To enter the First-Time CIMS Certification Contest (“Contest”), you, on behalf of yourself and your organization, must agree to abide by these Official Rules (“Official Rules”).

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

1. Sponsors. Kikkoman Biochemifa Company (“Kikkoman”) and the International Sanitary Supply Association (“ISSA”), 10275 W. Higgins Road, Suite 280, Rosemont, Illinois 60018; [email protected] (collectively, the “Sponsors”).
2. Eligibility. The Contest is open to entrants that, at the time of entry and throughout the Contest Period and prize fulfillment period, as set forth below, are:
   1. An organization that is a registered business entity with a physical location in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia;
   2. Operating within the professional cleaning or facility solutions industry;
   3. New to CIMS Certification; and
   4. Interested in pursuing first-times CIMS Certification.

   Employees, officers, directors of the Sponsors, and their immediate family members and/or those who are living in the same household as any Sponsor entity, are not eligible to enter their organization in the Contest. “Immediate Family Members” shall mean spouse, parents, stepparents, siblings, stepsiblings, children, and stepchildren. “Household Members” shall mean people who share the same residence at least three months a year, whether related or not. Organizations that have previously been CIMS Certified and/or are seeking CIMS Re-Certification are not eligible. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW and subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Participation constitutes entrant’s (on behalf of the individual submitting the entry and the organization) full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Sponsors’ decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest. To be considered for winning, an entrant must satisfy all eligibility criteria contained herein.

3. Contest Period. The Contest begins at 9:00 a.m. CST on September 14, 2026, and ends at 11:59 pm CST on November 30, 2026 (“Contest Period”). All entries must be received within the Contest Period.
4. How to Enter. During the Contest Period, you may enter online at https://cims.issa.com/win-complimentary-cims-certification/. You must complete the entry form and submit an original essay answering the following question: How would CIMS Certification benefit your organization? The essay will be judged in accordance with the criteria set forth in Section 5. There is a limit of one entry per individual on behalf of an organization, and there is a limit of one submission per organization. For the avoidance of doubt, an individual may not submit an entry on behalf of more than one organization.
5. Winner Selection and Criteria. This is a skills-based promotion. The winner will not be selected by a random drawing. Unlike a random sweepstakes, this is a contest based on skill. Entries will be judged and scored by a qualified panel of judges from ISSA based on the following criteria:
   1. Demonstrated Organizational Need (40%): Evaluate how clearly the submission identifies specific organizational needs, challenges, and/or opportunities that a CIMS Certification could help address.
   2. Potential Organization Impact (40%): Evaluate how effectively the submission explores the anticipated impact of CIMS Certification on the organization.
   3. Quality, Clarity, and Specificity (20%): Evaluate the quality, clarity, specificity, and overall execution of the submission, including the writing used to communicate Sections 5(a) and 5(b).
6. Winner Notification. The potential winner will be notified by email on December 11, 2026. Before being declared the winner (“Winner”), the potential winner will required to acknowledge notice and complete, sign, and return a Confirmation of Eligibility, Liability and Indemnifcation, and Publicity Release, as well as any other documents that may be required by Sponsor (“Prize Document”). The Prize Document must be completed and submitted to Sponsor within five days of the notification date. Failure to respond to the initial notification within five days of notification, upon the notification of email undeliverable after two attempts, or failure to return the completed and signed Prize Documents will result in disqualification and selection of the next highest scoring eligible entrant.

Except where prohibited by law, Winner, on behalf of itself and its officers, directors, employees, and agents (“Winner Parties”), grants (and agrees to confirm in writing via the Prize Document) permission for the Released Parties, as identified in Section 8, to use Winner and Winner Parties’ name, photograph, voice, likeness, and/or statements made by, or attributed to Winner, or a Winner Party, in all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, including, without limitation, on the World Wide Web, social media platforms, and all other media, without notice, review, or approval, or further compensation and in perpetuity. Winner represents and warrants that it shall obtain all necessary consents from its Winner Parties for and on behalf of Sponsors.

