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Terms of Service

Competency Gauge

Below is the Terms of Service for our website. Please read it carefully.

Last Updated: October 22, 2026

Welcome to the Competency Gauge testing platform. These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Competency Gauge platform, including our information website at https://testing.preparedforduty.ca and our online testing environment at https://testing.preparedforduty.ca/pfdgauge (together, the “Platform”), operated by Prepared for Duty Recruitment Service Inc. (“Prepared for Duty”, “we”, “us”, or “our”).

By creating an account, accessing any assessment, purchasing a practice test, or otherwise using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not access or use the Platform. We recommend that you print or save a copy of these Terms for your records.

1. About the Competency Gauge Platform

The Competency Gauge is an aptitude testing and assessment platform operated by Prepared for Duty Recruitment Service Inc., a specialized recruitment company headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The Platform provides defensible, knowledge-based aptitude testing services primarily for municipalities, emergency services departments, and other organizations throughout Western Canada.

The Platform enables Departments and Hiring Employers to administer assessments to candidates as part of their recruitment process, and allows individuals to purchase and complete practice tests to prepare for recruitment assessments.

2. Definitions

“Assessment” or “Test” means any quiz, examination, aptitude test, or evaluation administered through the Platform.

“Candidate” means an individual who creates an account on the Platform to take assessments, whether as part of a recruitment process or for practice purposes.

“Coupon Code” or “Access Code” means a unique code that enables enrolment in specific assessments.

“Department” or “Hiring Employer” means the municipality, organization, or emergency services department that has engaged Prepared for Duty to administer testing for recruitment purposes.

“Proctoring” means the identity verification and test integrity measures that may be enabled for certain assessments, including webcam image capture during test attempts.

“Test Content” means all questions, answers, scenarios, images, multimedia, and other materials that make up assessments on the Platform.

3. Eligibility and User Representations

By using the Platform, you represent and warrant that:

  • (a) You have the legal capacity and authority to enter into these Terms;
  • (b) You are at least 18 years of age or the age of majority in your jurisdiction; or, if you are under 18, you have the consent of a parent or legal guardian to use the Platform and they have agreed to these Terms and our Privacy Policy on your behalf;
  • (c) All information you provide to us through the Platform is accurate, current, and complete, and you will keep it up to date;
  • (d) You are the person you represent yourself to be, you will have only one account, and you will not allow any other person to use your account or take assessments on your behalf; and
  • (f) Your use of the Platform will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

4. Account Registration and Security

Account Creation

To access assessments on the Platform, you must create an account by providing accurate and complete information, including your full legal name and a valid email address. When you create an account, you will be asked to accept these Terms and our Platform policies. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential and for all activity that occurs under your account.

Account Security

You agree to create a strong, unique password; not share your login credentials with anyone; notify us immediately if you become aware of any unauthorized use of your account; and log out at the end of each session, particularly on shared devices. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to protect your account credentials. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately (see Section 23).

Access Codes and Enrolment

Access to certain assessments may require a Coupon Code or Access Code provided by Prepared for Duty or your Department. These codes are intended for single use by the designated recipient and may not be shared, sold, or transferred. We reserve the right to invalidate codes that are misused or suspected of being fraudulently obtained.

5. Assessment Rules and Test Integrity

Maintaining the integrity of assessments is essential to the fairness and validity of recruitment processes. By taking any assessment on the Platform, you agree to the following rules.

During assessments, you must:

  • complete the assessment independently and without assistance from any other person;
  • not use any unauthorized materials, notes, textbooks, websites, or other resources unless explicitly permitted;
  • not communicate with any other person about the assessment content during the test;
  • not copy, reproduce, record, screenshot, photograph, or otherwise capture any Test Content;
  • remain in view of your webcam throughout the assessment if proctoring is enabled; and
  • complete the assessment within the allotted time.

During assessments, you must not:

  • have any other person present in the room, unless you have received prior approval as an accommodation;
  • use any electronic device other than the device on which you are taking the assessment;
  • access any browser tabs, windows, or applications other than the assessment;
  • use any artifical intelligence tools, chatbots, or automated assistance; or
  • attempt to manipulate, circumvent, or interfere with any proctoring or security measures.

Consequences of violations. Violations of these rules may result in immediate termination of your assessment attempt, invalidation of your results, notification to the relevant Department or Hiring Employer, suspension or termination of your account, disqualification from the associated recruitment process, or legal action in cases of serious misconduct or intellectual property infringement.

6. Proctoring and Identity Verification

Certain assessments on the Platform may require proctoring to verify your identity and ensure test integrity. Where proctoring is enabled:

  • you will be required to grant the Platform access to your device’s webcam before beginning the assessment;
  • the system will capture images from your webcam every 30 seconds throughout the assessment;
  • you must remain visible in the webcam frame throughout the entire assessment; and
  • captured images may be reviewed by our authorized administrators and, where needed to resolve a test integrity concern, by the relevant Department or Hiring Employer.

