Contractor'sToolTipGuide-UpdatedJune102017

4. Describe the type of customers you target for business and how do you go about getting their business: Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

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5. List your present customers and their contract type—– governmental (city, state, county and federal), (commercial, residential,
institutional) (hospitals, school districts, colleges/universities) etc.

Entity Name: Contract Type:

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Page 51

6. List the marketing techniques you will use to promote the business: Page 52

a. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
d. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
e. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
f. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Describe how you determine you sales potential:

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8. List Five (5) of your most significant contract completed over the past three (3) years, if any.

Contract Project Location Month Month Profit or

Name Description City, State Started Completed Loss

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Describe you pricing policy and indicate how prices are determined:

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10. Identify five (5) businesses which provide the most competition to your business. Include whether their markets are Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

steady, increasing or decreasing:

Company Name Status Strengths Weaknesses

1. _________________________________________ _________________ ______________ ________________

2. _________________________________________ _________________ ______________ ________________

3. _________________________________________ _________________ ______________ ________________

4. _________________________________________ _________________ ______________ ________________

5. _________________________________________ _________________ ______________ ________________

11. Identify advantages you have over your competitors:

1. _________________________________________ 5. ______________________________________________

2. _________________________________________ 6. ______________________________________________

3. _________________________________________ 7. ______________________________________________

4.__________________________________________ 8. ______________________________________________

Page 53

12. Give a detail listing of primary operating equipment on hand or need to purchase: Page 54

Description Quantity Age Condition Cost Leased or Owned

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___________________________ ____________ _____ _________ _________ ________________

___________________________ ____________ _____ _________ _________ ________________ Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

___________________________ ____________ _____ _________ _________ ________________

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13. Describe how you rate your labor cost, e.g...low, medium or high compared with competitors:

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14. Identify the number of permanent employees in your work force or will need:

Management ______________ Technical _______________

Professional ______________ Skilled _______________

Administrative ______________ Semi Skilled _______________

Unskilled _______________

15. Identify any training needs (skill development, safety, supervisory, etc.) required to upgrade your work force

performance delivery and to overcome your management weaknesses:

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16. Identify any licenses or permits required to operate your business:

______________________________________________ ________________________________________________

17. Identify types of bonding & capacity your company maintains: If none, describe why not needed?

Bid Bond _____________ Performance ______________ Payment Bond _____________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

18. Identify types of business insurance your company maintains: Only if applicable.

General Liability ________ Worker’s Comp ________ Builder’s Risk ________

Vehicle ________

Page 55

Page 56 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

13 TIPS TO DEVELOP STRONG

Networking Relationships

1. Find low-key learning environments. Business card exchanges and other network-
ing events are high pressure situations where people go to meet others but usually do so with all their
defenses intact. For more relaxed networking, find educational atmospheres, such as workshops and
seminars, where the focus is on learning and where people's defenses are lower.

2. Start conversations. Go out of your way to get into conversations with anyone and every-
one you can, in person, on the phone or via email. Cross the street, cross the room, cross the train, to
talk to someone. Find out what they're working on and tell them what you're working on. Anything can
come out of a simple conversation: ideas, alliances, connections, referrals, new business, new oppor-
tunities.

3. Make contact, not contacts. The goal of networking is not to meet as many people in
as short a time as possible. The goal is to find a business community that satisfies your needs; one
that brings together people who are your prospects and with whom you are comfortable. So if you
attend an event, don’t think you have to get to everyone in the room. Meet as many people as you
can but if a conversation is going well, stay with it.

4. Be a good listener. Don’t be worried about what you’re going to say. You don't need to
perform your sales pitch, just have your blurbs ready to use as a tool to engage people in conversa-
tion. Do more listening than talking, and ask a lot of questions. Then simply respond to what you
hear. Answer questions, devise solutions, be creative. Sounds easy? Just try it.

5. Arrive early. If you wait until most of the attendees are already there, many of them will
already be in conversations and it won’t be as easy to break in.

6. Never sit with someone you know. Attend an event with a friend, but put on your name-
tags then separate at the door. Otherwise, you will never meet anyone new.

7. Look for wallflowers. Instead of trying to break into conversations that are already go-
ing, find someone sitting or standing alone and simply introduce yourself. Do it even if they don’t
look like they want to be approached. The apparent standoffishness may merely be a cover for their
own discomfort.

8. Use the food to begin conversations. Stand by the buffet and make recommenda-
tions to anyone who approaches about what’s good (or bad).

9. Keep going back to the buffet. Never put more than 3 bites on your plate. Take your plate
to a crowded table, introduce yourself, talk (and listen) for 10-15 minutes, exchange cards,
then excuse yourself to get up and get more food. (After all, your plate will be empty.) Repeat
this until the room is empty. And don't forget that you can also talk to people in line at the buffet.

10. Be random about where you sit. You can’t tell by how someone looks what will come out
of a conversation with them. Don’t judge.

11. Make notes about the people you meet. Every time someone gives you a card, make a
point of writing a note on the back -- while you’re still talking. This will not only flatter, but you will
have a much better chance of remembering what you talked about so that you can follow up in a
more personal way.

12. Wear a jacket with pockets. Keep your business cards and a pen in the left pocket and
put any cards you get into the right pocket. That way you won't be fumbling with cards or accidentally
hand a new contact someone else's card.

13. Wear an unusual accessory, like a colorful scarf or tie, so that when you follow up you
can also remind them who you are by referring to that accessory, as in, “I was the one with the or-
ange scarf.”

Source: Illise Benum, Author & National Speaker

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 57

Helpful Hints
Soliciting business from general contractors and the public and private sectors can be
frustrating and a non productive experience if you don’t take the time to learn the system.
Follow the helpful hints listed below to jump start your company when looking for opportu-
nities.
Look for Opportunities: Don’t wait for opportunities to come knocking on your door, be-
cause they won’t!

Respond to Invitation For Bids & Request For Proposals

• • Read everything

• • Make sure that your services or goods meet the specification
requirements

• • Make sure that you sign your bid or proposal

• • Turn your response in on time

• • If you are unsuccessful, keep trying. Review the successful
bidders/proposer submittal to better prepare for the next time.

Follow the Getting Ready to Bid Checklist
Check-out
The Texas Building and Procurement Website: www/tbpc.state.tx.us/hub/eof/
agycoordr.html; the City of Austin Purchasing Office Website: http//www. ci.austin.tx.us/
purchaser; Austin American Statesman Classified Section; and the DAS Bid Briefs for
opportunities.

