What are 'Top Down Accounts' in the context of the City Wide National Business Development Program?
City_Wide Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
for use in your franchise office as recommended by CITY WIDE.
National Business Development Program
CITY WIDE has established a program focused on attracting and servicing clients that have a regional or national presence ("National Business Development Program"). While CITY WIDE has the right to establish and maintain such a program, it has no obligation to do so; CITY WIDE reserves the right to modify or discontinue the National Business Development Business Program at any time upon written notice to you. (See Section 3.6 of the Franchise Agreement). The details of the National Business Development Program are included in the Operating Manual and other written communications from CITY WIDE.
Notably, there are two aspects of the National Business Development Program. CITY WIDE may establish various national accounts ("National Accounts") to be serviced by multiple franchisees in different Designated Territories, but not necessarily in all Designated Territories. CITY WIDE has established national accounts with national companies with locations all over the United States with whom CITY WIDE typically negotiates one contract for each personal account ("National Account Contract") for the provision of facility maintenance services for all of the national account's locations ("Top Down Account"). CITY WIDE also might be designated a preferred vendor by a regional or national account ("Preferred Vendor Account").
Insurance Requirements
You must obtain and maintain, at your own expense, the insurance coverages that CITY WIDE periodically requires and satisfy other insurance-related obligations. Where permissible, all insurance policies must name City Wide Franchise Company, Inc. as an additional insured. The current required insurance types and minimum coverages as further described below and in the Operating Manual, include but are not limited to the following:
Insurance Types and Minimum Coverages:
Comprehensive General Liability $1,000,000 per occurrence
Aggregate $2,000,000 per occurrence
Hired/Non-Owned Auto Coverage $1,000,000 per occurrence
Cyber Insurance $1,000,000 per occurrence
Crime/Employee Dishonesty $100,000 per occurrence
Employment Practices liability insurance
Worker's Compensation Statutory Benefits (must at least satisfy the minimum obligations of the state in which you operate)
Business Interruption Insurance coverage for actual losses sustained (calculated on an annualized basis with the Support Center, ahead of coverage renewal)
Recommended (required if client requires it):
- General Liability Umbrella $5,000,000 (recommended, required if client requires it)
- Employee Honesty Bond $50,000 (recommended, required if client requires it)
- Errors and Omissions insurance (recommended)
If you provide service to a National Account, you must carry the types and coverages of insurance required by each National Account Contract and you are solely responsible to ensure that any subcontractors you use to perform the services to a National Account also carries the required types and cove
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Wide's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, 'Top Down Accounts' are a component of the National Business Development Program, which focuses on attracting and servicing clients with a regional or national presence. Specifically, City Wide establishes national accounts with companies that have locations across the United States, negotiating a single contract for each account. These contracts are for providing facility maintenance services to all of the national account's locations; these accounts are referred to as 'Top Down Accounts.'
City Wide may secure an order for services within a franchisee's designated territory through any distribution channel. If City Wide secures such an order, it will first offer the order to the franchisee at the price City Wide established with the Top-Down Account. However, if the franchisee is unable or unwilling to fulfill the order, City Wide's affiliate, Arete Facility Management, LLC, or another third party designated by City Wide (including another franchisee), may fulfill the order. The franchisee will not receive compensation for any order they do not service.
If a Top-Down Account is located in a franchisee's designated territory but is serviced by Arete or another franchisee in an adjacent territory, the franchisee must pay a fee to Arete or the other franchisee to take over servicing that order. If Arete is servicing the National Account, the fee paid to Arete will be contributed to the National Marketing Fund. Franchisees are required to participate and cooperate in the National Business Development Program, including adhering to specific marketing and distribution guidelines outlined in the Operating Manual and other communications from City Wide. Franchisees providing services to National Accounts must also maintain the insurance types and coverages required by each National Account Contract and ensure that any subcontractors they use also carry the necessary insurance.