Consultants – There to Take the


Blame? from Page 50


In our litigious society, if every “i” isn’t dotted and every


“t” isn’t crossed, the losing bidders can cry foul and begin to take action that could cause the process to be thrown out and started over again. (Can you say Hartsfield Atlanta Interna- tionalAirport?) In the private sector, this seldomhappens.Aprivate owner


or operator doesn’t have to go out to bid. They simply find an operator they like, give the existing company 30 days’ notice, and that’s that. But in the public sector, it’s different. In this case, the con-


sulting firm that wrote the specification and reviewed the bids earned their substantial fee.They ensured not only that the sub- stance of the bidswas correct, but that the all-important “form” was right, too. We needed to be certain that the process was exacting and


fair. I learned in that room that having a consultant that knows what they are doing, and can write a specification that is clear and unambiguous, is worth themoney paid. Remember, in most cases, operators will be handling mil-


lions of dollars over a period of years. Time and money spent upfront to ensure that everyone is clear on the project and on the fine print canmake all the difference.


Woof! PT Parking. And so much more. Your full-service


solution for:    Site civil engineering Feasibility studies     Parking structure design Parking revenue control Condition assessment   Sustainable design


Complete Systems Integration for Parking...and Beyond.


PARC Group is the leading network of systems integrators in the parking industry, and your one-stop resource for the design, contract, installation and service for all of your access control systems.


From parking control to a customized integrated system,we can help you achieve your goals.


PT BLOG


JVH comments on Parking News every day at PT Blog – log on at www.parkingtoday.com. Each month, there are at least 40 other comments like these, posted daily.


‘If I’msmart, I do a number of things’ (posted Sept. 3) Cities are whining because their revenue is down.Wow!Da


ya think? Can you believe it? There is a recession, and sudden- ly cities are saying that they don’t have enough tax revenue. I mean, gee, people are spending less, so there is less sales tax. Cities were spending like drunken sailors and housing


prices go down a bit and they are, OMG, not getting enough revenue to cover their expenses! The solution? Raise fees, tax- es, rates, whatever you got. Let’s see ... I run a car company. I sell Belchfire Eight’s. I


find that due to the recession, I’m losing money. The solution? I immediately raise the prices of the fabled Belchfire. Guess again. If I’m smart, I do a number of things. First, I look at my costs and see what I can do about keep-


ing them in line.Maybe that new startup I was planning should be put off a couple of years. Second, I look at the Belchfire. Maybe the car I make could be changed a bit to better fit the needs of the folks who might buy it. Third, perhaps I need to look at my marketing and get smart about who uses my product and how I can better reach


Find your local integrator at www.parcgroup.com. 28 locations across the US, Canada,Mexico and the Caribbean


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                 


52 NOVEMBER 2009 • PARKING TODAY • www.parkingtoday.com


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