"We simply ask you pay a small fee of $9.99 to cover the administrative costs related to setup, review of your evaluations, assigning a rating and moving you into the pool of SSI rated evaluators."
Administrative costs? A shopper who chooses not to pay, gets their membership set up, and their evaluations reviewed and rated. The shopper becomes a rated evaulator, sans SSI-paid-for-rating. The shopper keeps their money and does not swim in the pool.
"We will always choose rated valuators first for available assignments. You can, however, choose not to pay the nominal fee. If you choose the free evaluator program, you will still have the possibility to receive assignments in your area, but not on a first choice basis."
Shops have rotations. If there's a shopper who paid to swim in the SSI pool, s/he still has to wait their turn. And, a shopper does not know, before paying, if there are available assignments. There is no job board, even for the SSI swimmers. In my area, I gather most shoppers don't swim. I am called and asked to take assignments, regardless of rotation.
"Rated evaluators will always be chosen first, as their quality rating will ensure our clients receive the best evaluators available."
Paying for a rating should never equate to a quality evaluator. It's a $9.99 pig in a poke. If I knew, in advance, the shops offered, and wanted them badly enough, I could make an informed choice to pay to swim. That's not the way they do business.