Cobb County Procurement Decision is Win for Industry! Taxpayers rejoice. Much Respect to IIBEC Members.

Friends:

Today, I will rejoice.

Utmost respect to the entire IIBEC Team.  

Mr. Brian Gardner, a warrior,  has contributed many years to the discipline, and this particular objective.  

Here, I will thank him from the bottom of my heart, for a tireless spirit, and in service to others.  First hand, know the anguish, pressure, disappointment, and heartbreak he's endured.  Brian has "Determination", and an uncommon will to achieve.

Mr. Scott Hinesley, a true Professional in every way.  I admire Scott as a wonderful family man, and is glorious in his pursuit of all things noble.  If Scott tells you he knows a three legged raccoon that can tap dance, play a tambourine, and whistle "Dixie", believe it.

That's for you WH, my dear, and Honorable friend.  All Praise, and Glory to "Brother Jake" for his selfless contributions in service to his country.  'Never Forget".  AAOOAAHH!

Mr. Tom Gernetzke, Past President of RCI, hard working, caring, and has the full respect of our entire industry.  A finer person, you will not meet.  A great inspiration to me personally.

Each of them known to me, and all "Honorable" Men.  I stake my reputation of 45 years on each one.  I'd gladly confess to a homicide for any one of them.

They stood by me, when few would.  At times, can be a bit too "energetic" for my own good. 

I've spent ten years writing about "Public Roofing Oversight", and trying desperately to get through to anyone who would listen.

My Honorable Colleagues have freed me from great burden.

Every School Board Member in North America should thank them for rescuing school maintenance budgets from "Purchasing Cooperatives".

Roofing is the costliest item in public maintenance. 

Instead of "Exclusionary Practices" promoted by Purchasing Cooperatives, will follow a fair, competitive, open, and inclusive, bidding process.  Can you hear me fellow taxpayers?

Thank you to Cobb County Commission for listening, and doing the right thing.  

The fair, reasonable, rational, and Honorable thing.

By doing this, suspect taxpayers will be saving approximately 40%-50% on Roofing, and Roofing Services.

You will also retain approximately 70% of your local tax dollar since most manufacturers are locally distributed, represented, and installed.

https://rci-online.org/iibec-members-meet-with-cobb-county-officials-to-discuss-construction-procurement/

Cobb County Procurement Decision is Win for Industry

May 22, 2019 By IIBEC Communications 4 Comments

By Director of Industry Affairs Brian Gardner

IIBEC Georgia Chapter members from Cobb County, GA (Past Presidents Pat Downey and Arthur “Chip” Ward), IIBEC First Vice President Scott Hinesley, and Director of Industry Affairs Brian Gardner met in April with Cobb County purchasing administrators to discuss the county’s procurement of construction via cooperative purchasing.

On May 14, Cobb County (Georgia’s third-most populous county), which had previously utilized cooperative purchasing to procure roofing projects, decided to no longer use cooperatives in such a manner. This decision will have national repercussions, as Cobb County served as an administrator for a nationwide cooperative roofing program.

“Our team was very impressed with Cobb County officials, as they professionally considered all of our arguments and did their own due diligence. We are very pleased these dedicated professionals decided to procure roofing via design-bid-build with the assistance of independent design professionals,” remarked Pat Downey.

“Cobb County administrators engaged with us in a highly professional and substantive manner. I, as a county taxpayer, especially appreciate their interaction with our team. I believe this is how government and industry should work together to provide sound, smart, and efficient public policy,” stated Chip Ward.

“This is terrific news for taxpayers and IIBEC members. The fact that Cobb County has now made this important decision is the result of a job well done,” commented Mike Clark, past president of IIBEC and a Georgia Chapter member.

“I applaud Cobb County’s decision and thank them for providing us an opportunity to present our case for responsible procurement,” remarked First Vice President Scott Hinesley.

“We congratulate IIBEC Georgia Chapter for its superlative efforts in promoting responsible construction procurement,” EVP/CEO Lionel van der Walt added.

