosystem & IP Protection
⚖️ Power Group Purchasing © 2010-2025
Custodianship sets out authorship, lawful use, and ecosystem boundaries for the Power Group Purchasing © System & Framework.
Independently and civilian-authored by C. Kechagias (ABN 30 492 616 774) - Use under licence only.
Overview - The Power Group Purchasing © Ecosystem
The Power Group Purchasing © Ecosystem is a licensed governance and stakeholder participation environment designed to protect fairness, transparency, and accountability across community, enterprise, and government settings. It operates as a closed loop of licensed participation, where each stakeholder engages within ethical, procedural, and reporting boundaries defined by the System & Framework.
The ecosystem includes documentation, flow models, templates, diagrams, and the five-stage methodology (Govern - Engage - Aggregate - Deliver - Evolve), along with licensing schedules and program structures that enable traceable, reason-based decisions.
Authorship & Governance Custodianship
Power Group Purchasing © 2010-2025 is authored and governed by Chris (Chrisostomos) Kechagias - Founder, Author, and Governance Custodian. Comparable or derivative systems may operate only under licence or written authorisation from the Custodian. Power Group © functions as the humanitarian, non-commercial extension under the same governance.
| Category | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core methodology | Five-stage model; governance logic; decision flows; role definitions; scoring and aggregation principles | Protected as an original system and framework under copyright law. |
| Documents & templates | Guides; checklists; stakeholder maps; evaluation forms; participation protocols | Licensed for use by approved participants only. |
| Visuals & diagrams | Process diagrams; stage icons; framework schematics; training slides | Reproduction requires attribution and licence. |
| Licensing schedules | Fee schedules; tier definitions; PVF and value alignment rules | Integral to governance integrity and trust. |
| Marks & terminology | Power Group Purchasing ©; Power Group ©; named stages; distinctive phrases within the Framework | Use must not mislead or imply authorisation where none exists. |
Licensing requirement & fair use boundaries
- Licence required for any structured, programmatic, or operational application of the Framework or its components, including adapted or translated versions.
- Free licences are available for Power Group © humanitarian use and for educational or research pre-execution contexts.
- Fair citation in academic or media contexts is permitted with attribution to the Author and Framework, provided no operational use occurs.
Licensee obligations & stakeholder notification
Each licensee must ensure that all participants, partners, or stakeholders involved in activities using the Power Group Purchasing © System and Framework are informed that their participation must also be covered under a valid licence.
Stakeholders who contribute to, benefit from, or apply any part of the Framework - including templates, governance structures, evaluation processes, or collaborative models - are required to be licensed in one of two lawful ways:
- Individual licence - For independent users or organisations (such as consultants, councils, or enterprises) who apply or adapt the Framework within their own operations. They must hold their own valid licence according to the applicable tier (Free, Staged, or Value-Based).
- Project inclusion under a lead licensee - For participants, contributors, or delivery partners working within an already licensed program or project. They may operate under the lead licensee’s approved project declaration, provided their participation and scope are transparently recorded.
This arrangement ensures that no stakeholder is unlicensed, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of licences within the same project. If a participant later applies or adapts the Framework independently beyond that project, they must obtain their own licence.
Engagement under the Framework is non-binding in commercial or financial terms unless a separate lawful contract exists between the parties. The Power Group Purchasing © licence does not create employment, partnership, agency, or fiduciary relationships between the Custodian and any licensee or stakeholder.
This clause protects both the Custodian and licensees by ensuring that all use of the Framework is transparent, ethical, and traceable within the licensed governance ecosystem.
| Scenario | Typical use | Licensing guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Community or public programs | Council tenders; community procurement; shared decision-making initiatives | If methods mirror the five-stage flow or structured participation rules, a licence is required. |
| Consultancies & advisors | Repackaging templates; engagement logic; evaluation models for clients | Derivative or adapted frameworks require licensing to preserve IP integrity. |
| Faith or humanitarian collaborations | Interfaith dialogue; peace building; reconciliation programs | Covered under Power Group © - free non-commercial licence required. |
| Enterprise ESG & supplier programs | Multi stakeholder sourcing; supplier engagement; value declaration models | Value based licence applies where influence or market impact is material. |
| Research & policy publications | Teaching; research modelling; policy design referencing the Framework | No-fee educational licence with attribution; operational use requires full licensing. |
| Software & digital platforms | Tools that automate governance, participation, or aggregation logic | Licensing required when implementing Framework logic or terminology. |
Reporting unauthorised use and seeking advice
Potential breaches or uncertainties can be reported through the Power Group Purchasing © contact form or by email to the Governance Custodian’s office. Include a brief description and any public evidence or reference materials. Reports are reviewed under the Power Group Purchasing © Governance & IP Review Protocol which enables independent assessment by authorised reviewers or legal representatives.
For advice on lawful use, derivative systems, or licensing obligations, consult a qualified intellectual property or commercial lawyer, accredited procurement or governance professionals, or the official Power Group Purchasing © documentation.
Legal reference & international protection
Protected under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and international treaties including the Berne Convention and WIPO frameworks. Jurisdictions covered include Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Japan.
Summary of legal position
Copyright protection for the Power Group Purchasing © System and Framework arises automatically under Australian and international law once the work is created in material form. The Custodian retains full authorship and licensing rights worldwide under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and the Berne Convention. Licensing ensures lawful use, proportional value contribution, and consistent governance integrity across all applications.
Legal advisory & limitation clause
The Power Group Purchasing © 2010-2025 Procurement and Stakeholder Engagement System and Framework, and its humanitarian extension Power Group ©, are protected works authored and governed by C. Kechagias (ABN 30 492 616 774).
While every effort has been made to establish and communicate lawful licensing terms, this material does not constitute legal advice. Individuals, organisations, or institutions seeking to apply or reference the Framework should obtain independent legal or intellectual property advice specific to their circumstances.
Use of the Framework is permitted only under a valid licence or written authorisation. Unauthorised or derivative use may infringe copyright or breach licence conditions under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), and equivalent international laws.