The Winner will be issued an IRS Form 1099-MISC for tax purposes in the amount of the actual fair market value of the prize, as set forth in Section 7 below, and must submit a tax identification number, as required by law. All federal, state, and local income taxes incurred in conjunction with acceptance of the prize are solely the responsibility of the Winner.

7. Prize and Fair Market Value. The Winner will receive a first-time CIMS Certification (“Prize”), with no cash alternative. The fair market value of the Prize is $7,500.00. The Winner agrees that, by accepting the Prize, Winner shall abide any and all terms and conditions applicable to CIMS Certification https://cims.issa.com/cims-standard-overview/.
8. Indemnification. By entering, entrants agree that Sponsors and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents (collectively “Released Parties”) will have no liability whatsoever, and shall be released and held harmless by entrants, for any injuries, claims, losses or damages of any kind to persons, including death, or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of the Prize or participation in this Contest or participation in any Contest-related activity, or entrant’s failure to comply with the Official Rules. The Released Parties shall not be liable to Winner or any other person for failure to supply the Prize or any part thereof, by reason of any acts of God, any action(s), regulation(s), order(s) or request(s) by any governmental or quasi-governmental entity (whether or not the action(s), regulation(s), order(s) or request(s) prove(s) to be invalid), equipment failure, terrorist acts, earthquake, war, fire, flood, explosion, unusually severe weather, hurricane, embargo, labor dispute or strike (whether legal or illegal), labor or material shortage, transportation interruption of any kind, work slow-down, civil disturbance, insurrection, riot, or any other cause beyond the Released Parties’ control. The Released Parties are not responsible for failed, partial or garbled computer transmissions, or for technical failures of any kind affecting the Contest in any manner, including but not limited to electronic malfunction or damage of any network, hardware or software. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including, but not limited to, infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud or technical failures beyond Sponsor’s control that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Contest (including entries or otherwise), Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual, whether or not the individual is a participant in the Contest, who tampers with the entry process, and to terminate, modify or suspend the Contest.
9. Limitation of Liability. In no event shall Sponsors be liable for loss of profits or for any special, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages in connection with or arising out of the Contest and the Official Rules, whether arising by statute, contract, tort, or otherwise, even if it is aware of the possibility of the occurrence of such damages. Notwithstanding the above, in no event shall Sponsors’ liability exceed the Prize fair market value.
10. Governing Law and Disputes. Except where prohibited by law, entrants agree that: (a) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with the administration of this Contest, or the awarding of the Prize, including but not limited to the determination of the Winner, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; (b) any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited in accordance with Section 9 and further limited to only actual out-of-pocket costs incurred by entrant in entering the Contest and, in no event, will this include entrant’s attorneys’ fees and costs; (c) expressly waives the right to any lost profits or any special, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages; and (d) entrant waives the right to a jury trial. Except as prohibited by law, if Sponsor(s) is the prevailing party(ies), then entrant shall be responsible for all of the Sponsor(s)’s attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in any legal proceeding arising hereunder. The Official Rules shall be construed in accordance with Illinois law, without regard to the conflict of laws doctrines of Illinois or any other jurisdiction. Each Party hereby irrevocably consents to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the Illinois state courts located in Cook County, Illinois.
11. Miscellaneous. These Official Rules constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the Contest, and supersedes all prior negotiations, agreements, representations, and understandings of any kind, whether written or oral, between the Sponsors and an entrant and/or Winner. The failure of a Sponsor to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute the waiver of such provision. In the event any portion of the Official Rules is held illegal, void, or ineffective, the remaining portions shall remain in full force and effect. The Winner may not assign the Prize to any other party. Any attempt to assign the Prize may result in disqualification in accordance with Section 6.
12. Privacy. By submitting an entry, entrant acknowledges that the information provided will be shared with both ISSA and Kikkoman. Information collected from entrants is subject to ISSA’s Privacy Policy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, by submitting an entry, entrant further agrees to receive promotional communications regarding CIMS, industry resources, products, educational opportunities, and related offerings. Entrant may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time.
13. Notices. All notices under these Official Rules shall be submitted in writing via email to [email protected] or to the mailing address listed in Section 1.