Does All County negotiate purchase agreements with approved suppliers for the benefit of franchisees?

We attempt to negotiate purchase agreements with approved suppliers for the benefit of our company locations and franchisees. Approved suppliers and specifications are contained in our Operations Manual. Neither we, nor any persons affiliated with us, are currently the only approved suppliers for any products or services.

Approved Suppliers. We may require that you purchase all specified services and products from us, our affiliate, or our designated approved supplier, as we may specify periodically to you during the term of the Franchise Agreement. Approved suppliers and specifications are determined based on the current needs for operating the Franchise Business. We evaluate approved suppliers based on price, service, quality, and other commercially reasonable benchmarks. The identity of approved suppliers and these specifications are updated periodically in writing by modifying the appropriate sections of the Operations Manual. We will send you modified sections by updating our web site, through the United States mail, or by any other commercially reasonable means.

Proposed Suppliers. We have procedures in our Operations Manual for approving vendors and suppliers you propose. It takes up to 90 days to evaluate new vendors or suppliers. We may approve or disapprove any supplier, and we may approve a supplier conditionally, provided however, that approval will not be unreasonably withheld. If you propose to use any brand and/or supplier that is not then approved by us, then you must first notify us in writing. You must submit sufficient information, specifications and samples concerning the brand and/or supplier so that we can decide whether the brand complies with our specifications and standards and/or such supplier meets our approved supplier criteria. In evaluating any supplier you propose, we will, subject to reasonable restrictions and conditions to protect our trade secrets and confidential information, disclose to the proposed supplier applicable standards, specifications, processes, and procedures for the item in sufficient detail to enable the proposed supplier to demonstrate fully its capacity and capabilities to supply the items. Within 90 days after we receive all requested information, we will communicate to you in writing our decision to approve or disapprove your proposed supplier.

Source: Item 8 — Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services (FDD pages 16–19)