Potential Procurement Contacts

Public Sector

City of Austin Purchasing Office Austin Water Utility

Austin Clean Water Project Travis County

Austin Energy University of Texas System

Housing Community Development University of Texas PMCS

City of Austin Housing Authority Lower Colorado River Authority

City of Austin Contract Management Department

City of Austin Public Works Department

Texas Facilities Commission

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Texas State University Austin Community College

Texas Department of Criminal Justice Austin Revitalization Authority

Austin Independent School District State Preservation Board

Texas Department of Transportation

Private Sector

Dell Computers Apple International Business Machine (IBM)

Advanced Micro Devices VISA Computer Science Corporation

FreeScale National Instruments Abbott Laboratories

Hewlett Packard Data Center Samsung

Arboretum Hotel Bank or America

Westin Hotel, at the Domain Mueller Development

Seaholm Redevelopment Project W Hotel

Greenwater Redevelopment Project Domain

Note: Phone numbers for these entities are found in the Blue & Yellow Pages of the Telephone Directory. There are
many other agencies and corporations that may offer procurement opportunities not mentioned in the Tool Box Tip
Sheets. Seek them out!

ABCA DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES Page 58

Company Profile Resume Worksheet

(Use to Market Your Company at Pre Bid Conferences; Bonding & Insurance Applications;
Networking, Marketplaces & Expos; Banking; and MBE/WBE Certification Applications)

Company Name: __________________________________________________________________
Company Address:
City/State/Zip Code: __________________________________________________________________ Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide
Owner (s):
Contact Person: __________________________________________________________________
Telephone:
E-mail Address: ________________________ Title: __________________
Business Structure:
________________________ Title: __________________

________________________ Mobile: ________________

________________________ Fax: __________________

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Corporation

City Certification Date: ______________________ Gender: ___ Male ___ Female
Company Performs as a: ___ General Contractor ___ Subcontractor ___ Supplier

Trade Service (s) Provided: ___________________ _____________________ _____________________
___________________ _____________________ _____________________
___________________ _____________________ _____________________

Years in Business: ______ Number of Employees: _____________________

Bonding Capacity: ______ Bonding Company:___________________________

Liability Insurance: $______ Insurance Company: _________________________

Workers Compensation: $______ Bank Name: _______________________________

Vehicle Coverage: $______ 3 Supplier References: ________________________

________________________

________________________

List the Four Largest Projects Completed in the Past Three Years: Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

Project Name:_____________________________ Project Name:______________________________
Owner ___________________________________ Owner: ____________________________________
Contract Amount: $_______________________ Contract Amount: $_________________________
Date Completed: __________________________ Date Completed: ___________________________
Contact Person: ___________________________ Contact Person: ____________________________
Telephone: _______________________________ Telephone: _________________________________
Project Name: ___________________________ Project Name: ____________________________
Owner: __________________________________ Owner: __________________________________
Contract Amount: $ _______________________ Contract Amount: $_________________________
Date Completed: __________________________ Date Completed: ___________________________
Contact Person: ___________________________ Contact Person:_____________________________
Telephone: ________________________________ Telephone:_________________________________

Average Contract Dollar Range Performed: $_________________

(See Back Cover for 2nd Page)

Page 59

List the Four Largest Projects in Progress Page 60

Project Name: _____________________ Project Name: _____________________________ Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide
Owner: _______________________________ Owner: ___________________________________
Contract Amount: $____________________ Contract Amount: $ _______________________
% Completed: _________________________ % Completed: _____________________________
Contact Person: _______________________ Contact Person ____________________________
Telephone: __________________________ Telephone: _______________________________

Project Name: _______________________ Project Name: ____________________________
Owner: _____________________________ Owner: ___________________________________
Contract Amount: $ _________________ Contract Amount: $ _______________________
% Completed: ________________________ % Completed: _____________________________
Contact Person: ______________________ Contact Person: ___________________________
Telephone: ___________________________ Telephone: ____________________________

List Projects Pending Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

Project Name: _______________________ Project Name: __________________________
Owner: ____________________________ Owner: _________________________________
Contract Amount: $ _________________ Contract Amount: $ ___________________
Contract Start Date: _________________ Contract Start Date: ____________________
Contact Person: ______________________ Contact Person: ________________________
Telephone: _________________________ Telephone: ______________________________

Project Name: _______________________ Project Name: __________________________ Page 61
Owner: _____________________________ Owner: _______________________________
Contract Amount: $ _________________ Contract Amount: $ ______________________
Contract Start Date __________________ Contract Start Date: _____________________
Contact Person: ___________________ Contact Person: _________________________
Telephone:___________________________ Telephone: ______________________________

Page 62 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

What You Must Know About
MUST-HAVE

Equipment For Your Business

aking into consideration the constant upgrades and information, every business still lives and breathes by
forward strides in technology (and the resulting life its contacts. Your customers, leads and associates
and work style changes) the necessary "tools of the are your company's lifeblood. Your ability to capture,
trade" for business can no longer be easily pinned store, retrieve and actually use that information keeps
down. For decades, an office, phone, a typewriter and business rolling. There used to be an index card
a closet full of paper kept businesses rolling along. crammed with information on those important people.
Then came computers and fax machines. Then PDAs Today, it's email clients, like Outlook and Contact
and mobile phones... I recently read an article from no Relationship Management programs from which we
more than three or four years ago on the topic of keep in touch with the people who make our business
"must-have" business equipment and it really struck happen.
me just how outdated - and almost laughable - it was.
So much has changed even from just a few years Advertising
ago.
Brochures and flyers are giving way to Flickr and
The fact is, there's no article that could be written that Pinterest as the ways we present visual images to our
would sum up what a company needs to conduct clients. Email campaigns deliver news and event
business that would remain relevant for more than a details directly to the inboxes of our customers. As
few months. There's always going to be something printed media shrinks as a source of information,
newer, faster, better for getting things done. Rather traditional "ads" are quickly fading away, in favor of
than avail you of yet another article that will tell you at targeted advertising placed contextually in the social
this point in time what the "must-have" equipment for media we consume. Even business cards aren't as
running your enterprise is, let’s take a few steps much of a necessity as they used to be because there
backward and get to the crux of the matter: your are just so many other, more efficient means by which
needs. Just because there is new technology doesn't to get our contact information to others.
mean you have to embrace it. Each business is
unique in its requirements and work flow. It's impor- Information sharing/distribution
tant to know and account for that when determining
what your own business' "must haves" are. While the When we need a document, we rarely even need a
technology changes, the core needs of business fax machine. Emailing documents created directly on
remain largely the same. our computers is far more common. And why would
we need a scanner when we have a camera right on
Separate from the means by which you create your our phone?
product and/or service, most businesses have these
needs in common: Physical Location

Communication Today, it really isn't even necessary to have an
"office" per say in which to perform work. If you do
Phone - It used to be you needed a phone "system" require a physical location, do make certain to equip it
in order to "manage" your calls, screening and direct- with ergonomic furnishings to keep you comfortable
ing them to the proper parties and/or departments. and healthy. Many workers, however, work completely
You had at least one "office line," a "personal line" virtually and may get the job done from a home office,
and a completely different mobile number that you cafe, shared office space or their living room couch.
only used when you were out of the office. Now you Of course it's important to have a space that's condu-
can create your own individual phone "system." Using cive to productivity that place may just not have the
a service like, Grasshopper, for example, each person traditional four walls.
in your organization can have their own extension
which will ring their own phone. Employees can These examples demonstrate just how quickly tech-
manage their own calls, directing them to ring through nology moves. It's not as important that you keep up
(or not), go to a particular voice mail group and re- with every twist and turn it takes but to periodically
ceive a customized greeting. and realistically assess your needs. Don't automati-
cally replace or upgrade equipment; take it as an
Internet/Email - Where written communication even opportunity to discover what the most practical way
of minor importance - needed to be written and mailed for your business to accomplish the task, based upon
your needs and budget. Remain abreast of technol-
can now take place instantaneously. Even important ogy as best you can but the best investment you can
documents and files can be transferred to multiple make is in a knowledgeable technology "interpreter"
parties simultaneously. who can distill your needs into the best solution.

