Making the case for your K-12 school
For any operation, purchasing something as big as a commercial dishwasher takes a lot of thought and preparation. But for public K-12 schools, the process is more involved than in some foodservice operations. As a government organization, the request has to go out for bid, rather than just getting a purchase order approved by a manager or CEO.
Careful research is needed before writing a bid proposal, and it is important to pay attention to detail during the writing of your bid or equipment proposal to ensure you get the right commercial dish machine that fits your needs for many years to come.
Making your Case
The first component of your proposal or bid is the statement of need. With good care and regular service, commercial dishwashers last many years, so it’s highly likely that your current machine is still working when you’re writing your proposal. Therefore, it’s important for you to show the benefits of purchasing a new piece of equipment when the old one is still “good enough.” For school systems, one of the most common reasons an upgrade is needed is that the population of the school has increased, or you are washing more dishes per meal because you’ve switched from disposable dishware. It’s also time to think about an upgrade if repair costs are becoming a regular issue and replacement parts are harder to find.
When writing a proposal for a new dishwasher it’s important to include the energy efficiency improvements of newer models. Today’s dishwashers use much less water and energy than equipment that was made just 10-15 years ago, thanks to design improvements such as optimized wash systems and drain water energy recovery.
Know Your Policies
Once you’ve researched the benefits of upgrading your equipment, it’s also important to research your school and county policies. There might be things to consider such as what time of year is appropriate to make a request for equipment or capital improvements, or there might be budget constraints within your school’s policy. It’s important to follow all county and school guidelines and regulations when putting a product out to bid.
Request Exactly What You Need in Your Dishwasher
Be as specific as possible when writing your bid proposal. Bids are typically awarded to the lowest bidder that meets all specifications. If there are features you need to have on a dishwasher but they’re not included in the bid, you might end up with a new piece of equipment that isn’t capable of doing the work you need. Your proposal should list all the critical features you need, including the size of the openings, the number of dryers, drain water energy recovery, NSF pot and pan mode, delime notification and others.
Costs to Include
It’s a given that your bid will include the cost of the dishwasher and any additional features in the price of the machine. There are also other costs to include in the overall bid proposal. Be sure to include the cost of installation and removal of your old dishwasher. You also need to take into consideration other things your new equipment might need, such as ventilation, power upgrades or changes to your water supply. Before putting out your bid request you should conduct a site survey which will alert you of any facility upgrades or changes that should be made to accommodate your new dishwasher so you have an accurate estimate of the overall costs of purchasing and installing a dish machine.
Once you’ve written up your proposal have it proof-read by someone to double check for any errors before turning it in.
Call your local Hobart representative to learn more about the new features on Hobart commercial dishwashers and everything that is needed for installation. Our representatives can also help conduct a site survey and make sure your proposal includes all the appropriate costs and features to ensure you get exactly what you need to make your operation more efficient and productive.