“This is an excellent example of an effective grassroots “boots-on-the-ground” effort by IIBEC chapters to promote responsible construction procurement in their local area,” stated Advocacy Committee Chairman Tom Gernetzke.

Filed Under: Featured Posts 3, General Interest, Industry NewsTagged With: advocacy, procurement.
Comments

Public Roofing Oversight - Facts about School Roofing Scams, and how to fight back.

Welcome Good People:

The purpose of this site is to increase public awareness of "Predatory Sales Models" and "Exclusion" of  fair competition in public works.

I write it to help:  

Architects, Public Administrators, Contractors, Consultants, Manufacturers, and Distributors, who are all affected by "Proprietary Specifications".  

A sales trick to eliminate all competition for taxpayer money.  A complete SCAM, 

Everything I say here is backed by  public record, and subsequent documentation.  If I say something that is factually incorrect, I will retract it.  Constructive criticism is encouraged, and welcomed.

NOTE: Retired 2003, do not solicit nor accept, compensation or personal advancement of any kind.

*Revised August 4, 2019.


In the upper left search box, please type keywords:  School Roofing Scam, Purchasing Cooperative, Taxpayer abuse, Tremco, Garland, sole source, RCI, NRCA, Honor, Fairness, Competition, Public Procurement, etc.

Approximately 162 posts all told. 

The most popular post so far is : "Garland, Sell by FEAR".  Type that in the search box, sand it will come up.

Highly recommended is Roof Consultant's Institute who provide necessary data, and support.  

"Self Advocacy Tools"

Please NOTE:  IIBEC 

http://rci-online.org/news-and-advocacy/self-advocacy-tools/

FACT:  Garland, and Tremco do not make half the products they sell, and are not found in any local roofing supply house. It must be trucked in from Ohio.  You are essentially exporting 70% of your local tax dollar to other economies. 

FACT:  Garland, nor Tremco will "Compete" for anything.  Don't believe me?  Tell your Garland, or Tremco Representative that you want to include other manufacturers to the bid list .  Watch their faces, and I GUARANTEE they will run away.

But Ron, the purchasing cooperative says they won by "competitive" means.  This an outright lie.  The Cooperative lies to increase their commissions.  U.S. Communities listed 55 pages of BLANK line items from Garland.

Since I noticed the blank documents, they have come up with this convoluted mess:

https://www.garlandco.com/us-communities

The "Response Package"

https://www.garlandco.com/uploads/misc/14-5903_RESPONSE_PKG_FOR_WEB.pdf


YOU, and all  taxpayers should be concerned that we are paying upwards of 50% MORE for roofing and duped into thinking you've received a value.  The opposite is true.  

If you are working with a Purchasing Cooperative, your district is taking a beating that is 100% avoidable.  Certainly, I've illustrated the scam that is undeniable. 

I know all the manufacturers, and have installed millions of sq. ft. of any subset of roofing.  Steep slope, single ply (EPDM, TPO, PVC), built up, modified, etc.  I've successfully completed over 100 public schools, and know what I'm talking about.

If I don't know the answer, Roof Consultant's Institute (RCI) will.  RCI is the standard for roofing excellence, and an honorable organization with top level consultants.

Many are Architects, Consultants, Engineers, Contractors, Manufacturers, etc. ,ALL are credentialed, and will have someone near you.

I do not belong to any organization.  A lot of my work is very sensitive, and may cause discomfort through association.  They are not allowed to speak freely, while I can tell the truth without fear of reprisal.

Please understand that I have no beef with individuals trying to make an honest living.  It's the "Predatory Sales Model" I despise.  I do not want to "Exclude" those mentioned, and welcome them to any public bid list.  Repeat, I do not want Tremco or Garland "Excluded" from anything.  They should get the same opportunity like everyone else.

IF YOU ARE NOT COMPETITIVE IN THE PRIVATE MARKET, YOU ARE NOT COMPETITIVE IN THE PUBLIC MARKET.

Doesn't that make sense?

Instead of "Favoritism", we seek fair competition for our own tax dollars.  

Roofers will decide all things roofing, and not elite sectors who are without credential, experience, or the exhaustive safety training it takes.  