Contact Management - While it used to be the

Rolodex that was the gatekeeper of this
Source: Suze Orman

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 63

MARKETING TIP: one that tells the caller that you appreci-
ate his business and are eager to assist

Proper Business him.

Telephone Active Listening

Focusing your attention on the caller will
help to promote proper telephone eti-

Etiquette quette. The business environment is
often a busy one. Still, to maintain a

busy and productive environment, your
Your business telephone calls can make business must maintain its customers.
a lasting impression on the calling party. Therefore, when your customers or
Even though email and other computer- clients call in, stop what you are doing
based communications have taken and focus your attention on answering
precedence in business, telephone com- the phone. Listen actively to the caller
munications continue to be a primary and take notes if you need. This will help
means.
you to address all of the caller’s con-

Many customers, contractors and institu- cerns on the first attempt.

tions prefer, and at times require, phone Holding
communication to complete processes
and ensure satisfaction. No matter how you try to avoid it, there
will be times when you will need to place

This communication, like many others, your caller on hold. Before doing so,

will leave an impression about your however, it is important that you ask the

business. Following a few telephone caller first. The caller may already know

etiquette tips will ensure that the impres- what they are going to hold for, but you

sions that your business makes over the should reiterate it during your request.

phone are positive ones. For instance, “Will you please hold while

Branding I verify that information for you?” A sim-
ple request will make the caller more
Greeting your business callers is an willing to wait. If the hold takes longer
easy way to establish a good telephone. than anticipated, check back with the
Each business call should begin by caller periodically so they don’t feel as
thanking your party for calling, introduc- though they have been abandoned.
ing your business and introducing your- Upon returning, thank your caller again
self. For instance, “Thank you for calling for her patience.
XYZ Inc. This is Jane. How can I assist
you?” Not only does this type of greeting Outgoing Calls

welcome the caller, it invites the caller to Outgoing business calls can be just as

get right into their request. Each call important as those coming into your

should end as politely as it began. It business. Therefore, you must be pre-

should be branded again, while thanking pared to provide a positive and profes-

the caller for their business, i.e. “Thank sional impression on those that you call.

you for calling XYZ Inc. We certainly When you call out, introduce yourself

appreciate your business.” and your company. You should be con-

Tone siderate of people’s time and always
punctual, when a telephone conference
The tone that you portray over the or meeting is scheduled. Most important,
phone is the caller’s only way to identify you should allot the appropriate amount
your mood. The caller cannot see your of time for your outgoing calls and avoid
face nor read your expression through interruptions.
the phone. Therefore, it is important that

your tone of voice be inviting to the

caller. Although your tone does not have Source: Charmayne Smith,

to be exuberantly vibrant, it should be Demand Media

Page 64 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

BUSINESS compliment slips, brochures, folders,
roller stands, contract proposals, quotes
STATIONERY AS A and estimates, letters of recommendation,
thanks and apology, and more. By having a
MARKETING TOOL variety of different types of businesses sta-
tionery, they will be constantly marketing their
Purchasing business stationery is not some- businesses in a creative, professional, and
thing all businesses consider an important non-intrusive manner. The stationery should
business decision that needs careful thought be unique to the company with a distinct logo,
and deliberation. However, business station- memorable, high quality, and reflect the pro-
ery is very important because it not only iden- fessionalism of the company.
tifies the business, but it is also an effective
marketing tool. Custom stationery demon- Stationery that is Uniquely
strates professionalism and can often attract Customized
new clients. When considering business
stationery, managers should consider the Companies can have stationery designed to
following benefits of creating custom designed their own specifications to meet their busi-
professional stationery: ness needs and desires. There are profes-
sional stationery design companies that will
Business Stationery Projects the design the stationery with the appropriate
Company’s Image colors, images, and patterns. They are de-
signed to meet the specifications and wishes
Establishing trust is an important part of at- of an individual business. The customer gives
tracting and maintaining clients. The main the stationery company a concept and design
purpose of business stationery is to depict the and the stationery is made according to their
company in a positive and professional man- specific requests. The result is distinctive
ner. Professional stationery tells clients and stationery that sets a business apart from their
potential clients that the business is profes- competition. For instance, color printed sta-
sional and legitimate. Quality stationery will tionery with a unique business logo can
leave a long lasting impression. It is basically catch a potential client’s attention and in-
the face of the company. crease interest in the company. Custom
stationery is the best way to show business
Stationery helps with Networking professionalism and show a company is a
positive manner. As well, it can lead to com-
When corresponding with clients and other pany branding. Business stationery is an
businesses, business stationery is the first important part of increasing a company’s
thing they notice. As well, when meeting public visibility.
potential clients for the first time at a meeting
or conference, business cards are the first
thing they see from the company. Quality
business stationery is part of the introduc-
tion and should represent the company in a
positive manner. It is important to remember
that after a company representative gives a
business card and leaves, the business card
remains with the potential client so it is impor-
tant the card depicts the company’s profes-
sionalism.

Custom stationery demonstrates that the
business welcomes and appreciates the
client’s business. Because businesses are
constantly sending out communications,
giving out business cards, and other office
related items, it is important that businesses
acquire and use a variety of different types of
stationery. This can Include custom station-

ery letterheads, envelopes,

business cards, pens, pencils, invoice and Source: Vectors4all.net

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 65

WHY DO YOU NEED A BROCHURE?

A brochure is the second most important item of advertising a business
needs after a website. Although consumers get most of their information
about products and services from the internet, most people like to have a
hard copy to refer to. A brochure explains what your business is about and
is a useful item to have as you can display it, post it and hand it out.

WHAT SHOULD IT CONTAIN?

Your brochure should contain the following:

WHO: Who is your company, what do you
stand for and who are the main members
of staff?

WHAT: What are you selling (product or
service)? Who uses it? What are the benefits
of using it? What problems does it solve?

WHERE: Where is your business located?
Where does the customer have to go to
buy it?

WHEN: When is it available? What are your business hours?

WHY: Why should people use it in preference to other similar products?
Brochures come in all shapes and sizes, but one of the most popular and
cheapest types is the DL - an A4 page folded twice to make a 6 paneled
brochure. If you have a wide range of products or services you may need a
stapled brochure which can have up to 16 pages, or more.

Your brochure should contain clear, concise information about your prod-
uct or service, at the same time making it enticing to the consumer. You
should also include a call to action, ie, an invitation to the consumer to
email, phone, or visit your premises for further information or to buy the
product. It’s also important to include photographs, images and diagrams
to break up the text and make the brochure visually appealing.

