What considerations can Brightstar Care base its supplier approval on?
Brightstar_Care Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
, BrightStar Technology may charge you up to an additional $1,000 per aggregator for the initial integration and up to an additional $500 for any subsequent EVV version upgrade.
4.7 Vendor Evaluation Fee
If you request our approval to allow you to use an unapproved vendor for products or services and that request requires us to invest time and expense to evaluate the unapproved vendor, then you must pay us up to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) for our time and costs conducting the evaluation if we choose to add the unapproved vendor to our approved vendor list ("Vendor Evaluation Fee"). Generally, no Vendor Evaluation Fee is payable if we do not approve the unapproved vendor. However, we will charge a minimum fee of $2,500 if the vendor,
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 117–118)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
Based on the 2025 Brightstar Care Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee wants to use a vendor not already approved by Brightstar Care for products or services, the franchisee must request approval. If Brightstar Care decides to evaluate the unapproved vendor, the franchisee may have to pay a Vendor Evaluation Fee of up to $5,000 to cover the time and costs associated with the evaluation, should Brightstar Care choose to add the vendor to the approved list.
However, according to the FDD, even if Brightstar Care does not approve the vendor, a minimum fee of $2,500 will be charged if the vendor requires access to any of Brightstar Care's technology platforms as part of their proposed services. This fee covers a third party's risk-assessment services and is due regardless of whether the vendor is ultimately approved.
This policy ensures that Brightstar Care maintains control over its supply chain and protects its brand standards. The fees associated with vendor evaluation can be a significant expense for franchisees, especially if they are required to use specific technology platforms. It is important for prospective franchisees to understand these costs and to factor them into their business plans. Franchisees should also consider the potential benefits of using approved vendors, such as pre-negotiated pricing and quality assurance.