Summer is the time to send out your Snow Removal Request-for-Proposal (RFP). You do the legwork to produce a document that clearly lays out your needs and expectations, hoping that you will receive back proposals that actually meet your needs. Year after year this cycle repeats itself.

Sometimes you get a great contractor, and sometimes you don’t. Is it possible that your RFP process doesn’t include everything that you need it to? Ask yourself, “Does my snow RFP process attract the right service providers to choose from?”

At Sauers we have found certain “best practices” in the RFP process that have help us determine if we are the right fit for a client. Below are what we have found help facility managers identify the best snow contractors for them to work with.

Our process always includes:

Discovery Call – a conversation centered around YOUR expectations and needs early-on in the sales process. You can’t meet someone’s expectations if you don’t listen first.

Site Map – a custom snow response plan identifying the service areas of your lots, walks and agreed-upon snow pile locations.

Scope of Work – a detailed Pre, During, and Post-Event Scope of Work clearly stating the service you expect to receive.

Fitted Pricing Structure – Fixed-Cost Seasonal or Pay-As-It-Snows pricing structures are available to fit your budgeting preferences

Too often the standard RFP process just receives a price on a page, and little else to work with. If your Snow RFP process is not providing you with these details, would your benefit from a conversation with Sauers?

As an added benefit you can download this free resource from Snow & Ice Management Association. It’s a great resource from a snow industry leader, designed to help you produce a better RFP document.

Late summer is the ideal time to develop a custom snow response plan and to consider the costs of your snow removal. It is important to carefully evaluate snow removal pricing options to be sure that you are prepared for winter.

There are four basic pricing structures for snow and ice maintenance.

• Fixed Seasonal – a set price for the entire winter’s service.
• Per Inch – pay per inch and application for each snow & ice event.
• Time & Materials – pay hourly for labor, machinery, and supplies used.
• Seasonal with Cap – this is a hybrid of the Fixed Seasonal and the Per Inch options. You pay for a set winter’s price within an agreed upon snowfall range, and if the snowfall totals reach above the seasonal total, you will be priced at a Per Inch Rate.

Fixed Seasonal vs. Per Inch / Time & Materials

With a Fixed Seasonal contract, you gain the peace of mind that comes with knowing your annual snow budget upfront. A Fixed Seasonal will protect you from the fluctuating costs of a greater than expected snow season.

Others prefer the pay-for-what-you-use plans of Per Inch and Time & Materials contracts. This allows the client to account for just what they need during a given winter.

Depending on your risk tolerance, one of these may be more beneficial that the other. However, for many, a fixed budget works best in a volatile weather environment.

The Hybrid: Seasonal with Cap

Many clients are discovering that they can find a combination of the best of both worlds. The Seasonal with Cap option hedges the risk of an extreme winter snow total, while providing the stability of knowing what you need to budget for a given winter. This option has the flexibility to help predict their annual costs, while keeping the seasonal price lower.

When pricing your next snow contract, make sure that you run your proposals through a few of these options to determine which one will serve you, and your budget, the best.