WHO DESIGNS IT?

Graphic designers do the design and layout of brochures and copywriters
write the words

HOW DO YOU WRITE A BROCHURE?

Use the categories of who, what, when, where and why to decide what
information to put in and write in simple, clear language. Unless you're
good at layout and design, you'll need to hire a graphic designer

Page 66 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

Where Do You Sit In A Meeting?
The 4 POWER POSITIONS

Are you running the meeting?
Do you have the ear of the meeting’s Chair?
Or do you want to just blend in?
Where you sit in a meeting directly influences your effectiveness.

1. The Power Position

The power position is at the head of the table. Everyone in the meeting can see you. From this
seat you can best facilitate the flow of the meeting. Sitting in the power position doesn’t mean
you have the biggest ego. As Chair, you need to keep the agenda moving, keep people on
task and get to decision. The meeting gets sloppy when there is no clear Chair. Whether you
use this spot to wield personal power, or to encourage the social good is up to you. However, if
you choose to sit in a weaker position at the table your ability to be an effective Chair has

decreased.

2. The Other End

The seat immediately opposite the Chair is the second power position. This seat tends to be
reserved for the guest. It is visible to all and a good location for people who need to pop into
the meeting to present specific items on the agenda. This end seat can be a powerful spot to
voice disagreement with the Chair. You sit here and you sit opposite the leader. The smart
leader may want to minimize divisiveness and have no seat at the opposite end of the table.
Put up a screen for slides or a whiteboard to prevent individuals from sitting there. Or create a
different table configuration for the meeting.

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 67
3. The Flanking Position

The individuals who sit next to the Chair have the ear of the Chair. When you sit in this position
you can influence the flow of the meeting by assisting the Chair. You can draw attention to-
wards or away from topics. You can prompt a speeding up or slowing down of the agenda.
Classically the seat to the right of the Chair is the spot for the second in command. The left
seat is the spot for the up-and-comer.

4. The Middle Few

The individuals who sit in the middle are out of sight to many at the table. They are being
talked over and around. Only the heads of the table can see everyone.
You may want to sit in the middle next to individuals with opposing view points to soften or
mitigate their opposition. Sit closer to the Chair and your opposition has to talk over or through
you. The middle of the table is also good place to sit if you don’t want to be heard. Sit here if
you are unfamiliar with the group and you’d like to quietly size up the situation. This is the seat
if This is the seat if you want to be forgotten or overlooked.

Circular Tables

These are the best tables for collaboration. However, the bigger the circle, the less effective
the collaboration becomes. It’s best to sit closest to the facilitator to wield influence. Sit farther
away and off to the side to have less influence.

No End Chairs

Sometimes there are no seats at the end of the table. The power position in this setting is the
middle of the table. It has the best view of the most individuals. The weakest position is at the
end of the table on the same side as the Chair. Most meetings are a bit like musical chairs.
Individuals come in and sit in the closest chair. They may sit closest to the food or the door.
They may sit next to friends or away from others. Think about how the choice of where to sit
effects the flow of the meeting. Having this knowledge will make you more effective

Winters MD MBA
Executive Coach for Leaders

Page 68 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

UPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR
could lose you business

Here are 15 basic Etiquette Rules
you should be following

As times change, so do social norms for personal and profes-
sional behavior, but that doesn't mean basic etiquette does-
n't matter. Performance and quality are important, too, of
course, but not exclusively. We sometimes forget that busi-
ness is about people. There is no shortage of competent
and reliable people in the business world and manners can
make the difference. Wouldn't you rather collaborate with,
work for or buy from someone who has high standards of
professional behavior? Many, but not all, of us follow these
15 time-tested rules of better behavior. Do you?

1. When in doubt, introduce others. Always introduce people to others
whenever the opportunity arises, unless you know that they’re already ac-
quainted. It makes people feel valued, regardless of their status or position.
2. A handshake is still the professional standard. Not only does this simple
gesture demonstrate that you’re polite, confident and approachable, it
also sets the tone for any potential future professional relationship. In a very
casual work atmosphere, you might be able to get away with a nod or a
hello, but it’s worth it to make the extra effort to offer your hand.
3. Always say “Please” and “Thank you.” This should go without saying, but
even in a very casual professional atmosphere, this basic form of courtesy is
still imperative. Today, sending a thank you e-mail is perfectly acceptable,
but a handwritten thank you note is always a nice touch.
4. Don’t interrupt. We’ve become a nation of “over-talkers,” so eager to
offer our own opinions or press our point that we often interrupt others mid-
sentence. It can be tongue-bitingly difficult to force ourselves not to inter-
ject, especially when the discussion is heated. Don’t. It’s rude and shows
disrespect for the opinions of others. Remember, be assertive, not aggres-
sive.
5. Watch your language. Verbal and written communications are often
much less formal than in times past, but be careful to choose your words
wisely. Of course, derogatory, rude or offensive language is unacceptable,
but so is slang. While it may be commonplace in our society, it’s never ac-

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 69

6. Double check before you hit send. While we’re on the subject of commu-
nication, always check your e-mails for spelling and grammar errors. Since
the advent of spell check, there is no excuse for typos. Also, do a quick
read to make sure the meaning and tone are what you wish to convey.
And no smileys, please.
7. Don’t walk into someone’s office unannounced. It’s disrespectful to as-
sume that you have the right to interrupt other people’s work. Knock on the
door or say hello if it’s open and ask if it’s a good time to talk. If the discus-
sion is going to take more than a few minutes, it’s a good idea to call or e-
mail and schedule a good time for both of you.
8. Don’t gossip. It’s so hard sometimes to resist engaging in a little “harmless”
gossip. But the reality is that gossip is never harmless. It is most certainly
damaging to the subject of the gossip, but it also reflects poorly on you.
9. Don’t eavesdrop. Everyone is entitled to private conversations, in person
or over the phone. The same goes for e-mail; don’t stand over someone’s
shoulder and read their e-mails.
10. Acknowledge others. When someone approaches you, acknowledge
him or her. If you’re in the middle of something important, it’s fine to ask
them to wait a minute while you finish. If you pass someone in the hallway
or on the street, but don’t have time to talk, at least wave. 11. Avoid the
“Big Two.” We have blurred many of the personal and professional lines, but
politics and religion are still off-limits. These topics are highly charged mine-
fields for a professional atmosphere.
12. Be on time. We’re all busy. Being punctual shows others that you value
their time. Being late doesn’t mean that you’re busier than other people; it
just means that you’re inconsiderate.
13. No phone during meetings. When you’re in a meeting, focus on the
meeting discussion. Don’t take calls, text or check e-mail. It’s disrespectful
to the other attendees, not to mention, extremely annoying. It also makes
meetings last longer the participants keep losing focus.
14. Don’t be a business card pusher. Don’t simply hand out business cards
to everyone you meet. It’s a bit aggressive unless you’re on a sales call. Ask
for the other person’s card, offer to exchange cards or at the very least, ask
if you can leave your card .
15. Show genuine interest. Keep eye contact and make an effort to truly
listen to what others are saying. Resist the lure of distraction and haste. Take
the time to ask questions and show an interest in the other person’s
thoughts.