If you decline webcam access, you will not be able to take proctored assessments, which may affect your eligibility for certain recruitment processes. For information about how proctoring images are collected, used, stored, and deleted, see our Privacy Policy.

7. Technical Requirements

To use the platform effectively, you are responsible for ensuring that you have:

  • a compatible device (computer, laptop, or tablet) with a supported web browser;
  • a stable internet connection sufficient to complete assessments without interruption;
  • a functioning webcam, for proctored assessments;
  • JavaScript and cookies enabled in your browser; and
  • a quiet, private location free from distractions.

Prepared for Duty is not responsible for technical issues on your end, including internet connectivity problems, hardware failures, browser incompatibilities, or power outages. If you experience technical difficulties during an assessment, contact us as soon as possible; however, we cannot guarantee that a remedy will be available.

8. Test Results and Scoring

Results delivery. Assessment results are calculated by the Platform based on your responses. For recruitment assessments, your results will be shared with the Department or Hiring Employer that requested the test, in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Results are final. Once an assessment is submitted, the results are final. Prepared for Duty does not offer re-scoring, re-grading, or appeals of assessment scores, except where a verified technical error affected your assessment. This does not limit your right to request access to your personal information under applicable privacy law.

Employment decisions. Prepared for Duty provides testing services to Departments and Hiring Employers but does not make employment or hiring decisions. All decisions about candidate selection, interviews, offers of employment, and hiring are made solely by the relevant Department or Hiring Employer. Questions about how your results will be used should be directed to that Department or Hiring Employer.

9. Practice Tests and Payment

The Platform offers practice tests that individuals can purchase to prepare for recruitment assessments.

Before you buy. Each practice test’s description and total price are shown before you pay. You will have the opportunity to review your purchase, correct any errors, and accept or decline it before payment is completed.

Prices and taxes. All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD) and include applicable taxes. Prices may change from time to time, but the price that applies to your purchase is the price shown when you buy.

Payment. Practice test purchases are processed through PayPal’s secure checkout. By making a purchase, you also agree to PayPal’s terms of service and privacy policy. Prepared for Duty does not collect, store, or have access to your credit card number, security code, or banking credentials.

Access and receipt. Access to a practice test is granted once your payment is confirmed. PayPal will email you a receipt for your purchase. You may save or print these Terms as a record of the terms of your purchase.

Refunds. Because practice tests are digital content that is made available immediately, all purchases are final and non-refundable once access to the practice test has been granted. If a verified technical issue prevents you from accessing a practice test you purchased, contact us and we will work with you on an appropriate remedy, such as restoring access or issuing a refund. Nothing in these Terms limits any rights you have under applicable consumer protection law.

Bulk purchases by Departments. Bulk test purchases by Departments and Hiring Employers are arranged directly with Prepared for Duty and invoiced through QuickBooks, plus applicable taxes. Such arrangements are governed by separate agreements between Prepared for Duty and the Department.

10. Intellectual Property Rights

Platform software. The testing environment is built on Moodle™, an open-source learning management system licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL), together with other open-source plugins and components. These components remain subject to their own licences and are not owned by Prepared for Duty. Nothing in these Terms grants you rights to the underlying open-source software beyond those permitted by the applicable licenses. Moodle™ is a trademark of Moodle Pty Ltd. Prepared for Duty is not affiliated with or endorsed by Moodle Pty Ltd.

Proprietary Content. All Test content, including questions, answers, scenarios, scoring methods, and assessment materials, and all text, graphics, logos, images, and other materials created by Prepared for Duty (together, “Proprietary Content”), are exclusive property of Prepared for Duty Recruitment Service Inc. and are protected by Canadian and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

Restrictions. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, publish, or share any Test Content or Proprietary Content; create derivative works based on it; use it in a way that suggests an association with Prepared for Duty without our prior written consent; or sell, license or commercially exploit it.

Limited licence. Subject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access and use the Platform solely to complete assessments in which you are enrolled. This licence does not include any right to access, view, or keep Test Content after completing an assessment.

11. Prohibited Conduct

In addition to the assessment rules set out in Section 5, you agree not to:

  • use the Platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable laws or regulations;
  • attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Platform, or other users’ accounts, or any connected systems or networks;
  • use any automated means, including bots, scripts, spiders, or scrapers, to access or interact with the Platform;
  • interfere with or disrupt the Platform or the servers or networks used to provide it;
  • upload or transmit viruses, malware, or other malicious code;
  • impersonate any person or entity, or allow another person to use your account or take assessments on your behalf;
  • submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information;
  • use the Platform in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair it;
  • attempt to circumvent any security measures, access controls, or usage restrictions.

