What is the Bigfoot Forestry franchisee's responsibility regarding the integration of their Technology Systems?
Bigfoot_Forestry Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
(e) you set up your office and acquire and install all required Technology Systems;
(f) Fees and Costs.
You are responsible for all fees, costs and expenses associated with acquiring, licensing, utilizing, updating and upgrading Technology Systems.
Certain Technology Systems must be purchased or licensed from third-party suppliers.
We and/or our affiliate may develop proprietary Technology Systems (or components thereof) that become part of our System.
If this occurs, you agree to: (i) pay us (or our affiliate) commercially reasonable licensing, support and maintenance fees; and (ii) upon request, sign our prescribed form of license agreement governing use of proprietary Technology Systems (or components thereof).
We may enter into master agreements with licensors of Third-Party Technology and charge you for amounts we pay them based on your use of their Third-Party Technology.
We may charge you a technology fee, which includes all amounts you pay us and our affiliates relating to Technology Systems, including amounts paid for proprietary items and amounts we collect from you and remit to suppliers of Third-Party Technology.
The technology fee may change based on changes to Technology Systems or prices charged by third parties with whom we enter into master agreements.
Technology; and (ii) acknowledge your sole recourse for any liabilities, losses, damages or expenses you incur due to improperly functioning Third-Party Technology shall be against the owner or licensor of such Third-Party Technology.
(e) Email Accounts.
At no additional charge, we will provide you with a certain number of BIGFOOT FORESTRY® email addresses.
We may charge you our then-current fee for each additional email address you request (this fee is added to the technology fee described in §11.11(f) below).
You must exclusively use these email addresses for all communications with us, customers, suppliers and other Persons relating to your Business.
You may not use them for any purpose unrelated to your Business.
We own the email addresses and accounts but allow you to use them during the Term.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 42–162)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Bigfoot Forestry FDD, franchisees are responsible for setting up their office and acquiring and installing all required Technology Systems as part of their pre-opening obligations. This includes all fees, costs, and expenses associated with acquiring, licensing, utilizing, updating, and upgrading these Technology Systems. Some of these systems may need to be purchased or licensed from third-party suppliers.
Bigfoot Forestry may develop proprietary Technology Systems, in which case franchisees must pay commercially reasonable licensing, support, and maintenance fees and sign a license agreement. The franchisor may also enter into master agreements with licensors of Third-Party Technology and charge franchisees for their use of this technology. A technology fee may be charged, covering all amounts related to Technology Systems, including proprietary items and amounts remitted to third-party suppliers. This technology fee is subject to change based on updates to the Technology Systems or price changes from third parties.
Bigfoot Forestry will provide franchisees with a certain number of BIGFOOT FORESTRY® email addresses at no additional charge, but franchisees must exclusively use these for all business-related communications. Additional email addresses can be requested for a fee. Franchisees bear the risk that Third-Party Technology may not function properly, and their sole recourse for any issues lies with the owner or licensor of that technology, not with Bigfoot Forestry.