Source: Royale Scuderi, a freelance writer and success coach; and
founder of Productive Life Concepts



CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

•Time for the Construction Industry to
to Embrace Technology

•iPd Plan Grid App
•Livescribe Smart Pen
•Experimental Smart Vest
•The Smart Hard Hat
•Brick Laying Robotic Masonry

Page 72 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

Time For the Construction Industry to

Embrace NEW TECHNOLOGY

Technology continues to evolve at a mind-boggling pace, and it’s defi-
nitely impacting how construction firms run their business. The days of
spreadsheets, clipboards and papers littering your desk or the floorboard of
your truck are either already gone or numbered. Today, many firms are
using laptops, smartphones, tablets and more to effectively communicate
and collaborate between the office, field and project owners. These and
other devices are becoming a necessity to compete, and will only become
more so in future. Such mobile devices make software designed to im-
prove jobsite practices and processes available at the touch of a keypad.
A plethora of construction-related apps have been introduced to stream-
line your ability to estimate and bid jobs, manage workflow, monitor equip-
ment logistics and maintenance, track employee hours and location and
more. The question is no longer whether you should use such apps but
rather which ones are most likely to meet your specific needs, and are
worth any cost involved. (Note: You can find information on a number of
available apps via the “App of the Week” at ForConstructionPros.com).
Before downloading an app, however, check for online reviews to deter-
mine if they can deliver on their promises. While the investment is often mini-
mal (or free in some cases), the vast number of apps claiming to offer simi-
lar benefits can be confusing and frustrating to navigate. You also want to
avoid discouraging field personnel from using worthwhile apps by having
them download a dud that doesn’t do what they expect or need.
Other forms of technology carry a greater learning curve, and often a
higher investment cost. For example, specific knowledge and/or training is
typically required to create digital 3D models for automated GPS-based
grade control systems; sort through and analyze the data provided by web-
based telematics systems; or develop and design 3D structural models us-
ing BIM software. There is also an associated cost to implement/utilize such
systems, and an investment in additional IT and other specially trained per-
sonnel may be required.
Even the equipment used on construction sites has evolved as a result of
advances in technology. While many of the changes take operating deci-
sions out of the user’s hands, others require the operator to be more tech
savvy in order to set up specific operating parameters, and may require
training to utilize operating modes to their full potential. Service technicians
must also be trained to know how to access fault codes using more sophisti-
cated control panels, as well as to navigate the more complex electrical
systems found on many of today’s machines. Implementing new technol-
ogy into your business is not without challenges, but the rewards can be
well worth it.
Whether it’s in time savings on a project, lower maintenance costs, re-
duced re-work, fuel efficiency gains or a combination of these and others,
the benefits can add up quickly with the right investment. If you haven’t
made the leap yet, start investigating the types of technology most appli-
cable to your business and determine if it can help you cut
costs and boost your company’s bottom line.

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 73

iPAD GRID APP

Plangrid's app for the iPad could save the construction industry billions in expensive printing costs
related to revising project blue-
prints. The app aims to replace
printed blueprints with "a sleek,
manageable digital archive of
customizable plans" that can be
"manipulated" on the job site and
immediately be updated because
of its cloud-storage capabilities.
The app is free for projects with
less than 50 sheets of blueprint,
while bigger projects will charged
based on a three-tiered pricing
plan. The construction industry
has a $4 billion dollar problem –
in the endless modifications to
expensive printed blueprints,
building plans can often swell to
nearly half a percent of a project’s
total budget, making for some
extraordinary costs on larger
builds.

Not exactly renowned for innova-
tion, the construction industry has
been slow to adopt the range of
technologies that have trans-
formed so many other sectors.
Plangrid, a small Y Combinator
startup company, is looking to
change all that with an ambitious
app for the iPad that looks to
replace costly and cumbersome
printed designs with a sleek,
manageable digital archive of
customizable plans.

Plangrid’s new iPad app allows
users to manipulate plans in the field, quickly flip between blueprint versions, and share new designs
via cloud services or e-mail. The intuitive layout balances simplicity and functionality, and the soft-
ware’s ease of use will be surely appreciated by a not-so-tech-savvy sector. Because plans take so
long to move through the modification and reprinting process, many unnecessary rework costs are
associated with outdated designs being used in the field – a problem remedied by the immediate
availability of Plangrid’s instantaneous updates and cloud-storage capabilities.

The company offers a three-tiered pricing plan for building professionals, and for smaller projects
(less than 50 sheets), the app is free. With today’s announcement of the iPad 3 – boasting a 2048 x
1536-pixel retina display, 5 megapixel camera and LTE capabilities – the incorporation of tablet
technology into the construction field is even more irresistible. Whatever the success of Plangrid’s
app, the industry is sure to move towards digitizing blueprint management for field use the near
future. You can learn more at ……http://www.constructiondigital.com/innovations/ipad-app-to-
replace-printed-blueprints

Page 74 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

LIVESCRIBE cording. Livescribe offers users four
different versions of 25-page printable

SMARTPEN dot-paper notebooks. We printed the
paper and had to update the pen's soft-

converts written or verbal ware to get it to read our paper.
notes to digital recordings Livescribe offers various pre-printed
notebooks. The Sky Smartpen comes in
three versions with 2, 4 or 8Gb of storage at

Whenever ENR editors find a tool we $169 to $249.

want for ourselves that also has cross- Features of The Sky
over appeal for architects, engineers or

construction managers, we like to show WiFi SMARTPEN

it off. Livescribe's Smartpen is one of Built–in WiFi makes it easy for your words and
those tools. At first glance, it just looks ideas to be available any time, anywhere, on

like a stocky pen, but the nearly any device. The ergonomic design and
technology inside allows soft touch grip provide comfort while writing.
users to record audio and, Holds approximately 200, 400, or 800 hours of
at the same time, turn any recorded audio (available in 2GB, 4GB or 8GB
written notes into digital models). Capture your meetings or lectures with
files that users can save crisp, clear sound. Your notes and audio are
or upload to cloud com- wirelessly sent to your personal Evernote® ac-
puters. One user, Donna count. Recharge you smartpen using a standard
Ou, senior engineering micro-USB cable. Simply remove the ink car-
project manager at Epo- tridge by pulling it out with your fingertips. Insert a
crates Inc., San Mateo, new cartridge until it clicks into place. Built-in
Calif., reports that she speaker produces rich, full sound to play back
uses the pen to deal with your recorded audio.
managing the hundreds of

deliverables in software

development. She says

this is where the

Livescribe pen comes in

really handy. The pen

operates on a printed-dot

paper. An infrared camera

inside the tip reads

Livescribe's unique 3-sq-mm-dot pattern

70 times a second, says Bryan Rodri-

gues, senior director of marketing for the

Oakland, Calif.-based Livescribe. Any-

thing written with the pen or recorded

with the pen's microphone can be trans-

ferred to a computer or to an application

called Evernote via WiFi or the micro-

USB port on the back of the pen. Ever-

note is an app that lets users save notes

to its cloud system. It's free and offers

500 GB of extended storage space to

any Livescribe user. When ENR's edi-

tors uploaded notes to Evernote, hand-

written text appeared black and text that

was written during an audio recording

appeared green and linked to the re-

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 75

EXPERIMENTAL improve work zone and construction
SMART VEST safety.
Latest Hope for
Workzone Safety Recently, the Associated
General Contractors of America said it
would continue to provide highway work
zone safety training classes in 2016,

thanks to a federal grant.