"My name is Ron, and I'm a roofer.........For some reason, feel like I should be at an AA meeting."

Just so I don't come off like a 'Lone Wolf", will share what the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), and Roof Consultant's Institute (RCI) have to say:

Reference:

From Roof Consultant's Institute:


http://rci-online.org/news-and-advocacy/policy-statements/

June 21, 2012 RCI’s Position Statement applies to all publicly bid work, including federal, state (provincial/ territorial), municipal, and local government projects or otherwise taxpayer-funded projects in which RCI, Inc. members may participate.

Projects not under the procurement requirements of government agencies or that do not utilize taxpayer funds should also employ similar fair and impartial procurement practices. It is the position of RCI, Inc. that all public work and taxpayer-funded projects clearly adhere to all applicable procurement regulations, maintain the highest levels of transparency and value, and comply with the following principles.

In addition to the owner, projects should involve three distinct entities: the design professional, the manufacturer (or supplier), and the qualified contractor (contractor).

1.) . The design professional should be selected by the owner based on qualifications, experience and past performance. The design professional should prepare contract documents to be in compliance with all applicable code requirements (including but not limited to fire, wind, drainage, thermal resistance or performance, warranty and environmental requirements).

Contract documents should not be proprietary or exclusive to a manufacturer, a supplier or a qualified contractor. A product or system that may be able to be produced, supplied or installed by other competitors but is not, is considered a proprietary product/system. Procurement regulations have specific procedures that are required if proprietary materials or systems are to be considered. Design professionals are discouraged from utilizing proprietary specifications.

All projects should utilize a minimum of three manufacturers or utilize materials commonly available from three manufacturers. Systems should be selected to meet specific performance criteria or standards. The design professional must adhere to all state (provincial/territorial) licensing requirements and carry the appropriate errors and omissions insurance.

2.)  The manufacturer and its suppliers should provide the materials and systems adhering to the contract documents. A manufacturer should not act as the design professional unless qualified to do so, and should state in writing and publicly its financial interest in the specifications/requirements provided. Contractual obligations or agreements should not exist between owners and manufacturers. Proprietary and/or exclusionary specifications intended to limit competition among manufacturers, suppliers and/or qualified contractors are strongly discouraged.

Manufacturers are encouraged to provide data, RCI, Inc. Position Statement on Procurement – Support Document information, or other assistance to qualified contractors to determine the best use and application of their materials and systems. Manufacturers should not control material specifications.

3.)  The contractor should be contracted directly to the owner. At no time should any contractual or financial obligation or agreement exist between the design professional and manufacturer, or the design professional and the qualified contractor, or the manufacturer and the qualified contractor. At no time should the manufacturer act as either the design professional or qualified contractor. At no time should the design professional act as the manufacturer or contractor.

4.)  Design-build delivery methods are acceptable under the following conditions: (a) The principles noted above, are met. (b) Design build delivery maintains a competitive bidding/tender environment among all parties: designer, contractor, and manufacturer. (c) A design-build contract is used to ensure that a clear line of responsibility for the design and compliance with code is established. It is the position of RCI, Inc. that the use of "buy boards,” group-purchasing agencies, and all similar purchasing models in any type of building construction, remediation, or rehabilitation are not transparent, do not ensure compliance with the minimum requirements of the codes, do not provide a competitive bid situation, and should not be utilized.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is what the NRCA has to say:  Click to enlarge.




There you have it.  The largest roofing organization (NRCA), and the premier Consultant's organization: RCI (Roof Consultant's Institute) have spoken, and any reasonable person will agree.



Please help stop this assault on taxpayers, and school maintenance budgets across all of North America.  The "Scam" is impossible for them to argue, so they take the position of  subterranean termites, and hide.


NOTE;  Retired 2003, do not solicit nor accept, compensation or personal advancement of any kind.

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

It is humbling that anyone cares one bit about what I have to say, and please know I am thankful for your time.

Respect.

Robert R. "Ron" Solomon

Public Procurement Analyst
State Certification  CCC 1325620
Licensed Consultant
Tampa, Florida  33647

RobertRSolomon@aol.com

The future of affordable solar collection.