12. Use of Contact Forms

The Platform includes contact and inquiry forms. By using these forms, you agree to provide accurate and truthful information, use the forms only for legitimate purposes related to the Platform or our services, refrain from submitting any content that is unlawful, offensive, defamatory, or infringes the rights of others, and not use the forms to send unsolicited commercial messages or spam. We may decline to respond to submissions that we determine, in our sole discretion, to be inappropriate or outside the scope of our services.

13. Accessibility and Accommodations

Prepared for Duty is committed to providing accessible testing. If you require an accommodation due to a disability or other circumstances, please contact the Department or Hiring Employer administering the assessment, or contact us directly, before your scheduled assessment. Accommodation requests are reviewed case by case. Approved accommodations may include extended time or other adjustments as appropriate. We cannot guarantee that every request can be met, but we will make reasonable efforts to provide equitable access. Information you provide in support of an accommodation request is handled confidentially, as described in our Privacy Policy.

14. Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection, use, and disclosure of personal information through the Platform is governed by our Competency Gauge Privacy Policy at https://testing.preparedforduty.ca/privacy-policy/, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. Our use of cookies is described in our Competency Gauge Cookie Policy at https://testing.preparedforduty.ca/cookie-policy/.

15. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE PLATFORM AND ALL CONTENT, MATERIALS, ASSESSMENTS, AND SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH THE PLATFORM ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, PREPARED FOR DUTY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that: (a) the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free of viruses or other harmful components; (b) defects will be corrected in a timely manner; (c) the results of any assessment will guarantee employment or any particular outcome; (d) the Platform or assessments are suitable for any particular purpose; or (e) any information provided through the Platform is accurate, complete, or reliable. Any reliance on the Platform or assessments is at your own risk.

16. Limitations of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL PREPARED FOR DUTY RECRUITMENT SERVICE INC., ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AFFILIATES, OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH: (A) YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE PLATFORM; (B) ANY ASSESSMENT RESULT OR THE USE OF SUCH RESULTS BY ANY DEPARTMENT OR HIRING EMPLOYER; (C) ANY EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS MADE BY ANY DEPARTMENT OR HIRING EMPLOYER; OR (F) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE PLATFORM.

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOUR FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO US, IF ANY, FOR ACCESS TO THE PLATFORM DURING THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM; OR (B) ONE HUNDRED CANADIAN DOLLARS (CAD $100).

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain warranties or liability, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you. In such cases, our liability will be limited to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law.

17. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Prepared for Duty Recruitment Service Inc., its officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, and licensors from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your use of the Platform; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any assessment rules or test integrity requirements; (d) your violation of any applicable laws or regulations; (e) any infringement of intellectual property rights; (f) any content or information you submit through the Platform; or (g) any fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest conduct on your part.

18. Account Termination and Suspension

Termination by you. You may request deletion of your account at any time by contacting us or by using the data deletion request option on your profile page. Account deletion is subject to our data retention obligations described in our Privacy Policy.

Termination or suspension by us. We may suspend or terminate your account access to the Platform, with or without notice, including for violation of these Terms or any assessment rules; suspected fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest conduct; requests from law enforcement or other government agencies; technical or security issues; or inactivity. Inactive accounts are deleted as described in our Privacy Policy.

Effect of termination. When your account is terminated, your right to access the Platform ends immediately. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including intellectual property provisions, disclaimers, limitations of liability, and indemnification obligations.

20. Modifications to the Platform and Terms

Platform modifications. We may modify, update, or discontinue the Platform or any part of it at any time without prior notice. We may also add, modify or remove features, assessments, or functionality at our sole discretion. We will not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Platform.

Changes to these Terms. We may revise these Terms from time to time. The “Last Updated” date at the top of these Terms shows when the most recent changes were made. If we make material changes, we will provide notice through the Platform and ask you to review and accept the updated Terms the next time you log in to the testing environment. Changes do not affect purchases completed before the change. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you should stop using the Platform.

21. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and any disputes arising out of or related to these Terms or your use of the Platform shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of law principles.

You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, for the resolution of any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Platform, except where applicable consumer protection law gives you the right to bring a claim elsewhere.

22. General Provisions

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Competency Gauge Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Prepared for Duty regarding your use of the Platform and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, or representations, written or oral, concerning the subject matter herein.

Severability

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

Waiver

No waiver of any term or condition of these Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of that term or condition or any other term or condition. Our failure to assert any right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign or transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms without restriction. Subject to the foregoing, these Terms shall bind and benefit the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

Language

The parties have expressly requested that these Terms and all related documents be drafted in English. Les parties ont expressément demandé que ces conditions et tous les documents connexes soient rédigés en anglais.

23. Contact Information

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about these Terms of Service, please contact us at:

Prepared for Duty Recruitment Service Inc.

We will respond to all inquiries as soon as reasonably possible.