It’s a constant, never-ending problem:
cars crashing into work zones and injur-
ing or killing construction workers. Now,
another tool brought by high tech could
help save their lives—a new safety vest
that was designed to protect highway
construction workers from such acci-
dents.

The new smart vest is

equipped with sensors that send a sig-

nal to an approaching car’s entertain-

ment system, warning the driver of a

construction zone further down the road.

The vest also emits a signal or alarm to AGC will use the $120,000
the worker to give them a few seconds grant from the U.S. Department of Labor
of warning. to continue to provide safety-training

classes for workers, in order to help

The smart vest is part of a prevent injuries among highway, bridge,
system called InZone Alert. It was de- and street construction workers.

signed by researchers at Virginia Tech

University, and could soon be worn by

workers in Wisconsin. According to federal statistics,

962 workers were killed at road con-

struction sites between 2003 and 2010.
"Any warning we can give

them is better than no warning at all,”

said Kristen Hines, a doctoral student A 2015 study done by AGC
with the Bradley Dept. of Electrical and
Computer Engineering, said in a state- found that 50% of contractors had vehi-
ment released by Virginia Tech. She is
helping lead the combined effort of the cles crash into their work zones during
College of Engineering and the Virginia
Tech Transportation Institute. the past year. Workers were killed

in 9 percent of those crashes, and were

injured in 16 percent of them.

Officials from the Wisconsin
Dept. of Transportation have said they
might use the smart vest for workers on
their roads. WisDOT collaborates with a
University of Wisconsin research lab in
Madison that tests various safety de-
vices. The new Smart Vest is one in a
series of technology related efforts to

Page 76 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

SMART HARDHAT Packing advanced technology into the stan-

dard hardhat is the goal of Cali-
fornia-based firm Daqri. The
firm’s Smart Helmet looks as if it
were a traditional hardhat but
features a clear visor that can
display 3D visual overlays in the
wearer’s field of view. It also
features a 360° wireless cam-
era, allowing a full view of the
worker’s surroundings. The sys-
tem is capable of a form of aug-
mented reality (AR), also called
“mixed reality,” in which images
can be made to appear dynami-
cally on surfaces in the sur-
rounding environment.

Designed primarily for industrial work, the Daqri helmet also may aid construction
workers on the jobsite. But with a price tag a few hundreds dollars above an
ordinary hardhat’s, it remains a premium item.

Still, major construction-equipment manufacturers expect these technologies to
arrive in the industry in the near future. “We’re looking at all sorts of wearables,
mixed reality, geofencing, collision-detection systems,” says George Taylor, a
vice president at Caterpillar Inc. “Like the Daqri helmet—with that visor that can
display an overlay of information mapped to what you’re seeing—[there’s a] lot of
potential for things like that.”

While Caterpillar has yet to unveil its own wearable tech, Taylor thinks AR may
change how users work with equipment. “Unlike a virtual-reality [VR] system,
mixed information, so they know what to touch and how to perform tasks,” he
says.

“Just think about a technician’s productivity: If you can improve it by 10%—and
we think of that figure across our dealer network—the amount of relief that would
give us is subs reality allows someone to be in their environment. [It] superim-
poses information because it’s hard to find good technicians.”

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 77

BRICK-LAYING ROBOT

Helps Alleviate The Dearth of Masons

A robot that lays bricks is now out of beta testing and at work alongside
masons and laborers at a school-building jobsite in Ft. Collins, Colo. The
Semi-Autonomous Mason, more commonly known as SAM, is already
booked for two additional jobs. Masons working with SAM say the robot
may help alleviate workforce shortages foreseen in future generations in
masonry trades. "He does a pretty good job, is pretty efficient, and I don't
mind working with him," says John Munt, a mason employed by Ft. Collins-
based Soderberg Masonry. "He's putting [bricks] in the wall for us and we
get them jointed right behind." SAM finished its first wall and is moving onto

the second now, says
Zachary Podkaminer, op-
erations manager for Con-
struction Robots, Victor,
N,Y. "We put 900 bricks in
the wall yesterday, with
one mason and one ten-
der". SAM is mounted on a
tracked Hydro Mobile mast
-climbing platform that
extends the deck by 18 in.
Workers move the platform
where SAM needs to work.
The robot is powered by
propane and works off a
3D map file that tells it
where to stop and start
and enables it to avoid
window sections. "You
need to set up two story poles, [to the] left and right of where Sam will
build," says Podkaminer. "The right story pole has a laser that guides SAM so
it can correct for any movement of the Hydro Mobile platform and keep
laying flush bricks. Unlike a masonry worker, who applies mortar to the wall
before laying a brick, SAM applies mortar to a brick before laying it." But
cautions Podkaminer, "To minimize downtime you've got to think ahead
when using this. Once workers get in the groove and walk through a few
courses beside SAM, they understand the process. Knowing how the robot
works helps smooth the work process. "Make sure when the wall tie is ready
to go, you put it in immediately so SAM can continue working." The man-
ager adds that SAM has become a jobsite attraction. "Every day you see
construction workers or people outside the site taking out their iPhones to
take photos," says Podkaminer. "They're all just amazed." In addition, SAM's
coworkers credit their robotic colleague with lightening their workload. "A
lot of the younger guys aren't coming into the trades anymore, so the robot
can take the place of some of those guys".



WHAT IS A LIEN?

•What is a Lien ?
•Lien Notice Affidavit Timeline
•How to Perfect A Mechanics Lien

AWARENESS: OTHER IMPORTANT
INFORMATION YOU NEED TO
KNOW

•Reporting Waste, Fraud and Abuse
•Bid Shopping Law and Definition
•Definition of a Small Business
•Definition of a Business Plan

Page 80 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

WHAT IS A LIEN? Miller Act, 40 USCA § 270A
•Constitutional Lien Texas

A lien is a Constitution Article XVI § 37

c h a r g e This allow contractors a lien

against prop- for construction or repair of

erty that pro- buildings and articles NOT

vides security improvements. Public prop-

for a debt or erty ins not subject to the

obligation of constitutional lien. ORIGINAL

the property CONTRACTOR ONLY

owner. •Statutory Lien Texas Property

One of the Code Chapter 53
most com- provides a statutory proce-
mon types of liens is me- dure to perfect a mechanic
chanics lien. A mechanics and material lien on private
lien arises when someone property.

furnishes labor or materials to How To Perfect A

improve piece of property.

