SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/232221
Facility & Operations standard, how long do you allow the contractor to make repairs? If plant material dies on a contractor's watch, how do you get them to replace/pay for replacement? Do you assess a financial penalty for each out of compliance? What about repeat out of compliances; is there an additional penalty? There is not one way to do this; however you need to address corrective measures up front to make sure that the standards are met as per the contract conditions. The contract needs to be clear and up front on your expectation for corrective measures. You also need to understand that overseeing a contract takes time and is some- thing that has to be factored into the cost of contracting for maintenance. Contracting out maintenance services for many years has been considered something that most agencies try and avoid. In the new normal, where expenses continue to rise faster than revenues, it may be something that you have to consider. If you consider contracting, you can make sure you get what you expect if you spend the time writing the contract and standards using some of the lessons that have been learned to increase your chance of success. Building partnerships takes time and effort on everyone's part and although the expectation should be written into a contract it is the responsibility of both parties to foster the development of a long term partnership. It is extremely important, especially in the beginning of a new partnership, to take the time to care for it. A partnership is no different than a marriage. Someone is going to leave the cap off of the toothpaste and someone else is going to leave the kitchen light on. The key to a successful partnership is learning to work together as well as appreciate each other's little quirks. Do not be over critical, especially in the beginning! It is important to talk through situations to ensure that people are "seeing" things in the same way and learning from every experience, good and bad. Through years of trial and error both the City of Roseville and the City of Brentwood have come to anticipate that a true partnership will take 12-18 months to establish. The focus should be on making the initial period a long term relationship or you will forever spin in the trial and error period. Generally speaking private contractors, and especially those bidding on public projects, have been trained by the public sector to come in low on the base bid and then make their profit on change orders, extra work, and cutting a few corners. This is their culture. The public sector culture is to be on guard for such activity and enter contacts with the intent of "catching" the contractor doing something wrong. Acknowledge that these cultures exist and understand it will take your partner's staff as well as your own staff time to adjust to this new method of thinking. Also, remember that you are the steward of public funds and must ensure that those funds are being used wisely. n Craig Bronzan is the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Brentwood, CA; Scott F. Miller, CPRE, is Parks Superintendent, for the City of Roseville, CA. 12 SportsTurf | January 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com