New Guide To Purchasing Snow Services Available

It’s hard to imagine dealing with snow and ice at your facility when summer’s still officially here. But the challenges of winter weather will be here sooner than you think, and the sooner you start planning for ice and snow removal services, the better.

snow removal services
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Over​ ​the​ ​past​ ​three​ ​years,​ ​the​ ​Snow​ ​&​ ​Ice​ ​Management Association​ ​(SIMA)​ ​has​ ​established​ ​a​ ​productive​ ​dialogue​ ​between​ ​its​ ​staff,​ ​snow​ ​and ice​ ​management​ ​professionals,​ ​and​ ​facilities​ ​and​ ​property​ ​managers​ ​across​ ​North America​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​attention​ ​on​ ​the​ ​procurement​ ​process​ ​for​ ​snow​ ​removal​ ​services.

Best​ ​practices​ ​for​ ​snow​ ​and​ ​ice​ ​management​ ​is​ ​critical​ ​for​ ​business​ ​continuity​ ​and​ ​to ensure​ ​safety​ ​for​ ​patrons,​ ​tenants​, ​and​ ​employees.​ ​Knowing​ ​how​ ​to​ ​describe​ ​your service​ ​requirements​ ​in​ ​a​ ​snow​ ​and​ ​ice​ ​management​ ​request​ ​for​ ​proposal​ ​(RFP)​ ​is difficult,​ ​particularly​ ​given​ ​the​ ​variability​ ​of​ ​winter​ ​weather​ ​and​ ​the​ ​wide​ ​variety​ ​of property​ ​types.

Based​ ​on​ ​discussion​ ​with​ ​and​ ​feedback​ ​from​ ​industry​ ​stakeholders​ ​from​ ​FMs/PMs, snow​ ​contractors,​ ​insurance,​ ​industry​ ​consultants,​ ​and​ ​equipment​ ​manufacturers,​ ​SIMA has​ ​developed​ ​best​ ​practices​ ​designed​ ​to​ ​better​ ​align​ ​all​ ​stakeholders​ ​for​ ​success​ ​when purchasing​ ​snow​ ​services.​ ​Purchasing​ ​Snow​ ​&​ ​Ice​ ​Management:​ ​Quality​ ​RFP Creation​ ​and​ ​Best​ ​Practices​ ​​organizes​ ​the​ ​snow​ ​and​ ​ice​ ​management​ ​service procurement​ ​process​ ​to​ ​aid​ ​in​ ​the​ ​creation​ ​of​ ​RFPs,​ ​contracts,​ ​and​ ​monitoring procedures.

Brian​ ​Birch,​ ​SIMA​ ​Chief​ ​Operating​ ​Officer​ ​explains,​ ​“This​ ​guide​ ​is​ ​the​ ​culmination​ ​of years​ ​of​ ​collaboration​ ​between​ ​snow​ ​contractors​ ​and​ ​facilities​ ​and​ ​property​ ​managers.​ ​It is​ ​the​ ​definitive​ ​guide​ ​to​ ​buying​ ​snow​ ​services effectively​ ​–​ ​the​ ​goal​ ​​ ​to​ ​help​ ​ensure​ ​clarity, transparency,​ ​and​ ​fairness​ ​within​ ​the​ ​snow​ ​RFP​ ​process.”

The​ ​document​ ​is​ ​divided​ ​into​ ​chapters​ ​that​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​the​ ​following:

  • A​ ​52-week​ ​procurement​ ​timeline​ ​that​ ​outlines​ ​dates​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​snow service​ ​contracts​ ​are​ ​issued​ ​far​ ​enough​ ​in​ ​advance​ ​to​ ​allow​ ​the​ ​snow​ ​contractor ample​ ​time​ ​to​ ​procure​ ​and​ ​allocate​ ​resources​ ​for​ ​the​ ​service​ ​site(s).
  • Defining​ ​a​ ​clear​ ​Level​ ​of​ ​Service​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​those​ ​bidding​ ​for​ ​your​ ​services are​ ​pricing​ ​appropriately.
  • Understanding​ ​what​ ​goes​ ​into​ ​creating​ ​a​ ​Scope​ ​of​ ​Work​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​Level​ ​of Service​ ​requirements.
  • Defining​ ​terms​ ​and​ ​conditions​ ​and​ ​the​ ​role​ ​they​ ​play​ ​in​ ​the​ ​RFP​ ​process, including​ ​contract​ ​fee​ ​types,​ ​payment​ ​and​ ​billing​ ​best​ ​practices,​ ​insurance requirements,​ ​documentation​ ​and​ ​service​ ​validation,​ ​and​ ​cessation​ ​of​ ​services.

The​ ​document​ ​also​ ​utilizes​ ​additional​ ​SIMA​ ​resources​ ​that​ ​have​ ​been​ ​created​ ​to​ ​bring all​ ​industry​ ​stakeholders​ ​to​ ​the​ ​same​ ​page​ ​when​ ​negotiating​ ​snow​ ​and​ ​ice​ ​management contracts:​ ​The​ ​Glossary​ ​of​ ​Terms,​ ​complementary​ ​best​ ​practices​ ​checklists,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​site engineering​ ​sell​ ​sheet.​ ​These​ ​resources​ ​are​ ​free​ ​and​ ​available​ ​to​ ​all​ ​industry participants,​ ​regardless​ ​of​ ​whether​ ​they​ ​are​ ​a​ ​SIMA​ ​member.

You can download​ Purchasing​ ​Snow​ ​&​ ​Ice Management:​ ​Quality​ ​RFP​ ​Creation​ ​and​ ​Best​ ​Practices​​ here​.​ ​ ​


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