[CAUT] bid savvy

[Willem Blees]

I think the first step in this process is related to Lance's last 
statement. "The whole system just doesn't seem to be conducive
to getting good quality work, just the cheapest price." 
Until universities recognize that in order to get quality work, it 
will be necessary to pay a technician a wage comparable to what they 
make in the private sector. 

Fred, one of the things CAUT can do is ask PTG to do an in depth 
survey of the income of piano tuners. Qualifications not withstanding, 
until the PTG can show how much the top money makers in our field are 
making, universities will have no bench mark from which to start. They 
will continue to offer inadequate salaries, and then wonder how come 
noone who is qualified to do the work will apply for the job.  

Wim
Willem Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
School of Music
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL USA


> Sorry if this is a duplicate, My other computer doesn't appear to be
> posting this msg.....
> 
> Can anyone advise me on advising a university here on how to word a
> bid
> to techs and maximize the chance of getting what they want as far as
> level of work.  I mean, is "to factory spec"the only thing they can
> use
> as a standard to level the playing field on bidders? If they asked
> for a
> price on regulating a piano, seven techs will do more than one level
> of
> work and charge different amounts and all be able to call it a
> "regulation" (and factory spec is not even optimum at the highest
> levels).  They can ask for bids for concert tuning and voicing and
> get
> lots of different levels of work, even from RPT's.  Are there sources
> of
> info on handling this and optimizing the chances of getting what
> they
> are paying for?  The whole system just doesn't seem to be conducive
> to
> getting good quality work, just the cheapest price.   Thanks in
> advance.
> 
>  
> 
> Lance Lafargue, RPT
> 
>