Is Bumper Man required to approve any particular supplier?
Bumper_Man Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
n the Manual.
If we require that an item be purchased from an approved supplier and you wish to purchase it from a supplier we have not approved, you must submit to us a written request for approval, and must include pertinent information about the supplier as required in the Manual. You may not purchase or lease the item from the supplier until and unless we have approved the supplier in writing. We have the right to require you to submit information, specifications, and samples to us to enable us to determine whether the item complies with our standards and specifications and that the supplier meets our criteria. We also have the right to inspect the supplier's facilities and to have samples from the supplier delivered to us or to any independent laboratory we designate for testing. We may condition our approval of a supplier on requirements relating to product quality, prices, consistency, reliability, financial compatibility, labor relations, client relations, frequency of delivery, concentration of purchases, standards of service (including prompt attention to complaints) or other criteria. We may re-inspect the facilities and products of any approved supplier, and we may revoke our approval upon the suppliers' failure to continue to meet any of our then-current criteria. You must reimburse us for the costs that we incur in the supplier approval process. We are not required to approve any particular supplier. We will notify you of our approval or disapproval within 30 days. Our specifications for products and services and criteria for supplier approval are generally issues through written communications and are available to franchisees and approved suppliers.
We do not derive revenue from your purchases and leases to the extent you purchase or lease products or services from us. We further do not receive material benefits from suppliers based on your purchases or leases. During our 2024 fiscal year, we did not receive any income from franchisees' purchases of products or services or from leases by franchisees. We do not receive any money, rebates, or advertising allowances from approved suppliers. Neither we nor any of our officers owns an interest in any approved supplier.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 18–20)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bumper Man's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Bumper Man is not required to approve any particular supplier. However, if a franchisee wants to use a supplier that Bumper Man has not already approved, the franchisee must submit a written request for approval, including pertinent information about the supplier as required in the Manual. The franchisee cannot purchase or lease the item from the unapproved supplier unless Bumper Man provides written approval.
Bumper Man has the right to request information, specifications, and samples to determine if the supplier meets their standards. They can also inspect the supplier's facilities and have samples tested at an independent laboratory. Approval may be based on factors like product quality, prices, consistency, financial compatibility, and service standards. Bumper Man can also re-inspect approved suppliers and revoke approval if they no longer meet the criteria. The franchisee is responsible for reimbursing Bumper Man for the costs of the supplier approval process. Bumper Man will notify the franchisee of their decision within 30 days.
Bumper Man estimates that required purchases and leases from approved suppliers will make up the majority of the franchisee's initial investment, approximately 80%, covering equipment, tools, vehicles, products, and services. Furthermore, they estimate that up to 1% of the franchisee's expenditures to operate the Bumper Business will be comprised of required purchases and leases of products and services. This indicates that while franchisees can propose new suppliers, a significant portion of their supplies must come from Bumper Man-approved sources.