Friends:

Years ago, I wrote about carbon nanotubes and graphene, as it pertains to solar collection devices.    

https://wikiroof.blogspot.com/2011/07/carbon-nanotubes-and-future-of-solar.html

I wrote the piece in 2011, so have fun finding  the "then and now' developments.

I believe the following may remove the one obstacle between wide public acceptance, and affordability.  It will also eliminate staggering government subsidies.

https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=393576285670400691#editor/target=post;postID=8612247569520750445;onPublishedMenu=publishedposts;onClosedMenu=publishedposts;postNum=0;src=link

Try to imagine your roof space as a solar collector, and at the cost of ordinary house paint!  Think of people in third world countries whose lives would be dramatically improved.

It could be applied to every exterior surface, and I find that remarkable.

https://www.azobuild.com/news.aspx?newsID=4124

Sheets of Solar Cells that can be Printed with a Domestic Printer Researchers at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) have developed an inexpensive solar cell that can be painted or printed on flexible plastic sheets. 

"The process is simple,? said lead researcher and author Somenath Mitra, PhD, professor and acting chair of NJIT's Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences. 

"Someday homeowners will even be able to print sheets of these solar cells with inexpensive homebased inkjet printers. Consumers can then slap the finished product on a wall, roof or billboard to create their own power stations." 

"Fullerene single wall carbon nanotube complex for polymer bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells," featured as the June 21, 2007 cover story of the Journal of Materials Chemistry published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, details the process. The Society, based at Oxford University, is the British equivalent of the American Chemical Society. 

Harvesting energy directly from abundant solar radiation using solar cells is increasingly emerging as a major component of future global energy strategy, said Mitra. Yet, when it comes to harnessing renewable energy, challenges remain. 

Expensive, large ­scale infrastructures such as wind mills or dams are necessary to drive renewable energy sources, such as wind or hydroelectric power plants. 

Purified silicon, also used for making computer chips, is a core material for fabricating conventional solar cells. However, the processing of a material such as purified silicon is beyond the reach of most consumers. 

"Developing organic solar cells from polymers, however, is a cheap and potentially simpler alternative," said Mitra. "We foresee a great deal of interest in our work because solar cells can be inexpensively printed or simply painted on exterior building walls and/or roof tops. 

Imagine some day driving in your hybrid car with a solar panel painted on the roof, which is producing electricity to drive the engine. The opportunities are endless. 

The science goes something like this. When sunlight falls on an organic solar cell, the energy generates positive and negative charges. If the charges can be separated and sent to different electrodes, then a current flows. If not, the energy is wasted.

Link cells electronically and the cells form what is called a panel, like the ones currently seen on most rooftops. The size of both the cell and panels vary. Written by AZoBuild Jul 19 2007 Sheets of Solar Cells that can be Printed with a Domestic Printer 

URL: https://www.azobuild.com/news.aspx?newsID=4124 P 1/2 

Panels have no size limits. The solar cell developed at NJIT uses a carbon nanotubes complex, which by the way, is a molecular configuration of carbon in a cylindrical shape. 

The name is derived from the tube's miniscule size. Scientists estimate nanotubes to be 50,000 times smaller than a human hair. Nevertheless, just one nanotube can conduct current better than any conventional electrical wire. 

"Actually, nanotubes are significantly better conductors than copper," Mitra added. Mitra and his research team took the carbon nanotubes and combined them with tiny carbon Buckyballs (known as fullerenes) to form snake­like structures. Buckyballs trap electrons, although they can't make electrons flow. 

Add sunlight to excite the polymers, and the buckyballs will grab the electrons. Nanotubes, behaving like copper wires, will then be able to make the electrons or current flow. "Using this unique combination in an organic solar cell recipe can enhance the efficiency of future painted ­on solar cells," said Mitra. "Someday, I hope to see this process become an inexpensive energy alternative for households around the world." 

---------------------------------------------------------------------




I've always said a roof must be "multidimensional", and possess properties that compliment structures in other ways. 

Radiant energy, clean water runoff, and absence of petroleum are but a few examples.

