What are Brightstar Care franchisees required to do regarding payments to System Suppliers?
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, as part of its proposed scope of services, will need access to any of our technology platforms; this fee is to pay a third party for its risk-assessment services and is due whether or not we approve the vendor.
4.8 Other Charges and Service Fees
You understand and agree that the BrightStar Care Agency Program is developing and that, in addition to those charges and fees set forth in this Agreement, there may be other charges and service fees that will be assessed to you by us, our affiliates, or third party vendors in connection with existing components of the BrightStar Care Agency Program or the addition of modified or new components to the BrightStar Care Agency Program. You agree to pay all such other charges and service fees in a timely manner. For example, we may charge an administrative fee to cover our costs in providing administrative services as part of any optional accounts receivable financing we arrange with lenders and make available to franchisees.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 117–118)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Brightstar Care's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees may encounter various payment obligations related to vendors and services. If a franchisee seeks approval for an unapproved vendor, Brightstar Care may charge a Vendor Evaluation Fee of up to $5,000 to assess the vendor. Even if the vendor is not approved, a minimum fee of $2,500 is charged if the vendor requires access to Brightstar Care's technology platforms, covering third-party risk assessment services.
Brightstar Care franchisees must also pay other charges and service fees that may arise from existing or new components of the BrightStar Care Agency Program. These fees can be assessed by Brightstar Care, its affiliates, or third-party vendors. For instance, Brightstar Care may charge an administrative fee for providing administrative services related to optional accounts receivable financing arranged with lenders.
For any single charge exceeding $25,000 per year, Brightstar Care must obtain the franchisee's agreement before implementing it. However, if more than 75% of existing franchisees agree to a charge exceeding $25,000, all franchisees, including those who did not initially agree, must comply with the new requirement to maintain brand and system consistency. This demonstrates that Brightstar Care franchisees need to be prepared for potential additional costs and fees associated with the franchise system, and that they should actively engage with the franchisor and fellow franchisees to understand and influence these financial obligations.