Suppliers - Architects - hands off the tender process

Dear Megan: (Editor, USGlass)

There is never a cause to de-value your work, never a reason to beg, never a reason to accept the conditions forced on you by those who feel that the work we perform could be carried out by a General Contractors labourer. We are a Skilled Trade; however we have always been taken for granted. We do not enjoy the same recognition as our partners in other trades. If we allow, "bigger suppliers trying to reach architects, to take on that design-build role, I guess pushing more glaziers to subcontract labour-only through them.", we will relegate our responsibility in providing experienced advice to our clients though our interpretation of the designs and drawings presented to us for tender. It is through the interpretation of the design that we are able to engineer the solution that is best suited for the application through our hands on knowledge. If interpretation of the design is left to the supplier, profit will be the motivating factor.

Hi Martin,

I appreciate the sharp response – actually one of the things I’ve been hearing from folks is that there seems to be less of this outrage at the situation; as new project starts stay low some companies are taking anything they can get. One of the other concerns we’ve been hearing is that more of the bigger suppliers are trying to reach architects to take on that design-build role, I guess pushing more glaziers to subcontract labor-only through them. I was wondering if you’d have any thoughts on that speculation – and would you be willing to let me use some of your comments in our article?

Thanks,
Megan