Anyone who has tried to win bids on highway mowing contracts knows how difficult a process it can be, and if you never have tried, because you were intimidated by the process, well, we understand.

We are Keith’s Tractor Mowing, offering outstanding commercial mowing services in the Fort Worth area, and in this article we will give you some tips on winning highway mowing contracts. Call us for more information or to arrange for a bid for your mowing job.

Now let’s talk about getting you on the right track with highway mowing contracts.

Don’t be intimidated

We came across a government mowing contract the other day which had 32-pages of explanations/requirements/instructions.  32 pages!!!

Highway mowing contracts means dealing with city, county, and state agencies.  Prepare yourself for frustration.  Prepare yourself for diving into the deep end without the necessary swimming skills.  There is only one way to begin your journey in highway mowing contracts, and that way is to do it.  Trust us, after the first application, the others will be much easier.

Read the fine print

Every instruction on all of those thirty-two pages is important.  Every single one of them must be followed specifically.  There is no “rounding off” or “cutting corners with a government contract.  Precision wins the day more often than not.  We have seen bids rejected because blue ink was used in filling out the bid rather than black ink. True story!

Make sure you have the necessary equipment

Save yourself a lot of work and heartache by making sure you have the necessary equipment to do the job well.  If you do not have a tractor mower, if you do not have a brush hog, and if you do not have several other pieces of equipment usually necessary for highway mowing gigs, don’t even bother to put in a bid.  The only thing worse than not getting a bid is getting a bid and then doing a poor job on it.  You will not get a second chance if you fail on the first.  Governments have long memories.

Pass on “lowest bid” contracts

It is our opinion that you should pass on the “lowest bid” contracts. Do not get into a bidding war with other lawn services.  That’s a no-win situation and not worth it.  Working your tail off for next to nothing in profits will lead to a failing business sooner rather than later.

Continue to build your reputation

Reputation matters in the commercial mowing game.  If you are small and just starting out, cut your teeth on the smaller jobs. Hone your craft. Build up your reputation.  Trust us, reputation matters in this industry.  It may take you a few years, but a good reputation will pay dividends down the road of life.  Again, governments have long memories.

A word about Keith’s Tractor Mowing

In a highly-competitive industry, Keith’s Tractor Mowing has made a name for itself when it comes to acreage mowing, lot mowing, highway mowing contracts, HOV mowing, and pipeline mowing. Call us for all of your large mowing needs.  Our reputation speaks for itself in the Fort Worth area.