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

Much Respect.

Robert R. "Ron" Solomon
Public Procurement Analyst
Licensed Contractor
State Certification CCC 1325620
Licensed Consultant

RobertRSolomon@aol.com

Administrators are not State Certified Contractors, or Consultants, so stop the horrible roofing decisions like you are an expert in the field. WE are experts, not you.

Friends;

"Do Tremco, and Garland roofs last twice as long"?  

Of course not.  Every major manufacturer I've listed (below) offer warranted 20 and 30 year roof systems (labor and material).  I know Firestone offers a 30 year puncture, hail, and wind resistance warranty because I've purchased them.

I'm sure the other "Majors" do too.  A FRACTION of what the Tremco, Garland, Simon, "Warranties" would cost.  A dramatic illustration is shown below.

ANY SCHOOL that purchases a roof through a Purchasing Cooperative, is paying approximately 40% too much.  It is a stone cold scam.

NO roofing contractor on earth will go into a competitive bid process with Tremco, Garland, or Simon.  Never gonna happen.

Why?  Because the contractor isn't ignorant, and neither is the owner.  People who own buildings are not (generally speaking) stupid.  Are you with me?

Why doesn't WalMart, Target, ProLogis (largest owners of retail space in the world), major Grocery chains, use them if they're so competitive? 

I wrote a piece called "Are you smarter than WalMart" if you'd like to use the search box.

I've roofed many properties for these people, and they are well informed..  Not so in the public sector who run it through a committee, board, or some other non-credentialed  group. 

Frankly, am offended by their arrogance.

Wild claims of material  superiority is a sales ploy, and nothing more.  I know a company that preys upon retirees here in Florida (mobile homes).  Selling them the lowest grade material, for a super premium price.  

That is not a joke, and have witnessed it.  I'll spare the perpetrators for a moment, unless someone wants me to fully expose the scam.  Savaging the elderly exposes deep character flaws like you are imagining right now.

Back to the "Our roofs last twice as long":

According to whom?  According to what parameters?  What side by side comparison? Show us.  I know one manufacturer who actually owns the testing laboratory that certifies their own material.  What?  They do a lot of public work by the way.

 Simply put, the claim is false, and they know it.  Garland actually refers to Tremco as a "Bad Apple".  Funny, Garland doesn't even make half the material they sell, and neither does Tremco.  All claims of "Superior Product" are false, like most blanket claims are.

 I'm surprised another manufacture hasn't sued them for such preposterous, unsubstantiated, claims.  All I want to see is the data, and will post it here.  Don't hold your breath.   

Stand by while I eat my delicious sandwich with iced tea (unsweetened).  Okay, break time is over, and feel nourished. Back to the incessant rambling.  

It's time to put on your thinking caps.

--------------------------------------------------------

Question:  If Tremco, and Garland are putting 10 yr. roofs on schools, does that mean a competitors roof only lasts 5 yrs.?  

Any school District I've ever seen insisted on a 20 yr. warranty, and I wouldn't put a ten year roof on a dog house.  Think of all the money saved when a district can leave it in the bank for another 10 years, drawing interest.

Trying desperately, as I appeal to common sense.  Here, I not only say it, but PROVE it in all 162 posts.  Public record folks, and I do not share "opinions".

A 20 year roof does not cost twice that of  a 10 year roof.  The upcharge is minimal, and the roof system much, much, better.  The warranty also includes sheet metal flashings!!!  Can you believe it?  

The game is to purchase from another manufacturer (Cooley, largest private labeler) affix the new label, mark it up 300%, and POWER SELL it to an uninformed administrator.   

Sort of like installing a Rolls Royce hood ornament on a $300.00 car.

It has nothing to do with material quality, but everything to do with a predatory sales model.

Decision makers who don't think:

We'll excuse Spanky, because he's a baby, and doesn't know better. Administrators, not so much.

Does anyone want me to believe that Tremco and Garland are Superior to:

I've installed millions of sq. ft., and millions of dollars spent on the manufacturers listed.  They are HONORABLE MANUFACTURERS, and honorable people.