A worker or supplier who is Mechanics Lien

not paid my establish a lien Commercial Construction

by filing an affidavit with the Original Contractor and

county clerk of the county in First Tier Subcontractor

which the property is located A Notice of Unpaid Balance

and sending copy of the affi- should be sent to the owner of the

davit by registered or certi- property by every subcontractor
(with a copy to the original con-
fied mail to the property tractor) for any month in which
owner. A mechanics lien any unpaid balance remains,

may be foreclosed only by a except contractual retainage for

judgment of court ordering which a timely Notice of Agreed

the sale of the property sub- Retainage has been sent to the

ject to the lien. owner.
Which Law Applies? An Affidavit of Claim of Lien must
•Private Project (Residential be recorded in the real property
records of the county where the
or Commercial) - Texas property is located by every
Property Code Chapter 53 claimant, (original contractor and
•State Government—Texas subcontractor) on every non resi-

Government Code Chapter dential project not later than the
2553 15th day of the fourth calendar
•Federal Government— month of the “accrual of indebt-
edness”.

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 81

LIEN NOTICE AFFIDAVIT TIMELINE

A copy of the lien affidavit must be sent to the owner
within five (5) business days after the affidavit is filed.
Every subcontractor must also send it within the time

MONTH IN WHICH DEADLINE FOR DEADLINE FOR
UNPAID WORK IS
PERFORMED SENDING FILING LIEN

NOTICES OF UNPAID AFFIDAVIT

BALANCE TO OWNER/

ORIGINAL CONTRACTOR

January April 15 May 15

February May 15 June 15

March June 15 July 15

April July 15 August 15

May August 15 September 15

June September 15 October 15
July October 15 November 15
August December 15
September November 15
October December 15 January 15
November February 15
December January 15
February 15 March 15
April 15
March 15

Page 82 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

HOW TO PERFECT
A MECHANICS LIEN

MECHANICS AND MATERIALMAN’S LIEN
INFORMATION WORKSHEET

1. Name and Address of Project:

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

2. Name and Address of Owner:

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

3. Name and Address of person or company with whom you have a contract.

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

4. Written Contract/Work Order (always obtain and have a copy on hand)

Identify work you will be performing or have performed

When will the work began and end?
How will changes take place (Change Order)? (The Answer should be in Writing)

5. Make sure you have a legal description of the property on which the project

is built along with a correct street address identifying correct location.

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

6. List and attach copies of INVOICES reflecting amounts outstanding and the

dates that the work was performed for which your company has not been

paid.

______________________ _____________________ ______________________

______________________ _____________________ ______________________

______________________ _____________________ ______________________

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 83

RECOGNIZE AND REPORT FRAUD
IN FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGAM,

CONTRACTS, AND GRANTS

BID RIGGING AND COLLUSION
In bid rigging and collusion, contractors misrepresent that are competing against each
other when, in fact, they agree to cooperate on the winning bid to increase job profit.

BRIBERY
Bribery occurs when a contractor misrepresents the cost of performing work by
compensating a government official for permitting contract overcharges to increase

contractor profit.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
In fraud involving conflict of interest, a contracting or oversight official misrepresents
that he or she is impartial in business decisions when he or she has an undisclosed
financial interest in a contractor or consultant who inflates the job cost to the Government.

DISADVANTED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DBE) FRAUD
Under this scheme, a contractor misrepresents who performed the contract work in order
to increase job profit while appearing to be in compliance with contract goals for involve-

ment of minority-or women-owned businesses.

KICKBACKS
In kickback schemes, a contractor or subcontractor misrepresents the cost of performing
work by secretly paying a fee for being awarded the contract and therefore inflating the

job cost to the government.

MATERIALS OVERCHARGING
Under this fraud scheme, a contractor misrepresents how much construction material was

actually used on the job and then is paid for excess material to increase job profit.

PRODUCT SUBSTITUTION
In a fraud scheme involving product substitution, a contractor misrepresents the product

used in order to reduce costs for construction materials.

QUALITY CONTROL TESTING
In this fraud scheme, a contractor misrepresents the results of quality control tests to earn
contract incentives falsely or to avoid production shutdown in order to increase profits or

limit costs.

TIME OVERCHARGING

In a time overcharging scheme, a consultant or contractor misrepresents the distribution of employee
labor on jobs in order to charge for more work hours, or a higher overhead rate to increase profit.

Recognize and Report Fraud in Federally Funded Programs,
Contracts and Grants: 800-424-9071

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation | Office of Inspector General

Page 84 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

DEFINITION OF A SMALL BUSINESS

The Small Business Act states that a small business concern is "one that is inde-
pendently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of opera-
tion." Construction – General building and heavy construction contractors
have a size standard of $36.5 million in average annual receipts. Specialty
trade construction contractors have a size standard of $15.0 million. The
size standard for Land Subdivision is $27.5 million in average annual re-
ceipts. The size standard for Dredging is $27.5 million in average annual re-

ceipts. The law also states that in determining what constitutes a small business,
the definition will vary from industry to industry to reflect industry differences

accurately. SBA's Small Business Size Regulations implement the Small Busi-
ness Act's mandate to SBA. SBA has also established a table of size standards,
matched to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industries.

Checkout SBA’s Website for the small business size standard table.

Definition of a Business Plan:

What is the purpose of a business plan?

Defining a business plan can be difficult, as the definition might be
different for every organization.

• A business plan, in its simplest form, will usually define where you want your
business to be within a certain period of time (usually five years) and how
you plan on getting there.

• A business plan is as important for starting a business as blueprints are for
building your house. When starting a new business, writing a business plan
is an important first step to getting started.

• A business plan will lay out the direction for the future of your company and
begin to establish standards for success.

• A complete business plan should include five-year financial projections.
These projections will assist investors with making decisions about your
business and help you to know how much funding you will need to get
things rolling.

• A business plan should define how you would like to operate your business.
This includes describing the management team, the marketing strategy, and
the methods in which you will interact with customers.

• A business plan might project a strategy that reflects the management style
of the founders of the business. The definition should be clear but flexible.

Business plans are developed for many purposes. One company might be look-
ing for funding from investors. Another company might be looking for a loan from
a bank. Your company might just need to plan out the company’s strategy to
make sure it is successful. Whatever the case, every business needs a business
plan.

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 85

BID SHOPPING LAW AND
LEGAL DEFINITION

In construction law, bid shopping is the practice of divulging a contractor’s
or subcontractor’s bid to other prospective contractor (s) or subcontractor
(s) before the award of a contract in order to secure a lower bid. Lowered
bids may lead to cost cutting in the construction process, primarily in materi-
als and labor, which may lower the quality of the work performed.

At least seven states have adopted some type of anti-bid shopping legisla-
tion. These states recognize that bid shopping can result in poor quality,
unfair competition and insolvencies. These statues require general contrac-
tors to list the subcontractors that they will use in their bids to owners. The
general contractor cannot change subcontractors if its bid is accepted.

