New GC just killed his relationship with us

[sparky 134]

A previous employer put something in their proposals along those lines, but also included things like (trying to remember the exact words):

"This bid/proposal is presented solely for the purpose furthering a business relationship between MyCo and YourCo, no other uses are permitted. It may contain proprietary information of either party and may not be disclosed to parties not specifically identified in the proposal."

"This proposal is Copyright 2008 by MyCo. All Rights Reserved."

"Information contained in this document which was not provided directly by YourCo may not be disclosed to third parties without permission of MyCo."

You get the idea. Of course, I am not a lawyer .

I like the idea. We all know that some customers will show our proposal to another bidder for the purpose of securing a lower number for the project. I called a GC one time to ask a question about the existing gear and he said, "Hang on a sec." I then heard him call another EC on the Nextel (which was on speakerphone) and ask him the question.

Since the conversation was on speakerphone I heard both sides of the conversation. This told me this GC has a relationship with the other EC and I started thinking he was going to use my number against the other guy.

 

[ohm]

A previous employer put something in their proposals along those lines, but also included things like (trying to remember the exact words):

"This bid/proposal is presented solely for the purpose furthering a business relationship between MyCo and YourCo, no other uses are permitted. It may contain proprietary information of either party and may not be disclosed to parties not specifically identified in the proposal."

"This proposal is Copyright 2008 by MyCo. All Rights Reserved."

"Information contained in this document which was not provided directly by YourCo may not be disclosed to third parties without permission of MyCo."

You get the idea. Of course, I am not a lawyer .

Great idea zbang..also if that message were part of the background of the quote and the lettering of the quote was made in light grey (like your bank disclosures) so they made lousy copies, it might at least lessen the chances all the details of your quote would be shopped.

 

[DanZ]

Great idea zbang..also if that message were part of the background of the quote and the lettering of the quote was made in light grey (like your bank disclosures) so they made lousy copies, it might at least lessen the chances all the details of your quote would be shopped.

How would that stop a phone call, or a conversation? I'm sure when a GC/PM says "I have a number of $x to do this..." every party involved knows the number came from someone else.

 

[ohm]

How would that stop a phone call, or a conversation? I'm sure when a GC/PM says "I have a number of $x to do this..." every party involved knows the number came from someone else.

It wouldn't stop shopping but at least all the details of your quote might not get revealed. Most GC's don't have a clue about your proposal except the bottom line but if you have found a less expensive way to "skin the cat" you have to mention it in the proposal and it may or may not get passed on to the competion, especially if the GC can't make a legible copy.

 

[tkb]

I was converting my proposals to PDF files before sending them out, but they could still copy and past the text out of them to do bid shoping.

Now I send out the Word document but protect it using the forms option and add a password to unprotect it.
This way they cannot select anything in the document to copy.

It may not be perfect but it slows them down.

 

[zbang]

How would that stop a phone call, or a conversation? I'm sure when a GC/PM says "I have a number of $x to do this..." every party involved knows the number came from someone else.

Oh, you can't. But you can put them on notice not share the info, and if you have to sue them for something, well, they're already on notice.

 

[ceb58]

no. your misunderstanding me. they used our number and won the job and then 2 days later after they had they job is when they went and shopped it out.

OK, I did misunderstand. You have some options. Let it go. Find the GC and cuss him out. As some have posted have legal wording incorporated into you bid sheets (good luck trying to prove a GC shared you bid) or bring up this situation and GC's name to every elect. contractor you come in contact with. The GC's reputation will get around.

 

[tyha]

bring up this situation and GC's name to every elect. contractor you come in contact with. The GC's reputation will get around.

yeah i dont how many of your competitors you stay in contact with but we dont talk with other ec's much. unless it's on here. ec's around here for the most part will cut your throat in a heartbeat. there is one that is one of my good friends and I frankly wouldn't be in business if it were not for him but other than that the only ones I come in contact with are here.

 

[SEO]

Electrical Contractors are a secretive group as a whole but when enough get burnt by a sleezy GC they will start talking and sooner or later the word gets out.

 

[ceb58]

yeah i dont how many of your competitors you stay in contact with but we dont talk with other ec's much. unless it's on here. ec's around here for the most part will cut your throat in a heartbeat. there is one that is one of my good friends and I frankly wouldn't be in business if it were not for him but other than that the only ones I come in contact with are here.

I am not saying look them up in the phone book but you must run into some at supply houses, code classes ect. It's like a successful business owner told me one time. If you do a good job for some one they will tell three other people, but if you do a bad job they will tell ten. All you need to do is plant the seed with a few and the word to watch out for this GC will get around. As much as they like to cut throats they hate getting screwed worse.

 

[brantmacga]

I was converting my proposals to PDF files before sending them out, but they could still copy and past the text out of them to do bid shoping.

Now I send out the Word document but protect it using the forms option and add a password to unprotect it.
This way they cannot select anything in the document to copy.

It may not be perfect but it slows them down.

You can do the same thing w/ .PDF's if using adobe acrobat.

 

[tkb]

You can do the same thing w/ .PDF's if using adobe acrobat.

If you spend $500 for Adobe Acrobat. I don't use it enough to justify it.
I use the Actobat Reader and Cute PDF to convert my DOC files to PDF. It's FREE.

 

[brantmacga]

If you spend $500 for Adobe Acrobat. I don't use it enough to justify it.
I use the Actobat Reader and Cute PDF to convert my DOC files to PDF. It's FREE.

I bought an older version on ebay for around $10, then upgraded for $140 I believe it was. Its worth having if you do a lot of paperless stuff.

 

[480sparky]

If you spend $500 for Adobe Acrobat. I don't use it enough to justify it.
I use the Actobat Reader and Cute PDF to convert my DOC files to PDF. It's FREE.

If you lose one $500 job because of not having it, would it be worth it then?

 

[DanZ]

The GC's reputation will get around.

Is anyone else picturing the other EC's asking for his phone number? I'm sure someone would cut someone else's throat by $50 or $100 just to have some work...

 

[SmithBuilt]

In my experience this is standard MO for GC's. I have one GC that I do almost all of his jobs. He has ask me if I would review my price because he would like me to do the work. If I'm not to busy I may in order to get the job. Sometimes I do not lower the price and I still get the job. Right or wrong me and the GC work well together and I get paid on time (which means a lot right now).


On the other hand I know other times GC's have used my price to bargain with another ec's.


I don't like it but it's done everyday in every aspect of construction bidding. I'm not even sure if there is a law preventing only a number from being publicized by a GC. After all it is bidding to get the lowest number.

The only thing I can suggest is not to burn the bridge. Have a cold one and relax.

 

[tkb]

If you lose one $500 job because of not having it, would it be worth it then?

I don't think that's going to happen.
I don't need to spend $500 on software that I can work around for free.
It's not that big of an issue.

I don't think that Adobe Acrobat is software that is required to do my job.
Also it is not my money, my employer is the one that purchases the software and I would have to make a very good case to have it purchased.

Not that they are cheep, but there is a significant investment in software already. Between ConEst, AutoCad, MS Office, the accounting software and the other software the office runs on I can appreciate the hesitation on purchasing software just to use it occasionally when it can be worked around for free.