Tremco, nor Garland, can COMPETE.  Their sales model won't allow it.  This is vicious stuff folks.  Greasy too. 

NOTE: Retired 2003, do not solicit nor accept compensation or personal advancement of any kind.

These are the largest, most available (Locally), most dependable, and most COMPETITIVE Manufacturers on earth.  Garland, and Tremco ship from Ohio, so good luck with that.  I sure hope your material order isn't short, or facing liquidated damages.

Why do you think the schools went with a "sole source" manufacturer?  What real "Benefit" did they receive by eliminating all competition? What did they get for that 25% commission to the salesman?

If the manufacturers above don't make it, you don't need it.

Please understand I NEVER want Tremco, Garland, Simon, or anyone else to be excluded.  They cannot, and will not compete.  I'll bet you a whole box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts if proven wrong.   You can even look at me while I'm there.

The moment you suggest "competition". they will panic, and seek fertile ground elsewhere.  It's even in their manual.  Believe it, or not!   "Sell by Fear" (below). 

You will note these mainstream manufacturers back their warranties with billions in assets, bonding, etc. (Berkshire Hathaway, Bridgestone Tire).  GAF is the largest roofing material manufacturer in North America.

And you get stuck with Tremco, Garland, Simon, and a Purchasing Cooperative?  I know these sales pitches forward, and backword, and it's really quite easy to disassemble their claims.  I DARE someone to contradict me.  "Constructive criticism"may be a better term.

One of the districts decided not to purchase a warranty, and got stung.  In 40 years, have roofed hundreds of schools, and never once did I fail to secure a 20 year no dollar limit (labor and material) warranty.  Under no circumstance should you ever expect less.  Manufacturers above offer the warranty for much less than Tremco, and Garland.  Example:

A 25,000 sq. ft.  roof will set you back $26,250.00 for a 10 or 15 year roof?  I won't trouble you with infinite detail, and we'll save that for another time. You're welcome.

Tremco says so right here:

Tremco specifying 10, and 15 year roofs on public structures is absurd.   You aren't buying a "Warranty", but rather a "Service Agreement".  If the roof leaks, you are going to pay through the nose.  The "Service Agreement" is the holy grail for commissioned salesmen. 

A Fair, competitive bid with major material manufacturers above will be around: $4,000.00 (maximum).  They will warrant the roof system to be watertight for the term of warranty.  Repairs are at NO COST to the owner (taxpayer).

Did they check the manufacturer record, or just sit there and fall for a "sales pitch"?  Administrators may not give even the slightest hint of favoritism.  They are trying to insert administrator "ease", and wipe out fair competition.  

10 minutes of research will tell you all about Tremco, but somehow it's too much trouble before coughing up millions of taxpayer dollars. Decimating school maintenance budgets, and local economies.

Manufacturers must COMPETE, and their approved applicators must COMPETE. This is the ONLY way to furnish a truly competitive, hard bid number.  We bid to a "Standard", not a manufacturer.  

Tremco is famous for being fined $61,000,000.00 by the DOJ for abusing GSA contracts and now the SEC is suing them for lying.  The schools they defrauded got NOTHING.

Brace yourself:

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/rpm-international-inc-and-tremco-inc-pay-nearly-61-million-failing-provide-government

Did that sting?

Competition must exist between 3-4 manufacturers, and their approved applicators may bid accordingly.  You increase the bidding pool by at least 75%.  Make sense?

Forever hearing "well, the FM guy wants it that way".  Each time I say, the FM guy has absolutely no authority to sole source anything.  Against the law in all 50 states.

I am not an administrator any more than they are State Certified Roofing Contractors, or Consultants.  they simply are not credentialed, trained, or experienced in Thermal and Moisture Protection, 

Division 7 in your spec book.   Makes sense doesn't it?

Anyway, I'll present the following carnage for your review.  The naivete is astounding to any normal human.

Too many Chiefs, and not enough Indians.  

This "Sell by fear" memorandum may illustrate both the depravity, and theme of Garland Ind..  Prepare yourself:

Click to enlarge.

