I’ve been marketing to the Federal Government pretty hard the last few months since the economy in Michigan sucks and now I actually got a job to bid on…and it’s gargantuan! 3,212 various doors for base housing on Guam. Check out the attached picture.
At first I blew it off as being impossible to handle since we are just myself, the wife and a part time helper…but then I remember something taught to me in the Navy “Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ’em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
Yea, I’d have to hire a few guys. I’d have to invest in some serious shop space and production machinery. (I used to run CNC machines in a past life, so I’m fully aware of the capabilities), but why not bid real high keeping all that capital cost in mind and see what happens?
Any thoughts, experiences or reality slaps?
Replies
Good Luck! I have some experience with manufacturing. You could set up assembly for each product line.
1.) Receiving and verifying incoming stock.
2.) Detail machining
3.) Assembly with fixtures, glues and any hardware.
4.) Final sanding room
5.) Finish room then off to shipping.
The secret is to eliminate all down time between stages.
Good Luck with your contract.
Woodworker3301.
Mumda,
My two biggest initial concerns are (A)- Those louvered doors could turn into a nightmare of epic proportions if you have never actually done them before. And (B)- Strange things can happen to large flat wooden assemblies when they are shipped halfway around the world. They tend not to stay flat, and the army has a lot of real flat straight-edges to check each and every one of them in their quality control procedures. There must be a reason they are considering jobbing this out to a small shop, and I'll bet it isn't just for good public relations. I would avoid this thing like the plague.
This job isn't jobbed out to a small shop, the entire construction project is given to a huge corporation in Guam that is required to get as much a possile from small business per the Federal Small Business Acquisition Regulations.EDIT: The shipping concern is very scary though! Thanks.
Edited 4/13/2006 8:17 am ET by Mumda
Mumda'
I grew up and lived in Michigan up until 1990, so I know how things can be there. Totally reliant on the auto industry, and very depressed right now from what I hear. If you are bidding on this as part of a small business involvment requirement, you may get the "kid gloves" treatment on some issues (usually insurance and bonding requirements as well as a better payment schedule) and this could help you out a lot. If this job has a long time frame where you could send some smaller shipments early to make sure everything goes according to Hoyle, then it might be a fine opportunity. But if they want everything on the typical compressed schedule, I would be very wary.
I hate to see a company take a job out of desperation. I job must be evaluated on it's merits and on a reasonable expectation of success, however we have been in business for fifteen years and understand all too well that sometimes we must take riskier projects to keep the golden goose laying. My feeling is that this project, from my limited knowledge of it, is going to be a long, tough road that could end in disaster, which would leave you in a far worse position than you may already find yourself. Are you sure you have tried all other avenues for finding work in your region? Try Dodge reports if you haven't already. They always have a wealth of commercial work available to bid on as a subcontractor.
Best of luck to you.
Thanks for the great words of wisdom. Part of my bid requirement is that I have to tell them the schedule. I plan to bid everything high including the time it takes to do it...lots of financial and time excess in case I do actually get it.
You've got maybe 3/4 of the best flush door manufacturers in the industry living right there in your back yard.(Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio) They're too good and too cheap not to use for all of the flush doors on this project. Stile and rail doors can be manufactured by some of the same people as the flush doors.
They can pre-machine and pre-finish those doors to almost ANY specification the Feds can throw your way.
Sitting down here in Texas, it seems to me that you could make a few phone calls and get anything you might need locally.
Terry
"Kinky for Gov. of Texas"
GET WITH THE SBA THEY ARE A GREAT HELP TO PEOPLE IN YOUR SITUATION.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled