“See you at the Station”

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The Pros and Cons of the packaged  lift station proposal vs. the common request for bids and the contractor built sewer lift station.

Should you as the Engineer put the Pump Station Project out as the standard request for bids solicitation or an RFP, for a Design Build “Contractor to supply a Taylor Made Pump Station or equal Packaged sewer lift station” After 35 years in the municipal and residential sewage lift station business both as a contractor and packager, I offer the comparisons.

                         The Benefits of the Packaged lift Station
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        • 1. The Benefits Under The Rule “Known Quantity”
        • 2. Engineering time and design costs reduced as a standard model already exists.
        • 3. Optional equipment is specified quickly. Such Items as hoists and stainless hose bib racks can be added and data reviewed in real time.
        • 4. Integrator is often included with control package. (Usually limited to the specific job).
        • 5. Questions at the bidding phase are directed to the “Packaged Lift Station Supplier”, easing the engineer’s office staff time in taking questions.
        • 6. The Packaged Lift Station Supplier will add additional planning to insure the owner has the quality end product that meets the existing spec as well reduces parts inventory for the owner. This is a marketing norm as the “Packager” will see the opportunity for future business.
        • 7. A Packaged Lift Station Supplier has a better chance of having inventory on hand and many times an item that is appurtenant to the station but overlooked in the specs is available off the shelf. I’ve personally witnessed a major sub forgetting to order an auto-dialer that took weeks to attain.
        • 8. One source responsibility. This is important only when a problem arises, but this usually equates to an expedient fix of the problem.
        • 9. Condensed job duration. Packaged lift Station units just go in quicker.
        • 10. All submittals and warranty records can be supplied at any time in the projects schedule.

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The benefits of a standard RFP lift station.construction 2

      • 1. Contractor enterprises bidding to each supplier in an effort to drive down cost.
      • 2. Contractor responsibility is direct and a knowledgeable contractor can remedy most operational problems quickly.
      • 3. Contractor supplied station will many times have the “local flavor” of a contractor who lives in the area.
      • 4. Contractor relationship. Although a good contractor will be there to stand behind the Packaged Lift Station contractors take much pride in building their own lift stations.
      • 5. Contractor built station has one level of P&O built into their quote. The contractor built station is sometimes built at a lower overall “Design Built Station”.
      • 6. A good General Contractor will represent well any and all products they place into the Lift Station. Most General Contractors recognize the benefits of pre-manufactured bridge sections, wall panels or any packaged component that moves the project along quicker and saves on certified wages. The smaller General Contractors value this aspect less as they usually perform this work themselves.

 

 

At one time I attempted to build my own 32 Ford Roadster. I spent a lot of time attaining all the parts I needed and upon starting the project with the help of an experienced mechanic we got it running. After selling the car, I still was interested in street rods and in reading hobby magazines found a “builder” of custom rods in Los Angeles who made it his specialty to build these custom gems. His price for a nice quality build to my specs was at that time $ 17,000.00 dollars. I hung up the phone and told my wife “Boy I sure saved money on building my own hot rod, where she immediately assured me that I had nearly $17,000.00 in doing it myself. I said “no way” and bet her $100.00 that I had nowhere near seventeen grand in costs. Well as it turns out I was right but my wife refused to pay up as she claims $16,300.00 was close enough, (I was shocked at the hard dollars spent) and she said that I had to put a value on my time, but just like the contractor I enjoyed all that “knuckle busting”.