In this article we will talk about the unique creature that is government mowing contracts, and give a few tips on how to approach a government mowing bid. We are Keith’s Tractor Mowing, out of Fort Worth, Texas, and we have twenty-five years of professional mowing experience. Hopefully you’ll find something useful in this article. Call us if you need clarification.
All contracts and bids are different
The first thing you need to be aware of is that all government contracts are different, from town to town, and from state to state. With our company, we cover an area within seventy-five miles of Fort Worth proper. Within that geographic area there are literally dozens of towns and cities, all with their own mowing needs, and all with their own specific mowing contract specifications.
Some may be highway mowing contracts. Some may be city lot mowing or right-of-way mowing contracts.
Add to that the fact the state contracts have their own specifications, and it all can be a bit confusing and call for a very detailed and organized filing system and mind.
First tip: read the fine print
Assume this: every single point in the entire contract and bidding application is important. The wording is precise. If it calls for $1,000,000 general liability insurance, do not apply for the job if you only carry $750,000. If it calls for the job to be filed in triplicate, make sure you don’t do only two copies. Governments run in details, and those details can make or break your chances of getting the contract.
Second tip: make sure you make the deadline
One day late might as well be one week late in filing an application bid. One hour late is just as bad. There is no wiggle room in bid deadlines. There are no Mulligans, like in golf. Make the deadline!
Third tip: make sure you are qualified
Do you have the skill and the equipment to do the job? If not, it won’t take long before you will be “blacklisted” in that city, unable to find any acreage mowing job even slightly related to the city or town. It’s nice to have a government mowing contract; many mowing companies want those contracts badly; don’t fudge with the truth to get one. If you don’t have “the bones” to do the job properly in the time allotted, don’t bother bidding for it.
Fourth tip: don’t try to underbid the rest of the world
Underbidding is not a recipe for success. Yes, government agencies are concerned with budgets, but they are more concerned with having their contracted jobs done correctly in the time set aside for them. Figure out what the job will cost, make sure you factor in a profit for yourself, and make a fair bid. In the long run, your credibility and reputation mean more than undercutting the competition in price.
A word of two about Keith’s Tractor Mowing
Keith’s Tractor Mowing services all manner of clients within a seventy-five mile radius of Fort Worth. We have successfully bid for government mowing contracts in a number of towns and cities over a number of years. We know the government officials, we work closely with them, and we deliver on our promises.
And the same can be said regarding our private customers.
Call the company you can trust. Call Keith’s Tractor Mowing.