tendering for local authority work..third party.

[Graham]

Talk about biting the hand that feeds.

 

If you are quoting the amount you want, getting the work and getting paid, whats the problem????

 

You may just find you end up with nothing.

 

I'd just carry on subbing and say nowt.

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

Talk about biting the hand that feeds.

 

If you are quoting the amount you want, getting the work and getting paid, whats the problem????

 

You may just find you end up with nothing.

 

Not biting the hand that feeds.

 

I am quoting the work ..but they add there large percentage on. When competing against another 3 companies for the work that can make a big difference to winning ro losing the work. I do all the work inc spending many days driving around quoting...so when work is lost they don't lose anything..but i do.

 

Also its stricly business Skyhuck so applying to tender direct is not back stabbing esp when i am the business with the skills / equipment. Thats how businesses grow. yeah i may end up losing out on both...but taking risks must be done to succeed.

[Tom D]

Huck is spot on, I have done £00,000's of work as a subcontractor, I'd be mad to try and poach their clients direct. I charge the same as I otherwise would so what's the problem?

In these difficult times take whatever work you can get and be grateful...

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

Huck is spot on, I have done £00,000's of work as a subcontractor, I'd be mad to try and poach their clients direct. I charge the same as I otherwise would so what's the problem?

In these difficult times take whatever work you can get and be grateful...

 

its good to hear other points of view. some food for thought. I think you are all forgetting that this is public contracts.

 

I am not approaching there clients though..e.g public contracts scotland. Local authority work can be tendered by anyone. All i am doing is trying to tender direct so my business gets the full benefit from the work. I would never approach clients of another contractor when working for them as a sub-contractor but in this case it is different as the goverment encourages other businesses to tender for work esp in this climate as they are after best quotes. I am sure that the local authority would rather have Arb company quoting and undertaking the work direct for cheaper than having a middle man with no qualifications put a large percentage on top. ( I lose 50% of work quoted for due to this which is about 4 days every month driving around quoting wasted )

 

the benefits outway the risks. - win more work, build good relationship up with local authority and build business more.

 

I think a lot of folk are scared to take any risks and thats why cleaning, security ( jack of al trades ) companies are subbing out tree work to established tree surgery companies.

[skyhuck]

its good to hear other points of view. some food for thought. I think you are all forgetting that this is public contracts.

 

I am not approaching there clients though..e.g public contracts scotland. Local authority work can be tendered by anyone. All i am doing is trying to tender direct so my business gets the full benefit from the work. I would never approach clients of another contractor when working for them as a sub-contractor but in this case it is different as the goverment encourages other businesses to tender for work esp in this climate as they are after best quotes. I am sure that the local authority would rather have Arb company quoting and undertaking the work direct for cheaper than having a middle man with no qualifications put a large percentage on top. ( I lose 50% of work quoted for due to this which is about 4 days every month driving around quoting wasted )

 

the benefits outway the risks. - win more work, build good relationship up with local authority and build business more.

 

I think a lot of folk are scared to take any risks and thats why cleaning, security ( jack of al trades ) companies are subbing out tree work to established tree surgery companies.

 

Sounds like your minds made up

 

Not sure why you started the thread??????

[Rupe]

thanks for advice rupe.

 

Is there insurance companies that insure for tree works for non qualifed or does it just come under landscaping?

 

Does having insurance bonds make a big difference when they choose who can tender?

 

I woul dhave thought there is insurance for companies to use sub contractors of different trades (completely different) to carry out seperate contracts in the way you are describing.

 

I've not really heard of insurance bonds so cant help there, sorry.

 

If you can get on directly with the council then go for it, but it might be that they just dont do it that way. i.e. they have 3-4 big companies doing things like security and then all small stuff (tree work is probably a small expense) is done through those larger companies.

 

Where I live I guess I'm lucky, tree work is a big enough thing to the town and we have two full time tree officers issuign work of the highest quality to decent small firms like me.

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

Sounds like your minds made up

 

Not sure why you started the thread??????

 

I am looking for different opinions.

 

Like you say i could lose all the work so maybe i should just be happy with what i have.

 

Tough decision as rupe says it could be large companies getting sent through little jobs and it could be to much hassle for the council to have so many different trades.

[easy-lift guy]

It seems to be a matter of principle on the part of Czlowiek that is the bone of contention?. I believe since you presently have work as a sub-contractor you will carry on as is, for now. You may not like your present relationship and in time you will change

that situation. Of course many folks don't have work on both sides of the pond.

Nothing better than having more work, how one manages afterwards is the real

trick!

easy-lift guy

[Tom D]

You seem to be missing the point regarding subcontractor insurance, the reason your insurer insists that any bona fide subby has his own insurance (as main contractor it is your responsibility to check) is that they are washing their hands of any liability.

 

The security firm that you subby to don't need arb insurance. You have the insurance.. all they are required to do is check your insurance is up to the standard required by their client and off you go. If I bring a subby in with a 360 digger I don't need groundworks insurance, I just need to make sure that the subby has it.

There is a lot of confusion regarding this in our industry, if you employ subbys they must have their own cover, or you must cover them on your employers liability policy, either as part time employees or hired in labour.

No employers cover, and no subby insurance = no cover. simples.

[skyhuck]

This situation is far from uncommon, large public bodies prefer to deal with a few large organisations rather than lots of small ones.

 

Take the maintenance of our Mways, the contract as a whole goes to the likes of Mac alpine (sp) they then sub the veg control work to the likes of fountains, who then often sub that to others.

 

Trying to side step this and get in on the top floor is often very,very difficult and tends to burn many bridges if tried.