Fuel The Future 2030 Competition (The “Competition”) Official Rules

August 4, 2022

  1. WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO ENTER
    1. This Competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students and student teams enrolled at a college or university in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont from the date of the Design Entry (defined below) submission through the date of the Awards Presentation.
    2. Teams may be comprised of up to five students. Individual submissions are also welcome.
    3. Each student, whether participating as a member of a team or individually, must be eighteen years of age or older as of the date of the Design Entry submission.
    4. Individuals who are not enrolled undergraduate or graduate students on the date of the Design Entry submission through the date of the Awards Presentation are excluded from entering this Competition either as an individual or on a team. Proof of age and college/university enrollment may be required.
    5. Employees, officers and directors (and their immediate family and household members, whether or not related) of Global Partners LP (“Sponsor”) and its general partner, affiliates and subsidiaries, and each of their respective advertising, marketing, promotional, judging and fulfillment agencies, are not eligible to enter or win this Competition.
    6. Notwithstanding the foregoing eligibility requirements, students may not participate in this Competition if prohibited from doing so by their college or university.
    7. All students who register for the Competition and submit materials or a Design Entry via a link supplied by Sponsor are referred to as “Participant(s)” or “you” or “your.” All Participants must meet the eligibility requirements as set forth above, as may be verified by Sponsor in its sole discretion, and must submit a Design Entry in accordance with these Official Rules.
  2. COMPETITION START AND END DATES
    1. The Competition opens on September 7, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”).
    2. Submissions are due no later than October 14, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
    3. Finalists will be notified in or about the last week of October 2022.
    4. The top five finalists will be invited to present their Design Entries at an Awards Presentation and Reception in or about mid-November.
    5. The winners will be announced at the Awards Presentation and Reception.
  3. HOW TO ENTER
    1. All students must register via the Competition website.
    2. To submit your proposal, you must upload all files to a link that will be forwarded by the Sponsor to all Participants who register. Include the following in your proposal, which collectively shall be referred to as the “Design Entry”:
      1. Design drawing(s)
      2. Concept description, no more than 10 pages (not counting cover page or works cited), which includes:
        1. Executive Summary of plan
        2. Description of design drawing(s) including: amenities, mix of fuels offered
        3. Challenges and opportunities
        4. How does your design address sustainability while staying realistic to where the technology is today?
      3. A list of all team members, including: name, college/university, major/area of study, anticipated year of graduation and contact information (cell phone and email).
    3. All files should be submitted as PDFs and uploaded to a link provided by Sponsor. Please include team name, a designated team leader, and the contact information for the designated team leader on each separate file submitted.
  4. ADDITIONAL ENTRY RULES
    1. NO PURCHASE OR ENTRY FEE IS REQUIRED TO ENTER THIS COMPETITION.
    2. Participants may submit only one Design Entry, either as a member of a team or as an individual.
    3. If the Competition receives no entries, too few entries or too few quality entries that meet the requirements for submission as described in these Official Rules, Sponsor reserves the right to extend the deadline for submission, delay or cancel this Competition in its sole and absolute discretion without prior notice or further conditions or terms.
  5. VERIFICATION OF PARTICIPANTS AND DESIGN ENTRIES
    1. All Design Entries, related materials, and Participants are subject to verification related to this Competition at any time and for any reason.
  6. PARTICIPANT WARRANTIES AND RELEASE BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMPETITION:
    • YOU WARRANT TO SPONSOR THAT YOU MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THE COMPETITION AND YOU PROVIDE YOUR FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL AGREEMENT TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND THE DECISIONS OF SPONSOR, WHICH ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE COMPETITION.
    • YOU RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS AND INDEMNIFY SPONSOR AND ITS GENERAL PARTNER, AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AGENTS AND ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES AND THE DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, MANAGERS, MEMBERS, STOCKHOLDERS, EMPLOYEES, SUCCESSORS AND/OR ASSIGNS OF EACH (COLLECTIVELY, THE “COMPETITION PARTIES”) FROM ANY DAMAGE, PHYSICAL HARM, INJURY, LOSS OR LIABILITY, DUE IN WHOLE OR PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO PARTICIPATION IN THIS COMPETITION OR THE ACCEPTANCE OF A PRIZE.
