a) Company Information. The Company will make available to the Independent Contractor certain Confidential Information of the Company, previously non-disclosed to him or her, which will enable him or her to optimize the performance of his or her duties to the Company. In exchange, the Independent Contractor agrees to use such Confidential Information solely for the Company’s benefit. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Independent Contractor agrees that upon the expiration or termination of the Agreement, the Company shall have no obligation to provide or otherwise make available to the Independent Contractor any of its Confidential Information. “Confidential Information” means any Company proprietary information, technical data, trade secrets or know-how, including, but not limited to, research, product plans, products, services, customer lists and customers (including, but not limited to, customers of the Company on whom the Independent Contractor called or with whom her or she became acquainted during the term of the contract), markets, software, developments, inventions, processes, formulas, technology, designs, drawings, engineering, hardware configuration information, marketing, finances or other business information disclosed to the Independent Contractor by the Company either directly or indirectly in writing, orally or by drawings or observation of parts or equipment. Confidential Information does not include any of the foregoing items which has become publicly known and made generally available through no wrongful act or omission of the Independent Contractor or of others who were under confidentiality obligations as to the item or items involved or improvements or new versions thereof.