"ROOFING and ROOFING SERVICES ABUSED by PURCHASING COOPERATIVES"

Friends:

I do this because it affects YOUR schools, YOUR courthouses, YOUR fire departments, YOUR police stations, and YOUR hospitals and subsequentially, YOUR children.

I do not derive 1 cent of income from this site, from the 3,700 members of Roof Consultant's Alliance, or anywhere else.  It is easy enough for me to produce record confirming my statements.

It's been proven time and again that Purchasing Cooperatives have no business in construction services.  They are non-credentialed, non-supported, without authority to exclude competition as they do.

PURPOSEFULLY, they exclude fair competition, and replace it with a perverted "line item" structure that is contrary to the public's interest.  Most people I believe, would choose the acceptable, "fair competition" theme.  This requires "Invitation to Bid" in the local newspaper, a roofing consultant to determine best method as well as write specifications that are inclusive of at least 4 manufacturers.  That done,  contractors may choose from the manufacturers base then submit their responsible bid.

Fair competition bids are read from a sealed envelope aloud in a public forum, where even YOU are welcome to attend.  Doesn't that seem forthright and transparent?

Does the purchasing cooperative get paid their 4% commission to "Save" money?  Construction money is big, and that 4% can be further increased by choosing "Preferred Vendors" with inflated pricing.  No different than a car salesman (apologies).

The "end around" game is costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in the roofing discipline.  I won't render an estimate of the overall damage as it pertains to other trades.

IT IS A SCAM. They will even teach you how to get around that nasty "Competition" thing.  The one thing standing in their way, that prohibits them from being more outrageous than they already are?   YOU! 

No matter how hard anyone tries, it will always come down to that, so they must create a "Diversion" which is their "Interpretation" of what FAIR competition means.

The LAW is clear. The spirit of the law is clear.

I may be rambling again but I am also offering support data to back it up, as I always do.

"Miami Today"

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/2014/03/19/taxpayers-businesses-losers-bid-preference-legislation/

"Texas Insider" :

http://www.texasinsider.org/%E2%80%9Cbuyboard%E2%80%9D-official-admits-tasb-administered-agency-allowed-vendors-to-write-own-bid-specs/

"News Channel 4 - Oklahoma City"

http://kfor.com/2013/03/13/allegations-leveled-against-state-roofing-program/

"The GSA needs a top to bottom Gutting".

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/gsa-top-to-bottom-gutting-article-1.1062586

I think you will find this informative piece by the FBI interesting.  In it, they list their "Priorities".

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2010/march/corruption_032610

Public Corruption
Why It’s Our #1 Criminal Priority

03/26/10

Public corruption is a breach of trust by federal, state, or local officials—often with the help of private sector accomplices. It’s also the FBI’s top criminal investigative priority. To explain why the Bureau takes public corruption so seriously and how we investigate, we talked with Special Agent Patrick Bohrer, assistant section chief of our Public Corruption/Civil Rights program at FBI Headquarters.

Question: Why is public corruption so high on the FBI’s list of investigative priorities? 
Answer: Because of its impact. Corrupt public officials undermine our country’s national security, our overall safety, the public trust, and confidence in the U.S. government, wasting billions of dollars along the way. This corruption can tarnish virtually every aspect of society. For example, a border official might take a bribe, knowingly or unknowingly letting in a truck containing weapons of mass destruction. Or corrupt state legislators could cast deciding votes on a bill providing funding or other benefits to a company for the wrong reasons. Or at the local level, a building inspector might be paid to overlook some bad wiring, which could cause a deadly fire down the road.

Read the full article:  http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2010/march/corruption_032610

I am going to break down individual purchasing cooperatives, using their own words, on my next post.  It will include common offenders AEPA, Keystone, TCPN, U.S. Communities, and others.

As you watch the news tonight, you will observe the damage visited upon you by  "closed door" meetings, "no bid" contract awards, and the astonishing waste of your money in other ways.  You will see it as a "culture", rather than a service, or true function on your behalf.

I advise all public administrators, FM departments, schools, fire, police, courthouse, and hospital to conduct a "Fair and Open Bid".  Do not accept an 'interpretation" of a purchasing cooperative. It is against the law, and you are the ones "signing off" on it .  You are betting your career.

Like the person who pretended to be a civilized director of two VA hospitals in the Cleveland area.  WARNING:  If you are having a good day, don't read it.  It is almost too vicious for me to imagine, but here he is:

http://www.durabilityanddesign.com/news/?fuseaction=view&id=11089&nl_versionid=3894

Already confessed to more than 20 counts of bribery.

I'll bet that $500,000.00 in kickbacks doesn't seem so appetizing now.  I will work hard to find out who "Business 75" is, and report back.

If anyone wishes to share an experience, you may write to my central address:

RobertRSolomon@aol.com

The sad part is, I can go on with this for days.

Working on a couple of new concepts for this blog, to include audio/video, so I can expose the criminals on "YouTube".

I  bring the data.  You be the judge.

I am overwhelmed with emotion as I see over 40,000 views from across the globe.  Humbled that you care one bit about what I have to say. I am thankful many times over.

Friends, I encourage you to reject negativity in all forms, and always remember to  keep looking "UP".

Respect,

Robert R. "Ron" Solomon

Director, Roof Consultant's Alliance

Public Procurement Analyst

CCC 1325620