Competition Is a Beautiful Thing...
Competition among Qualified Solutions Benefits Owners
We all know that is true, but a reminder never hurts. I’ve worked for decades with a variety of construction product manufacturers and only realized in recent years the true value of expanding competition. Historically, companies worked to get an advantage in specifications with minor inclusions (I remember one being the color of the stripe on the pipe as being critical!). Proactively working to consider and include every legitimate product in designs and specifications, however, has proven to be the best path.
For products being considered as alternatives or value-engineering options, the fundamental question should be: Does the product meet the project’s performance requirements? If it does, it deserves to be considered. I’ve worked on dozens of new product development and product upgrade efforts, all to meet the prevailing performance requirements of the specifications. Companies continuously respond to open competition by improving products to leapfrog to out-perform current product performance. Better joints, larger sizes, improved shipping, quicker assembly, etc. are all the result of the incentives of expanded competition. Without the incentives of competition, new products and improvement efforts stagnate.
Many engineering firms recognize the value of engaging with manufacturers’ technical sales teams. These conversations can provide designers with a broader understanding of available products, applications and limitations – and help identify potential solutions that may otherwise be overlooked! Hopefully, this results in better knowledge of industry product offerings in addition to their applications and limitations.
Proactively considering qualified alternatives that meet the project requirements may require a bit more effort, but that effort can benefit the owner through greater competition and potential cost savings. I’ve been part of dozens of projects where the costs savings from increased competition saved hundreds of thousands of dollars – and several over a million dollars! It is well worth the effort, and the clients are always pleased with the increased competition of worthy products and associated cost savings!