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 ## License
 
 MIT
+
+## Payment & Evaluation Policy
+Contributors participating in campaigns or rewarded issues must follow the [Payment-Period Communication Policy](docs/PAYMENT_POLICY.md). Payments follow the GrantFox evaluation process and are evaluated post-merge. Repeated complaints or spam regarding payouts are prohibited.
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+# PocketPay Contracts — Contributor Payment-Period Communication Policy
+
+This policy guides communication expectations and processes during payment and evaluation windows for contributions to `pocketpay-contracts`.
+
+---
+
+## 1. Evaluation & Payment Workflow
+
+* **GrantFox Evaluation Process:** Payments and rewards are not automatically dispersed upon PR merge. All merged contributions undergo a systematic post-merge evaluation by Maintainers via the GrantFox OSS platform.
+* **Payment Windows:** Evaluations and payouts are processed in batches after active campaign closures or designated review cycles.
+
+---
+
+## 2. Communication Standards & Zero-Spam Policy
+
+To maintain a productive, respectful, and efficient environment, contributors must adhere to the following communication guidelines:
+
+1. **No Repeated Complaints or Spam:** Duplicate messages, repeated @pongs, or complaints regarding payment status in GitHub issues, PR comments, or Community Channels are strictly prohibited.
+2. **Self-Review Required Obligation:** Before inquiring into a payment status, contributors must self-assess their contribution:
+   - Was the PR properly tagged and merged?
+   - Did all CI checks, static analyses, and tests pass cleanly?
+   - Did the diff comply fully with all acceptance criteria?
+3. **Documented Inquiries:** If a payment window has passed and anomalies persist, contributors may open a single, professional inquiry citing their GrantFox evaluation ID, PR number, and self-assessment summary.
+
+---
+
+## 3. Enforcement
+
+Guardrails and Campaign Rules apply: repeated spam, unprofessional escalations, or failure to follow this communication policy may result in disqualification from campaign rewards or restrictions on future contributions.