b'ettertoth eEditor \'\'FREE\'\' Specifications Revisited Editor\'snote:TheMRCA islions involving both Tremco andsection.At thepre-bid, Tmco repleased to include letters to theGarland in Indiana. Aool cor and thentractor who had subsch coeditor in the Midwest Roofer. Theporationin central Indiana u m an illegal bidthe school sedittedon opinions expressed in letters toGarland totions. Amen onedabove,showedup write specifica tieeting the editor in no way reflect thosemandatory pre-bid m wastogether. During the walk-through, of the MRCA merely by fact ofheld. Acontractor did notTremco took the owner offthe Tremcoto publication. MRCA reserves theattendthemeeting,butsubse side and tried to convin him to ce rightinclude letters to the editorquentlyup with Tco tomake Tremco an equalthe toteamedremtomanat MRCA \'s discretion. All letterssubmit aat the b opening.ufacturer\'s specified. The owner bidid are subject to editing that is notInsteadofreturningthebidtoldT representative he theremco intended to change the author\'sunopened, the school opened thewould have to get that approval The message.bidandTremco waslow.Thisfrom our firm.Tremco repreMembers will recall that lastdeveloped into awl in thesentative n conta our firm, near bra evercted year several articleswritten byparking lot between Tremco andnor did he introduce h lf to me imse1997\'sMRCAPresidentL.8.Garland. The school threw out al Iwhile we were onroof.e theTherMorris reviewed Tremco, Hickmanbids and had an open specificationwere s eq letters ubs uentand phone a Garland strategies and meth written and re-bid.callsthe owner, but each time ndto subsequentremco ods. We recently received the fol On ajob at a localT was told to call the consullowing letter to the editor college Tremco wrote theifi tant, they did not. regard specing that subject matter. Responsescation. Several contractorsI told the owner that as long as suband comments regarding the fol mitted alternate bids for Garlandthe contractor bid the base bidU lowing letter or other subjects arein retaliation. The bids were allspecified, they could submit a ditalways welcomed in this format.high and the college threw out theferent modified system on the Supbids, and re-b thee listingplements To B Form. Theidproj ctidcon\'Dear Editor:other manu re .tractors were alsothis at the ~factu rs told ,,_I am writ- Last summer, an architect wrotePre-Bid Meeting. The day before ing this letterapitch specification tor athe bid opening, T called the coal tarremco inresponseproject at ainIndi owner and told him that Tschoolwesternremco tos eralana. G hadbeenworkingh decided not to bid the p jeev arlandadro ct. President\'swiththeschoolcorporation.ABothTremcoand Garland h""""i!!!~~~~!!!=.~-:~~~;;;;;;,;.!!!!!!!!!!flArticles thatave board member was supposedly theturned down o opportunities to ther erloca busi essas appearedown of aln that usedhave their systems bidan alterduring the past year,ich hadGarland. T G representa nate bid,add/de , or wh tohearlandalternateductdo with Trem Garland writ tive sent a letter and informationon thetsBid Form. co andSupplemen To ing closed specificationsto eachboardmem ingWhy w they refusetohave ber show ould Ithese recent a cles onthat coalpitch was athe roof system b afterising foundrti tarcarcinogeniridraGarland and Ttoand it would bee tosu afrom theing remcobe on thedang rousputchstinkbeginn of hu side. Iafthatofon al. Thethe project?The answer is very moroushave beenroo typeroofschooconsultant for the1 O.boardthe a hitect a c T and G land didt pastyears overruledrc ndlear.remcoar noPreviously, I11work accepted an alternate bidthewant the price of their materials spentyearsfor ing for Tremco. H been onGarland system. Thelandsh as aADDto the proavingGar roofowingbig both sides of the fence, itcost approximately $60,000 moreject.Theywanttowritetheir was easy to p out the game to ownersthan thepitch roof."FREE"fications so that their ointcoal tarspecithetractorwho have used Tremco and Gar Ourfirmwashiredtowritematerial price is incon \'s landtow "FREE" specifica specifications for athat hadbidnot exposed toe riteschoolandth owner. tions.bou Tremco products a rootsSeveral years agoti rms-ghtndourwaDuring the past yearreforyears. Wedidnotincludehi red by acorporation i the haveschool b some very interestingtua- Tremco\'s modified in our modified eensiContinued on8 page 4'