Tuesday, April 23, 2013

"The Dark Side of Roofing, and Government Purchasing Co-Op's"


“Government Purchasing Co-Op’s Destroying Schools”

Purchasing agencies try to justify their existence by telling us sheep that:

1.)     We buy in bulk, and pass the savings to you.

2.)    Our bargaining power saves money.

3.)    You don’t have to worry about “Competition”, because we’ve already done that for you.

Now that kind of sounds like Wal Mart doesn’t it?  The problem for Co-Op’s is that Wal Mart actually does save you money, they’ve cut the costs, and they have a fleet of professionals always whittling away at vendors for best pricing.

Government Purchasing Co-Op’s are a bunch of administrators who get paid a COMMISSION based upon a PERCENTAGE of all goods or services.  Not very “Real Life” is it?  They get paid MORE when the goods and services cost MORE!

These “Machines” are so intertwined, so infinitely vague, and filled with chaff, that a person is unable to understand what they’re actually trying to emote.  That is intentional by the way, because they have to skirt state and federal procurement laws already in place.

I’m going to offer the verbiage of people who intentionally try to limit competition for roofing services.  I am sure all other trades, disciplines, and individuals are handled in the same exclusionary way.  But here, I talk about roofing, so we will refine our search to that .  The examples are not meant to “Single Out” anyone, but to illustrate a pattern.

GSA, and purchasing agencies are so far out of control, that they are eliminating fair competition for roofing services intentionally.  Tremco, and Garland (as examples) are the most expensive (and without additional benefit) roof systems you will find.  Coupled with an amazingly expensive “Maintenance Program” that is stealing our schools blind.

It’s interesting to me that nobody seems to know much “reality”, but that doesn’t seem to concern a purchasing agent.   Most of the time, between 30% and 50% of your roofing taxpayer dollar goes STRAIGHT into a commissioned salesman’s pocket.  How’d that feel?

All LAW is designed to protect the taxpayer’s best interest, and that their money is spent efficiently.

HERE is where the Purchasing Co-Op people have their biggest obstacle.  Since they can’t rationally argue why it’s okay to spend taxpayer dollars without competition, they “interpret” the law, or create a “committee” to “interpret” it for them.  The spirit of the law means nothing to selfish, greedy people.  A frailness of humans, I’m afraid.

Frail, or not, they are stealing your taxpayer dollars through “Relationships” which could also be described as “Collusion”.

Let’s look at a few people who claim to save you money:


E&I Cooperative Purchasing Awards Roofing and Related Services Contract to Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance, WTI

Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance together with WTI (Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc.), a subsidiary of Tremco Incorporated, announced today that they have been awarded a contract for Roofing and Related Services through Educational and Institutional (E&I) Cooperative Purchasing.

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Beachwood, OH (PRWEB) July 20, 2011

 

Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance together with WTI (Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc.), a subsidiary of Tremco Incorporated, announced today that they have been awarded a contract for Roofing and Related Services through Educational and Institutional (E&I) Cooperative Purchasing. This contract provides Tremco Roofing and WTI with a distinct product offering in the higher education marketplace.

 

Based in Jericho, New York, E&I is a member-owned, not for profit buying cooperative established by members of the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) in 1934 to provide lower costs for higher education. Current annual E&I Cooperative purchases exceed $1.5 billion, and membership is comprised of over 2,000 institutions.



 
Brian Burden, Tremco Roofing’s Market Development Manager for U.S. Education says, “The E&I contract provides Tremco Roofing and WTI with an opportunity to further expand our relationship-based sales approach into a key growth market. More importantly, it enables prospective higher education clients to work with best-in-class facilities and procurement professionals, as well as highly skilled construction contractors. When colleges and universities elect to partner with E&I and their awarded vendors, they know that proper due diligence has been done. Quality is expected and realized in both the procurement process and in the construction deliverable.”
 
The Roofing and Related Services contract will allow E&I members to access pre-competed, line-item contracts to address roofing and building envelope needs. The contract is based upon a nationally solicited request for proposal (RFP) and multiple bid responses. Ultimately, Tremco Roofing and WTI were chosen as the sole national provider for this five-year agreement.
 
About Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance
Headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio, Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance helps manage life cycles for customers in education, healthcare, government, manufacturing and many other industries. In business since 1928, Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance is a division of Tremco Incorporated, which is itself part of the RPM Building Solutions Group, an international leader in the construction, maintenance and repair markets. Tremco Roofing works closely with Tremco Incorporated subsidiary WTI, which provides general contracting and roofing services. Both Tremco Roofing and WTI are ISO 9001:2000 certified. To learn more about us, visit http://www.tremcoroofing.com or call toll free at 800-562-2728.
Isn’t that positively delightful?
They aren’t bidding on a specific school, but filled out a “line item” form, and now has a 5 YEAR CONTRACT!  The “line item” method is designed to circumvent the law.  No “Competition”, or attempt to provide “Competition” ever existed.  It can’t, because each school, and structure are different.  They are not “bidding” on anything, because no specification, drawings, or measurements exist on a “hypothetical”.
Let’s refresh your memory of how nice the Tremco (RPM)people are, and EXACTLY what they’re doing to your taxpayer dollar.
RPM posts big loss as it accounts for potential settlement of fed investigation
 
By MARK DODOSH
 8:51 am, April 4, 2013
RPM International Inc. (NYSE: RPM) has reported a big third-quarter loss as the company accounted for the potential cost of an anticipated settlement with the federal government related to an investigation of past roofing contracts with the General Services Administration.
 
The Medina-based maker of coatings and sealants said the loss in the quarter that ended Feb. 28 totaled $42.4 million, or 33 cents a share. RPM said the loss mainly was due to an estimated loss contingency of $68.8 million associated with an investigation of roofing contracts between the company's Building Solutions Group and the GSA.
 
RPM said the Building Solutions Group is in ongoing settlement discussions with the Department of Justice and the GSA aimed at resolving the investigation. The company said it is cooperating with the investigation, which involves compliance with certain pricing terms and conditions of GSA contracts under which the Building Solutions Group's roofing division sold products and services to the federal government.
 
RPM said the “substantial majority” of the contingency relates to the sale of products and services from 2002 to 2008. The company said the actual amount of the loss, which remains subject to approval by the Justice Department, may vary from the amount of the contingency.
In the third quarter of fiscal 2012, RPM earned $6.6 million, or five cents a share.
Sales at RPM rose 9%, to $843.7 million from $773.6 million.
“With the exception of our roofing division, most of our North American industrial businesses benefited from the gradual economic recovery in the U.S., especially our businesses serving commercial construction markets," RPM chairman and CEO Frank C. Sullivan said in a statement.
Reader Comments
By  at 9:40 am April 8, 2013   
The state of Ohio requires schools and State agencies to purchase Tremco thru State Term purchasing. Why isn't anyone reporting the correption involved with the State Term purchasing process. Only three companies are allowed to participate in State term purchasing of roofs on state buildings. Tremco, Garland and Durolast. These companies are not the mainstream providers of commercial roofing in the industry. The State will notlist any other company because they say their bidders list is closed to competition. The State and tax payers are not receiving competitive bids.
The reader is correct.
If you are a taxpayer wondering how the “Dark Side” of commercial roofing is robbing your schools, I will attempt to make it clear how they are doing it.
Friends we are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars diverted to a few.  It is DESIGNED to work that way, and they spend millions to make sure it LOOKS legal.  It is obvious sleight of hand, and I hope to one day testify in a Federal Court to expose them, and set further precedent.
STOP PURCHASING CO-OP’S
Roofers:  Write P.O.’s to manufacturers who do not steal: GAF, Firestone, Carlisle-Syntec, or Johns Manville.
Taxpayer:  If you see the name Tremco, or Garland, you are being ripped off.
Administrator:   If you see the name Tremco, or Garland, you are being ripped off.
Unions:   Tremco and Garland are bringing your union roofers nothing but shame.
Virtually EVERY roofing consultant on earth avoids them like the plague, and Roof Consultant’s Institute has condemned purchasing Co-Op’s.
I will suggest you all stay clear of them, and avoid the spotlight.  When you get caught, you will be all alone.
Happily, we are making great progress in the elimination of the hardships these people create for you, and our schools.
 
Please type "School Roofing Scam" into your browser, or YouTube, and there will be no shortage of public record to support my comments.  You will note the two primary players Tremco and Garland.
SHAME.  SHAME.  SHAME.
Let me humbly thank each of you for caring about what I have to say, and for spending time with me here.
Reject negativity in all forms, and always remember to keep looking “UP”.
Respect.
Robert R. “Ron” Solomon
Director, Roof Consultant’s Alliance
CCC1325620
 
 
 
 
 

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