First commercial bid and need help

Heey,

I am new... and i dont know what to dooooo... (joe dirt quote)...

I have a bid on 8 gas stations in about a 50 mile radius, they are wanting the pads and sidewalks done at each station once a month for the warm months probably thru October for now (I am hoping to extend it to a full year, giving him the benefits of all year round cleaning, as soon as I know what those are, lol..)

So basically I have a total of 40 jobs I need to get done now thru October. I have no contract forms at this time, and have no idea how to make one, so I am needing some help on this, basically up till now, I have only been doing some small residential jobs with a small pressure washer, and plan to upgrade to a decent rig if I am able to land this contract.

My main questions are going to be, how much should I charge, or how should I go about deciding what to charge, how do I put together a good contract, how much should I ask for upfront?

I have extensive experience in sales and marketing, so I have no issues with presentation and closing and actually enjoy that process, so that I wont need help with, I just need help with putting together what I am going to present to close the deal.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated, and SOOOOOON.. as I will probably be submitting my proposal on Monday.

Thanks in Advance..

Jude

Jude fill our your signature so we know where your from. Its part of the rules. There is so much we can say but I'll start with this... Get a hot water Powerwasher if your going to deal with Gas Stations. You may also want to look into reclaiming or at the very least make sure your dirty water is blocked from going down the storm drains because if not you stand to get heavily fined if some one reports you for not being Environmentally Compliant.

John,

Thanks for the information. I found a rig I am planning on getting if I get the job, but getting the job is my biggest concern now, if I dont get it, then cant get the rig, lol.. SO, I need some information, mainly a good example of a winning proposal, so I have something to go by to write up something good.

Thanks

Jude

If want give me a call to talk @ (386)756-0630 Bryan

Gas stations are a tuff way to start out but a great tool for learning. First you need to learn the lingo, down here in Alabama and Florida we refer to the pump stations as "MPD" or Multiple Pump Dispinser" you will need to know that! Also I bid by the station and not by the square foot, in my experience they dont like to be pencil whipped, keep it simple and easy for them.

I charge by the MPD, example - 2 to 6 mpd's is one price, 7 to 12 is another price, ect .......

If they are a good customer I do it on a flat rate all for one price.

Great Advice but its almost a 99% you have no worries on reclaim usless your stupid city or local authoritys are Stupid and made some dumb Law!

Most fueling stations are complient built.

Johns right hot water is a must.

Russ gave you the truth about they will likely want and inclusive price per location. They will not care about travel or one store being smaller or larger to some extent.

My one time cleanings are very high. 1200 to 1800

If your on a 30 day they could be as low as 425 each.

Average is 525 to 725 on 90 day schedule

John-Clean County PW said:

Jude fill our your signature so we know where your from. Its part of the rules. There is so much we can say but I'll start with this... Get a hot water Powerwasher if your going to deal with Gas Stations. You may also want to look into reclaiming or at the very least make sure your dirty water is blocked from going down the storm drains because if not you stand to get heavily fined if some one reports you for not being Environmentally Compliant.

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Thanks for the info.

Those who said to call, I will try to get to that, but those that posted information or sent me some, I greatly appreciate it, all of it was great.

This is a much better reception then I received on other forums.

Thanks a lot.

If i have anything I may be unable to do, I will share it with those of you on this forum..

Thanks again

Jude

Jude if you need anything and I mean that! Just call Ron anytime after midight.

Alright Jude: Here's my 2 cents. I think it is not a good thing that you have been doing jobs with a cheaper machine. i do not think it is a good thing that you want to cut your teeth on a solid contract like these stations, when you have basically said you don't own the equipment to properly do the job, nor the experience. You may want to check the availability of your name, because there at least two (2) other AmeriClean's just here in my town, so who knows about the rest of the state.

With that being said, go get the equipment. Your lack of confidence is on full display here. And if I knew I was bidding against a competitor who didn't have the proper equipment, I would point that out to the PM, GM, or DM and display our equipment along with an explanation of why we're 100 times better than you will ever be. I'm sure Russ, Ron, and many others would as well. Just keepin' it real with ya.

Russ, your profile says you're in Fairhope. I thought you were in Prattville. Man, I'm coming down there real soon. Have friends down there. The high school football coach, you may know him.

precisionpower said:

Russ, your profile says you're in Fairhope. I thought you were in Prattville. Man, I'm coming down there real soon. Have friends down there. The high school football coach, you may know him.

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We just moved here a month ago. Also the High School is less than 1/10 of a mile from me.

well.... that being said..

I just wanted to again say thanks to those that were helpful.

Maybe one day I too can go to bid on a job, and tell them I am 100 times better than that other guy WILL EVER BE... Even though I would never say such a thing...

Being that I have been in the position of the guy evaluating and purchasing bids, I did not take well to one company putting down another one... I am not against one stating why they are better equipped to do the job and have more experience than the competitor and any other reason they could be better than another bidder, but to state they are 100 times better than someone else ever will be or even state one negative comment about a competing bidder.. to me doesnt sound like a good selling point, or even a valid one, and while in the position to choose a bidder, those type of comments ended up in the trash..

But hey... maybe it is a great way, and maybe it works.. And maybe I actually do know nothing, but I do know for a fact.. it will never be something said by me or anyone working with me, while bidding on a job, or in a professional setting or forum, about another company that is in the same industry that I am in..

As for the business name thing.. I have that taken care of..

And maybe I am a little sensitive to how people say the things they say or what they say, but thats only because some people say things about someone, when they have no clue about the person they are saying it about. They know not one thing about someone, yet they feel they can gauge someone by some post on a forum, lol.. O well.. Like I said, I am probably a bit too sensitive... Either way..

Thanks again for the information everyone.. I do greatly appreciate it, and I wish all of you the best..


Jude

Jude, better get some skin thickener buddy. That wasn't very harsh, and certainly not personal. I was simply making a point that if I was bidding against a guy who uses a "cheaper machine", I'm going to do everything in my power to educate the consumer as to why they should NOT use the other guy, in this case the other guy being you. My apologies if you took it personal, and by the look and attitude of your reply, you absolutely did. Just don't ask for advice or opinions if you can't take the good with the bad. Years ago I would've said "yay Jude! Go for it. Anything is possible!" But, I've been around the block with guys who cut their teeth on jobs and contracts they have no business even bidding on. So, with that said, good luck friend. I mean that sincerely. Just don't get ****ed when the next guy comes along and cuts your throat on the same contract while he uses his "cheaper machine", or doesn't actually have any equipment, but just likes to make bids on jobs that he has no experience with.

I would never tell a customer not to use another person. I can make the same point as to why he will benifit by hiring me.

Trust me I get competition that try tatics agaist my company. Once I was not even bidding a job but this guy was so parinoid I was be kept bringing my name up. Finally the pm told him who is this guy you keep telling me not to hire. She called me after he left , I sold the job. Long story short I still work for her 15 years later.

I only need to tell customers about what I can do , not what someone else can't. I don't care what others can't do.

I hope everyone here has thick skin.

Now on a personal note it's frustrating when people bid things and they have no clue. But hey that's why your here, I hope we educate you enough that you don't damage your own market.

I believe in educating my own comp.

Hey Jude I like the some of the responses your getting here and there all valid points. But I think differently at times and if you think you can do it then roll the dice and go for it. Half the times in business your are taking some tremendous risk as if your taking a gamble. I've bought $60+ thousand of reclaiming equipment which I never used because I wasnt smart enough to get a job first before I bought it so in that case I took a huge hit. I since sold my reclaiming end for about half of what I paid for it and I lost almost $30,000 right then and there. Of course I since had jobs with another piece of that equipment which pretty much has me at the break even point now a few years later.

So in this case maybe its worth the shot to go for the Bid and if you win it study up like heck by reading these bb's and contacting some Vets and then go out and buy the Equipment then so you know you will get some money to help pay for the equipment needed. In my case I would need at least an 8gpm 3000+psi hot water Powerwasher and that alone can run you upwards to 7-8 grand. If you have the jobs its always so much easier to buy expensive equipment and you are also justified now in doing so.

Good Luck

Jude, omitted in my second reply was the explanation. I would never tell a customer that i am 100 times better than another guy will ever be. I was simply making a point, and chose my words very poorly. As Ron stated, I sell myself, my service, my quality without the need to bash competition, and in that my customers understand WHY they should never hire the other guy. i hope that clarifies my point. However, I still stand by my thoughts. I think you may be getting into something that you have no familiarity with.

John-Clean County PW said:

Hey Jude I like the some of the responses your getting here and there all valid points. But I think differently at times and if you think you can do it then roll the dice and go for it. Half the times in business your are taking some tremendous risk as if your taking a gamble. I've bought $60+ thousand of reclaiming equipment which I never used because I wasnt smart enough to get a job first before I bought it so in that case I took a huge hit. I since sold my reclaiming end for about half of what I paid for it and I lost almost $30,000 right then and there. Of course I since had jobs with another piece of that equipment which pretty much has me at the break even point now a few years later.

So in this case maybe its worth the shot to go for the Bid and if you win it study up like heck by reading these bb's and contacting some Vets and then go out and buy the Equipment then so you know you will get some money to help pay for the equipment needed. In my case I would need at least an 8gpm 3000+psi hot water Powerwasher and that alone can run you upwards to 7-8 grand. If you have the jobs its always so much easier to buy expensive equipment and you are also justified now in doing so.

Good Luck

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This is exactly my thoughts John, and maybe I was wrong to think this way, but this is how I expect to do it. I hope not to put more into this than I have too, unless I know for sure I need too. If for some reason I cannot do this job, and yes it is a small one for most of you, but for me it would be a great start, if it is something I can even do. If I do have to reclaim, then it may be something I cannot handle at this time. But, I still appreciate the help and information offered here. And if I cannot handle it now, at some point in the future I am sure I will be able to..

I still plan to buy some better equipment here very soon, regardless if I get this job or not. I know I need it, but I was wanting to see if I get this one or not, or if I could even do it before I made a decision on what I was going to purchase.

I have read a lot of info on these forums, and I plan on getting something along the lines of what your talking about John if I get this job, but if I dont then I will be looking smaller and more affordable to replace my current equipment. And I will move up in equipment as needed.

We will see how it goes I guess for the very small little gas station bid I am looking at. Hopefully, the DM is in on Monday and I can meet with him and take it from there, and if I am unable, is there anyone who would possibly like to do this if it is something I may not be able to do?

Just let me know if any of you are in this area and may be interested. The area would run from Clarksville IN to Columbus IN to Greensburg IN to Madison IN. There are 4 other locations in between all of these as well. I will give full information once I know exactly what they are wanting done and when.

Thanks again

Jude

You have to be very careful , 100's of companies read these bbs. Not hard to determine who you are dealing with. It's a good idea in the future not to be so specific. While there are many who might help there are many that don't have any ethics.

I know.. that is why I started off so less informative, and that is what got others at PT State forum in a tissy and they decided to rip into me and continue to do so, no matter what I say.. They feel I am just a hack and should stick to landscaping... I don't even do landscaping, but I should stick to it, lol.. Im not much into getting into forum fights with other users, especially ones who are long time members, that I thought would be the most helpful, no use for it, so I just continue to try and be as nice as I can... Either way.. If I can or cant do this job, someone will be doing it.. It needs to be done...

Thanks for the help

Jude