Wednesday, February 5, 2014

"Champions of Fairness in Public Roofing Procurement"

This post is intended as support for the few who sacrifice each day, so others may have opportunity.

I will encourage all public administrators, manufacturers, consultant's, distributors, and contractors to pay close attention, as it affects your livelihood.

Record regarding public roofing procurement, and those who may lead you astray.  By "astray", I mean jail.

My all time favorite:    http://schoolroofingscam.blogspot.com/

Ms. Janet Campbell's  very impressive site dedicated (and I do mean dedicated) to exposing roofing scams in public works.  Your skin will crawl when you see the hundreds of millions of dollars in waste, fraud, and deceit., perpetrated on our schools.

Janet is an architect by credential, and trade.  She backs up every word she says with public record, and "names names".  Ms. Campbell is my original inspiration, and I've followed her fine work for years.  Her sacrifice on behalf of the roofing discipline is unequalled, and I suggest material manufacturers she is fighting for, or against, pay great attention.

She has been kind enough to furnish very important reference material, and allows me to share a portion of it with you here.  NOBODY fights harder for you (manufacturers, consultants, distributors, and contractors) than Janet Campbell.

Another inspiration, and champion of "Fairness" to taxpayers:

http://diana-vice.blogspot.com/

Much respect to Ms. Diana Vice, another champion of the taxpayers and our discipline.  Her story is heroic (at minimum), and I challenge you to put yourself in her place.  Again, I am reminded of the word "Sacrifice", because "The Usual Suspects" have been cruel to her, and want her silenced.  She will not break.

Why do you think Ms. Campbell, and Ms. Vice do this?  They do it because they are compelled to tell the truth.  They receive absolutely no financial benefit, or personal advancement.

Here it comes:

I am ASHAMED of the roofing material manufacturers who stand by and allow them to suffer, while you gain.  It's time you stop wringing your hands, while they do the dirty work.

I would be willing to bet that their advocacy work provides more contracting opportunities for your firms than your "Top 10 Salesmen" (combined).  When will you grasp that you cannot "sell" in territories where you are "excluded" from competition?

What an incredible disservice to your sales force, as you insist they increase revenue in saturated territories.

I had to throw that barb in because the manufacturers I describe as "Honest" do not seem to grasp the "Urgency" of our cause.  It's time to either "step up", or consider yourselves part of the problem.  I am speaking for myself, and not on behalf of Janet, or Diana.  I suspect their feeling of frustration to be similar however.

It is because of them that we are successful with Oklahoma S. B. 630, which allows "Fair Competition" for ALL TRADES.  Rep. Jason Murphey estimates this will SAVE his state approximately $100,000,000.00 annually.



The grueling, and cruel path to these successes is inhumane.  Even Rep. Murphey is shocked by the immoral tactics of politics:

http://www.hd31.org/blog.php?title=The-Defeat-of-the-Special-Interests-

http://www.hd31.org/blog.php?title=The-Dark-Strategies-of-the-Most-Powerful-Lobbyists


Jason Murphey's Blog.

POSTS FROM REPRESENTATIVE MURPHEY's BLOG

The Dark Strategies of the Most Powerful Lobbyists

By:  | Monday, December 23rd, 2013 11:15:34 AM | 
"This year Governor Fallin signed SB 630 to close down the wasteful practice of sole specing. Those who make money from sole specing didn't appear to be paying attention to the bill as it passed without opposition. After Governor Fallin signed the bill, they realized what had happened and charged their lobbyists with the unenviable task of undoing our reform. Since the legislative session was nearing an end, they couldn't just file a new bill. They had to find a pre-existing bill, take over that bill, and keep legislators from discovering the heinous nature of their proposal". "Their actions serve as a tutorial 101 about the secretive and dark form of art used by Oklahoma's very best and, in this case, most desperate lobbyists".

While those of lesser ambition struggle to find courage, I will share a short success story, and it actually ends with my genuine appreciation of  the FIRST Purchasing Cooperative EVER, to see our plight, and reject those who are the cause.

NJPA was reasonable, and we were able to find areas of agreement.  One of those areas included 3rd. party "Independent" RCI consultants.  RCI subsequently met with NJPA after I received this letter from NJPA.



I want to personally, and publicly, thank Counsel for NJPA, Misty Myers, for negotiating fairly, and in good faith.  The huge roofing contractors that belong to their cooperative did absolutely NOTHING, given a chance to lead, they recoiled instead.  I am talking about firms that exceed 100M in sales per year.

So, the job fell to me instead.  I cannot tell you how crushing their apathy was, and I consider their "Honor & Integrity" laughable.

The "Honor & Integrity" goes to Ms. Campbell, and Ms. Vice; not the "World's Largest Roofers".

I am deeply appreciative of your time with me, and thankful you care one bit about what I have to say.

Reject negativity in all forms, and always remember to keep looking "UP".

Respect,

Robert R. "Ron" Solomon
Director, Roof Consultant's Alliance
CCC 1325620

Domicile:  Tampa, Florida