    • BY ACCEPTING A PRIZE, YOU AGREE TO THE USE OF YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, LIKENESS AND/OR PRIZE INFORMATION BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE SPONSOR FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES RELATED TO THE COMPETITION (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE WINNERS’ LIST) IN ANY MEDIUM WITHOUT ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
    • YOU AGREE THAT ALL ISSUES AND QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEABILITY OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES, PARTICIPANT RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS, AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE SPONSOR IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMPETITION, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY CHOICE OF LAW OR CONFLICT OF LAW RULES.
    • YOU CONSENT TO THE JURISDICTION AND VENUE OF THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL COURTS LOCATED IN SUFFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
    • EXCEPT WHERE PROHIBITED, YOU AGREE THAT: (i) ANY AND ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS, AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THIS COMPETITION OR A PRIZE WILL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION; (ii) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS, AND AWARDS WILL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, INCLUDING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERING THIS COMPETITION BUT IN NO EVENT ATTORNEYS’ FEES; AND (iii) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL YOU BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN, AND YOU HEREBY WAIVE ALL RIGHTS TO, (A) INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES AND ANY OTHER DAMAGES, OTHER THAN FOR ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES, AND (B) HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR OTHERWISE INCREASED.
  7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
    1. By participating in this Competition and submitting a Design Entry, each Participant hereby:
      • (i)Grants to Sponsor, automatically upon the submission of their Design Entry, a royalty-free, exclusive license to use, reproduce, display, and edit the Design Entry in whatever way they choose, worldwide, in any medium, in perpetuity, for the purposes of (1) promoting or advertising the Competition (including anyone authorized by Sponsor to use the Design Entry), (2) constructing projects based on any submissions or any aspect of any submissions, modified as Sponsor and its Competition Parties see fit, or (3) any other related reason;
      • (ii) waives all moral rights in and to the Design Entry (and each component thereof) associated with their Design Entry in favor of Sponsor (and anyone authorized by Sponsor to use the Design Entry);
      • and (iii) agrees to release, hold harmless, and indemnify Sponsor and the Competition Parties from and against any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses arising from use of the Design Entry (and each component thereof), including, without limitation, any claim based on publicity rights, defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement, trademark infringement or any other intellectual property right (or any other right), or other cause of action whatsoever.
    2. By participating in this Competition and submitting a Design Entry, each Participant agrees that they
      • (i) are not working on college or university sponsored research, or otherwise using/receiving college or university funds such as grants or stipends related to research;
      • (ii) are not employed by a college or university in a capacity where they would have assigned their rights to the college or university;
      • (iii) created the Design Entry and related materials without significant use of college or university facilities and materials;
      • and (iv) did not otherwise contract with the college or university or a third party to assign their rights to the Design Entry or any related materials.
    3. Notwithstanding the foregoing exclusive license, Sponsor, at its sole election, may elect to have any Participant assign any or all of their rights to the Design Entry to Sponsor.
    4. Participants understand and agree that they may not participate in this Competition if prohibited by their college or university.
  8. SUBMISSIONS AND FEEDBACK
    1. Any comments, feedback, ideas, suggestions or any other submissions and information any individual or team provides to Sponsor or Competition Parties regarding or pursuant to the Competition (“Provided Information”), through the Competition website or otherwise, are deemed to be non-confidential. Sponsor and the Competition Parties are free to use any Provided Information on an unrestricted bases, without compensation to the individual or team who submitted it.  Any individual or team who submits Provided Information agrees that no Provided Information will violate the rights of third parties, including copyright, trademark, patent, privacy or other personal or proprietary rights.  All Provided Information becomes the property of Sponsor and will not be returned.
  9. THE PRIZES
    1. Cash Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams and/or individuals:
      1. 1st Place: $10,000
      2. 2nd Place: $3,000
      3. 3rd Place: $2,000
    2. One prize check will be awarded per Design Entry, regardless of whether the Design Entry is submitted by an individual or a team. It will be up the individual team members to fairly distribute the prize among the team members. The winners are solely responsible for all taxes, fees and other expenses associated with acceptance and use of a prize. Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible submissions received.
  10. ELIGIBLE WINNER SELECTION PROCESS FOR PRIZES ONE, TWO AND THREE
    1. Sponsor’s designated judges will select the winners based on the criteria designated below.
    2. Criteria Weighting
      1. Innovative concept 30%
        Competition judges are looking for an innovative approach that rethinks the fueling station of the future.