Another form of bid shopping is a practice known as a “reverse auction”. In
this situation, the bids are posted on the internet and each subsequent bid
must be lower than the previous bid. Legislation prohibiting bid shopping
may be applicable based on the dollar amount of the contract, and may
require cancellation of the contract and/or penalties for violations. Local
laws should be consulted for specific requirements in your area.

Bid peddling is bid shopping in reverse. Bid peddling occurs when a subcon-
tractor who is not selected for a construction project seeks to induce the
prime contractor to substitute his or her company for a subcontractor on
the original bid by offering to reduce its price.

Source: US Legal Definitions, USLegal.com

The legitimate practice whereby a general contractor, after being
awarded a contract, tries to reduce his own costs by disclosing to interested
subcontractors the lowest bids he received for subcontracts, and then invit-
ing even lower bids.

Webster's New World Law Dictionary
Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.



CONSTRUCTION WORKER’S DRESS

••••••

Page 88 Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide

CONSTRUCTION vent falling are very important for
construction workers. Their shoes

WORKER’S DRESS should be slip- and puncture-
resistant. Having the right and sturdy

CODE shoes will keep you from falling, injur-
ing your foot, or any other type of

The clothes that construction workers injury that could occur.
wear are very important to their Hand Protection
safety. Because construction workers Construction worker’s hands are in
are constantly working around mate- just as great of danger as all other
rials and machinery, they are always parts of the body as well. Things can
putting themselves in way of danger. fall, or objects can become ex-
The required dress for construction tremely hot and cause a lot of dam-
workers includes a lot of accessories age or injury to the hands. To help
that will protect the worker. Here you keep their hands safe, construction
can find some of the things they workers wear gloves. Their gloves
wear that help keep them safe and should fit tightly and be appropriate
why that item must be part of the for the job. For example, if welding,
the glove should be insulated with
dress for construction workers.
sleeves to protect the arms as well as
Head Protection the hands.
Because there is such a risk of things
falling on a construction worker’s The below dress has been compiled
head, it is extremely important. Head based on Habitat for Humanity Inter-
protection is essential for the re- national, and federal OSHA stan-
quired dress for construction workers. dards.

Workers should wear hats at all times 1. Shoes – Closed toe shoes only.

when on a construction site in case Work boots are preferred but thick

there is an accident and something soled tennis shoes will be allowed.

falls on their head. The hard hats that Please make sure that tennis shoes

are worn by the workers should be have a solid grip on the sole.

checked for dents and cracks regu- 2. Pants/Shorts – Pants and/or shorts
larly. It is important that the hats are must not be tight fitting. Shorts are al-

kept in good condition in order to lowed but must be no higher than mid-

protect the workers’ heads. thigh. No mini shorts allowed. Undergar-

Eye and Face Protection ments must be covered.

Eye and face protection are a cru- 3. No skirts and dresses allowed.

cial part to the dress for construction 4. Shirts – Either long sleeve, short

workers. Safety goggles should be sleeve shirts and t-shirts are allowed. No

worn at all times in order to protect sleeveless shirts inclusive of tank tops,

the eyes from getting objects in tube tops, spaghetti string tops, sport
them. When working with cutting, bras and halter tops are allowed. No
grinding, welding, nailing, or any suggestive or profanity sayings are al-
concrete or harmful chemicals it is lowed on any shirt. Fishnet and sheer
shirts of any kind are not allowed. Skin
extremely important that a face must not be exposed in the torso area.
shield or goggles are worn.
5. Tight fitting clothing of any form of
Foot Protection that is suggestive is not allowed.

Often times chemicals or water will 6. Piercings – No visible piercings of
be spilled on construction sites. Hav- any kind are allowed except non-dangle
ing proper shoes that will help pre- earrings.

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 89

Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide Page 90

Austin Area Black Contractors Association’s
SERVICES OFFERED:

• Marketing, Outreach & Networking
• MBE/WBE/DBE/HUB Certification
• Business and Contract Law Advisor, TR/TA*
• Construction Management Advisor TR/TA*
• Weekly Online Bid Briefs
• Quarterly Newsletter
• Company Profile Resumes
• Contractor’s Tool Tip Guide
• Plans Center
• Contractor’s Roundtable
• Referrals
• Website: (abcatx.com)
• Advocacy

to set-up an appointment with the ABCA
call 512-467-6894

To Receive On-line

“Bid Briefs”

go to abcatx.com and click the Bid Briefs link
Office Hours: 9am-4pm | Monday-Friday

ABCA is housed in Business Resource Consultants Office
6448 Hwy 290 East | Suite E-107 | Austin, TX 78723
E-mail Address: [email protected]

a publication of the
Austin Area Black Contractors Association
© January 2008 | Revised January 2017

CITY OF AUSTIN MAYOR & COUNCIL MEMBERS

Steve Adler, Mayor
Cathy Tovo, Mayor Pro-Tem, District 9
Council Member Ora Houston, District 1
Council Member Delia Garza, District 2
Council Member Sabino “Pio” Renteria, District 3
Council Member Greg Casar, District 4
Council Member Ann Kitchen, District 5
Council Member Jimmy Flannigan, District 6
Council Member Leslie Pool, District 7
Council Member Ellen Troxclair, District 8
Council Member Alison Alter, District 10

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER

Elaine Hart, Acting City Manager
Ray Baray, Chief of Staff to the City Manager

and overseer of SMBR

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS

City of Austin
Small and Minority Business Resources Department

City of Austin
Austin Energy Business Development & Contract Compliance Division

City of Austin
Capital Contracting Office

City of Austin
MBE/WBE & Small Business Advisory Committee

Asian Contractor Trade Association
US Hispanic Contractors Association de Austin
Associated General Contractors of America, Austin Building Branch
Associated Builders & Contractors, Central Texas Chapter

University of Texas At Austin (PMCS)
University of Texas System Office of HUB Development

Travis County - HUB Office
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority DBE Program

Business Resource Consultants

Publisher of the
Austin Area Black Contractors Association’s

TOOL BOX TIPS GUIDE©

Revised: August 2008 | July 2009 | August 2010 | February 2011
February 2012 | February 2013 | January 2014 | January 2015 | June 2015

January 2016 | June 2017

Help Grow Your Business

Get MBE/WBE/DBE Certified
with the City of Austin!

The Small and Minority Business Resources Department (SMBR)
is looking for a few good Contractors! So, get MBE/WBE/DBE certified
and learn how to take advantage of the many construction procurement

opportunities offered by the City of Austin!

Grow Your Business!

Get Certified

as a Minority Business Enterprise with the
City of Austin

Take Advantage

of the many opportunities offered by
the City in construction procurement

Sign-up

for the many services offered by the
Austin Area Black Contractors Association to assist you

with these efforts

Start Growing

your business today!

Request a Certification Application Packet
or retrieve from SMBR’s website.

Upon completion, e-mail, mail via postal services or drop off
your application to:
City of Austin

Small and Minority Business Resources Department
Attention: Certification Division

4201 Ed Bluestein Blvd. | Austin, TX 78721
For additional information and instructions
on how to complete the application, contact the City of Austin
Small and Minority Business Resources Department,

Certification Division at

512-974-7645 or
[email protected]