The Benefits Of Consulting Colleagues

Conversations can lead to common-sense solutions

By Ron Ciancutti

Long before business meetings included projections and metrics, the people sitting around a table talked about how things were going. They asked about the families and inquired about the “work family”—the gang that worked together all day. In the park system where I worked, there were separate groups under the parks and rec umbrella, each taking care of different amenities, such as parks, golf courses, nature centers, and marinas. At the quarterly meetings, each park-management faction provided an update, and the banter was light and supportive. We often found we were experiencing similar problems and would discuss what worked for one of us and how it could be applied to fit another employee’s situation. 

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I recall one manager complaining about the attitude of the interns who came aboard for three months in the summer. He found them to be less enthusiastic than he recalled being when he was their age. One of the older managers piped up and said, “Well, I always like to say, summer help, some aren’t.” That quote hung around for years and always got a laugh. Anyway, my point is those conversations led to some good, old-fashioned, common-sense decisions and recommendations, and I would like to share a few of them with you today.

Eliminating Excess

I left the ranks of field manager about six years into my career with the park system and became the purchasing manager. The years of actually working in the park gave me a unique sense of what was needed and what was not. The first thing I eliminated was the annual tool-ordering sheet. This notice was delivered to all managers with the simple intention of restocking their storage rooms (shovels, rakes, etc.). By listening to feedback at the meetings, it was determined that most stockrooms were loaded, and the request memo was probably needed only every three years. Park-wide, this little idea saved more than $50,000 in its first year. As time passed, I redesigned the bid to shift the inventory responsibility to the vendor. If an employee needed three rakes, he could go to the designated vendor and obtain the locked-in price all year long. By giving the managers discretionary power, their budgets could be loosened up, so by the end of the year the saved dollars could be used to buy other items, like a generator or a weed-whacker instead.

Managing Overstock

When all of the managers noted they had overstocked some tools, I organized a “swap shop,” where all locations filled one truck with the overstock. We met at one centralized parking lot in the park system on a specific day; managers would swap with other managers for what they were lacking. For example, one manager with 10 extra ax handles might swap with another manager who had 250 feet of fencing wire. It was a great success and turned into an annual event, and over time we put coals on in the early morning and roasted hot dogs for an informal lunch; it built great camaraderie. 

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Better Bidding

Another suggestion from a meeting that turned into established policy came from the managers and engineers who often told me the low bid we embraced sometimes lacked the quality that the next-higher bid may have built in at a modest cost. I talked to legal counsel about the Ohio law that stated we were obliged to take a bid that was “lowest AND BEST”; that simply did not always mean the lowest price was best. I was told the burden of proof was on me to differentiate. Therefore, I began building quality standards that eliminated bidders who were simply trying to win the business on the cheap (i.e., inferior materials, inexperienced laborers). If the job included a concrete pour, for instance, I included a paragraph written by the engineers that required a pad of specific dimensions with a certain density, etc. Test samples would also be required daily to validate the stated requirements were met. In a short time, we not only achieved awarding the lowest and best bidders, but we became known for our strict quality control so vendors truly stepped up and offered quality bids, reducing those looking to get in and out for a fast buck.

As with any idea, however, there was some fallout. Eventually, some of the smaller, newer contractors complained they could never break into the successful bidder ranks because we weren’t giving the ‘little guy” a fair chance. Others complained that certain contractors had supplier connections, which made it even more difficult to compete (e.g., gravel suppliers and trucking agreements). I talked this over with the treasurer and legal counsel, and they agreed the complaint was legitimate. As a governmental agency, we needed to keep the doors open and ensure all competition was welcome. We brainstormed an idea that was unique at the time. I called it “One eye blind.”

In a nutshell, the bid asked vendors to submit two envelopes. One contained the bidder’s description of how he would perform the job. It included specifics about materials, man-hours, timelines, etc. However, there was no mention of cost. Following a review of that envelope, the team assessing the bids created a list of preferred bidders.

The second envelopes, containing the pricing, were opened, and the bids were again ranked from most economical to most expensive. The lists were compared, and discussion ensued over the “lowest and best” offer. The method wasn’t perfect, but it evoked good conversation, and often things that may have been assumed by us were ironed out long before work commenced. Managers were happy to provide input at the decision table and felt valued as well.

The feedback from vendors was also strong and positive. It was clear that the park system was devoted to listening and actively engaging improvements to remain a strong advocate of Ohio law and financial integrity. We can embrace improvements in the world, and we can supplement them with the ingenuity that new processes bring. But we should never undervalue the input and experiences of those in the field, those doing the work and dealing with the issues. Feedback is essential.

Ron Ciancutti worked in the parks and recreation industry since he was 16 years old, covering everything from maintenance, operations, engineering, surveying, park management, design, planning, recreation, and finance. He is now retired. He holds a B.S. in Business from Bowling Green State University and an M.B.A. from Baldwin Wallace University. He is not on Facebook, but he can be reached at ron@northstarpubs.com.