      2. Design 20%
        Fueling station guests should be treated to a novel, visually pleasing experience at every turn.
      3. Sustainability 20%
        Proposed concepts should prioritize sustainable materials and building techniques. We are looking for a positive energy strategy that accommodates multiple fueling options, reduces carbon and is implementable in the Northeast in 2030.
      4. Feasibility 30%
        Design concepts should be feasible, given anticipated constraints of technology, business cases and more.
        TOTAL 100%
  11. ELIGIBLE PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
    1. All decisions of the judges with respect to the selection of the winners and verification are final and binding without right of appeal.
    2. The winners in accordance with these Official Rules will be formally announced at the Award Presentation and Reception event.
    3. As a condition of receiving their prize, the winners (including each member of a team) will be required to review and sign a Release Form to be provided by Sponsor. Only those winners who have signed the Release Form will be deemed “confirmed winners.”
    4. The prizes will be mailed to verified and confirmed winners as soon as possible after the Awards Presentation and Reception, in approximately fifteen business days after completion of the verification and confirmation of winners.
  12. GENERAL CONDITIONS
    1. THIS COMPETITION IS VOID OUTSIDE OF THE COMPETITION STATES AND WHERE PROHIBITED OR OTHERWISE RESTRICTED BY LAW. All applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations apply.
    2. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify or amend these Official Rules for any reason without prior notice, including without limitation, changes to any dates or timing.
    3. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify, terminate or suspend this Competition if for any reason this Competition cannot be conducted as designed or intended. If Sponsor modifies, terminates or suspends this Competition, Sponsor will post a notice on its website. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any Participant from this Competition if such Participant’s fraud or misconduct, as solely determined by Sponsor, disrupts the intended execution of this Competition or is otherwise in violation of Sponsor’s interpretation of the letter and/or spirit of this Competition or these Official Rules.
    4. Neither Sponsor nor the Competition Parties will be liable for: (i) any failure of any website or platform during this Competition; (ii) any technical malfunction or other problems of any nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, those relating to the phone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment or software; (iii) the failure of any Design Entry or other information to be received, captured or recorded for any reason whatsoever, including, but not limited to, technical problems or traffic on the internet or at any website; (iv) any injury or damage to Participant’s or any other person’s computer or other device related to or resulting from participating in this Competition; (v) anyone being incorrectly and/or mistakenly identified as a winner or a confirmed winner; (vi) any late, lost, incomplete, undeliverable, misaddressed or misdirected Design Entries, mail, email, phone calls or other communications; (vii) any errors, omissions, interruptions, deletions, defects or delays in operations or transmission of information or Design Entries; and/or (viii) any combination of the above.
    5. Sponsor reserves the right to restrict participation from any IP or MAC address, device or account if suspicious activity is detected or suspected. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for undeliverable emails resulting from any form of active or passive email filtering by a Participant’s Internet service provider or for insufficient space in a Participant’s email account to receive email or insufficient space in a Participant’s voicemail account to receive phone calls. 
    6. Sponsor reserves the right to withdraw, cancel, amend or suspend this Competition (and/or to amend these Official Rules) in any way, without prior notice or obligation, in the event of any cause that interferes with the proper conduct of this Competition, including, without limitation, any error, problem, computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud or failure, any error in printing, administration or any other kind, or for any other reason whatsoever. Any attempt to undermine the legitimate operation of this Competition in any way (as determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion) may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek remedies and damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.
    7. Sponsor reserves the right to correct errors or inconsistencies in promotional materials or in the announcement of a prize. If Competition-related promotional materials and the Official Rules are inconsistent, then the Official Rules shall govern with respect to this Competition. Sponsor, its general partner, affiliates and subsidiaries undertake no liability or responsibility, and make no warranties, express or implied, with respect to any failure to perform or negligent performance of any of their service providers or the Competition Parties in assisting with execution of this Competition.
    8. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. If any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Official Rules shall otherwise remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with the terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.
    9. By entering this Competition, each Participant expressly consents to Sponsor, its respective agents and/or representatives, storing, sharing and using the personal information submitted for the purpose of administering this Competition and in accordance with Sponsor’s privacy policy: Privacy Policy – Global Partners LP. This section does not limit any other consent(s) that an individual may provide Sponsor or others in relation to the collection, use and/or disclosure of their personal information.