Let's move on:

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2001/11/19/story4.html

The competitive picture

Local roofing contractors said that two factors account for the difference in price between the Ohio companies' systems and other roofing systems: limited competition and features of the roofs.

L.B. Morris, president of Kansas City-based Sellers & Marquis Roofing Co. and former president of the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association, said only a handful of local contractors apply a certain type of roofing system. Prices tend to go up when only one manufacturer is mandated because there is no competition to keep the price of the materials down.

Some districts have more contractor options because they use more than one of the Ohio systems. The Kansas City School District uses all three of the Ohio manufacturers.

Robert Young, director of purchasing for Kansas City, Kan., public schools, said the district just completed a five- to six-year roofing cycle using mostly the Tremco system.

                                                         

"We have bid those roofing projects out and awarded the jobs to multiple contractors," Young said. "We have used Tremco pretty extensively and used Hickman on some others."

High quality or overkill?

Bill Carrison, president of RTI Consultants Inc. -- an independent roofing consultant that does work for the Olathe School District -- said the biggest problem is that school districts are paying for bells and whistles they simply don't need when installing the higher-priced roofs sold by the Ohio manufacturers.

 From a technical standpoint, these companies put added ingredients in to make their product look better," Carrison said. "But if you go back one step and ask what the building needs, you figure out you are using an eight-cylinder engine where a six-cylinder will do. My point is, you don't need it. 

"Do (Tremco, Garland and Hickman) have a better product? Probably. Do you need it? No."

Tremco spokesman Carl Zeitz disagreed.

"There are no bells and whistles on a good roof," Zeitz said. "Our roofs last. We insist on high-quality details, and quality has a cost.

"They don't cost more; they last longer. A roof that lasts twice as long as the average, or typical, roof is less expensive, not more expensive. Our customers also know they are going to get financial responsibility, integrity, efficiency, industry experience and prompt service from Tremco because they always have."

Soukup said the expected life of the roofs used on Blue Valley schools is 25 to 30 years. That's as much as can reasonably be expected.

"If they say a roof is going to last longer than 30 years, well ... that's just kind of silly," Soukup said.

Raising the roof

Grandview Superintendent Martin has had his fill of dealing with roofing issues.

Howls about the district's use of Tremco systems grew louder when the district retained a roofing consultant from Tremco.

In addition, the district recently postponed taking bids on a roofing package. Martin said the district had erred in grouping too many roofing jobs together, thus making the work a construction project rather than roofing repair and maintenance.

Missouri law requires districts to advertise the process in the local paper, as well as different roofing trade publications, to make everyone aware of the project. Grandview did not do that.

"Roofs are the bane of the education experience," Martin said. "They are supposed to be an incidental part of my job, but instead, they're becoming all-consuming."

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I'm trying as hard as I can to inform you before a reporter shows up at your office.  Then comes the State Auditor, and they aren't known for handing out "Trophies".

Don't believe me?  Here I am in Oklahoma:

http://www.news9.com/story/15953631/school-districts-accused-of-wasting-tax-dollars

I've offered $10,000.00 of my own money for a public, televised, debate with Tremco, or Garland.  No takers in 10 years.  Little old me versus a multi-billion dollar firm.

I do not dislike Tremco/Garland/Simon employees.  The "Predatory Sales Model" is to blame, not the employees. It's a hard life, and I feel sorry for them.  

NOTE: Retired 2003, do not solicit nor accept compensation or personal advancement of any kind.

Thank you for putting up with this tedium, but a lot of people are stealing a lot of money from our schools, and I want it to stop now.

I will help anyone who needs help.  Just write:

RobertRSolomon@aol.com

If I can't help you, I know people who can.  Very special thanks to Ms. Janet Campbell, and her wonderful site:

"School Roofing Scam"

 http://schoolroofingscam.blogspot.com/
Fantastic, and plenty of record.  It takes a lot of time, and effort to put together these posts my friends.  
Reject negativity in all forms, and always remember to  keep looking "UP".

Much Respect.

Robert R. "Ron" Solomon
Public Procurement Analyst
Licensed Contractor
State Certification CCC 1325620

Licensed Consultant