Interesting Architect coversation on job bid

[visual800]

I am bidding a school, interior and exterior packages. After going thru hell to get the specs (because architects know better than sign people) I see that not only have they specified the usual sinage applications with confusing words like polypropheleneacetate with extramolecular tight grid double sided tape (tranlates to plastic sign with tape on back) they also have specified to use certain CERTIFIED vendors for each application. Interior signs-one vendor, metal letters-2nd vendor...and so on. The odd thing I saw about these vendors were they were actually sign compnaies NOT our typical places to get stuff like Gemini or advance and so on.

The first thing I thought is, "This is absolute BS!" I called up the architectual firm and finally got thru to a guy handling this project. I just simply wanted to ask WHY, they deemed it necessary to require ordering from their guys when they could save tons of money by not middle manning the project to the consumer (school). after a lengthly conversation which felt like I was talking to a damn scientist at NASA, he explained these vendors would produce the signs in house and they have been certified by the firm.

We all in here know that is not true. There are too many compnaies specializing in producing products that cannot sensibly be made in-house.I then turned around and called the contractor bidding this job and explained this to them how tons of money could be saved by bidding thru my own guys or in-house production. He was all for it as long as the products werew exactly the same and same materials, i explained they would be.

has anyone ever ran into this? I have been doing this for 25 years and have NEVER run across the firms stating who to get signage from? i do not like architects I feel they are damaging to our business by taking over the items we specialize in. they seem to cater to the lastest and greatest new shiny things on the market. Which is not always the best thing to do.

 

[J Hill Designs]

I've always seen 'or equivalent' after vendor lists on arch plans

 

[visual800]

I've always seen 'or equivalent' after vendor lists on arch plans

There was no indication on these plans, it was laid out pretty firmly these compnaies would be the provider

 

[SignManiac]

Nothing wrong with the good ole boy network. I get plenty of work where I'm specked as the approved vendor and no one else can get their foot in the door. It's an age old game that is played every day. Always good to know the right people in high places. That's how our government has always operated.

 

[visual800]

The good old boy system can suck it

 

[royster13]

Submit the bid based on your choice of vendors......It should end up being a lower amount and despite that it will be rejected......This shoukld cause an interesting discussion at a future board meeting.....There is usually a "keener" on the board that will notice and raise the issue....

 

[hansman]

ahhh the good ol "system"
Kind of like the $1000 light bulb and how many government employees does it take to change it.
Unless you know someone or are married to someone who knows someone forget about it.

 

[Rick]

Part of my job was writing specifications for architects
and environmental graphic design firms. The reason why
specifications are so precise is to weed out the hacks and
create a standard. In some instances, I have had to insert
approved vendors on a few projects but always had the
"or equal" on the specs.

One thing scary about sending these projects out to bid
is getting back numbers from sign shops with some insanely
low number. A well written spec usually evens out the playing
field. It also covers the architect butt if something goes wrong.

I personally like working with architects and EGD firms.
They pay well, on time, and get to work on significant
projects that rarely deal with some ridiculously low budget.
The bad parT is looking up lame standardS from ANSI and ATSM

 

[CanuckSigns]

It quite common up here, we do a lot of school work for architects, the best is when the vendor they insist you use has been out of business for 15 years, it shows you how often the specs are just copy/pasted without any thought put into it at all.

we like doing these types of jobs, there is generally a healthy profit in it, the only down side is you generally have to wait 90-120 days to get paid, we just got a cheque for a job we did in August, generally you submit the invoice, they wait 60 days before telling you you missed signing a certain form, they insist on you mailing the original to them, and they don't look at it again for another 30 days

 

[Graphic Destruction]

The Architects get a % of those signs, they get a % of EVERYTHING going in. They purposely spec the highest price stuff so they can make more jing. I hate getting a bid packet and having to go through this with Architects. I just did one recently where they spec'd steel blanks for parking signage. Steel..... and it HAD to be screen printed for one offs.