Government Fleets?

Andy's Car Wash

New Member
I am about to close a deal with the post office and was wondering what other branches of government fleets you guys wash? Anyone do Dept of Trans, Forest Service, City or County vehicles, police dept? Who do you talk to? Do you just go inside and ask the secretary? My contact at the post office is a friend of the family.
It is getting into the rainy season here in OR and I do a lot of private car washes and details. I have a few commercial accounts, but could always use more.
Thanks
AndysCarWash@hotmail.com
 

Scott Stone

New Member
Hmm, Governement fleets, I Know something about that. I do work for four different municipalities. It really depends on what the legal requirements are for the government body that you are marketing and what you want to do for them.
General guidelines that vary from city to city and state to state.
They all have a magic number. That is the number that the responsible person can decide on who they can hire without getting the purchasing departments approval. Usually it is around $10,000 a year, but every city is different. There are also special cases that they can pick and choose who they send the IFB's out to and unless you dig it out that is who is going to be allowed to bid on the contract. Sometimes they do not even go through the purchasing department. It is really a very strong case of if you do a good job for one person he will tell the next guy.
So, if you want to bid on government work you need to do some legwork ahead of time. First you need to contact the purchasing, procurement or Materials management department of every city, county, state and federal entity that you want to do work for, and have them send you a vendor registration packet. You will need to go through the packet and figure out what you want to do for them and give them all of your info. Also check with your local chamber of comerce and get their advice. A lot of the Chambers will give the advice to you even if ou do not belong to it. Some even have a bid sourcing program and will notify you if there is a bid in your area.
Then you need to start finding out who is responsible for the bidding, and purchasing for the particular areas is and make contact with that person. They will usually tell you who they are using, and what they are paying. It is actually all available under the freedom fo information act, so that they do have to reveal it to you. It just depends on the hoops an what you have to do to get the info.
You will also need to remember that you will not probably get a premium price for what ever service you are providing, but, you will get a check that clears, and a regular account that is pretty much locked into you for a set amount of time. It is all under contract, and they will not usually cancel the contract without 30 days at the minimum, or the term of the contract. Sometimes you might even be able to convince them to start service if they have not been having the service in the past. You will have to jump through hoops though.
 

C&T Pressure

New Member
Government fleets

Andy if you want to do police cars you'll have to find out when you can bid on the job. I would just go up and ask when the next bid would be. then you can but your bid in at that time. Post office you'll need to talk to the post master. you get into one good chance you could go to the next town and get them. D.O.T. trucks and cars just go to the post and give them your price list.

good luck
C & T
 

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