CONTRACTS FOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES; IN WRITING; BIDS; EXCEPTIONS

By Jan Bergemann

Published June 5, 2015

  

The provisions in the HOA ACT – that’s how FS 720 will be officially called effective July 1, 2015 – were created in 2004 – as a part of the HOA Task Force bill. You can read the exact wording at: FS 720.3055

 

No matter what – the wording is definitely open to all kinds of interpretation and all in all pretty confusing. It was written by attorneys, for attorneys – and anybody reading it is in the end more confused than educated.

 

Here is the description for “COMPETITIVE BIDS” given by the Business Dictionary: Transparent' procurement method in which bids from competing contractors, suppliers, or vendors are invited by openly advertising the scope, specifications, and terms and conditions of the proposed contract as well as the criteria by which the bids will be evaluated. Competitive bidding aims at obtaining goods and services at the lowest prices by stimulating competition, and by preventing favoritism.

 

What does all the confusing wording in the statutes really mean? Who knows! Considering all the exceptions it is pretty difficult to decide when the association really has to use competitive bids. But, in all reality, using competitive bids is good business practice, especially if board members have no idea how much companies charge for certain jobs. You will wonder how prices can differ.

 

But it all depends on the way the Requests for Proposals (RFP’s) are written. Bids can only be competitive if all vendors contacted are actually bidding on exactly the same job. It is imperative that all vendors receive exactly the same RFP – or the whole process is useless.

 

On the other hand vendors are often receiving RFPs that can only be considered ridiculous. RFPs should only describe the exact work that needs to be done – and ask for the experience and licenses of the firm contacted.

 

It makes no sense asking for hundreds of not really important details. Who cares what kind of underwear the persons doing the job will wear? Believe me, there are actually RFPs that are asking similar dumb questions.

 

Short and sweet is the deal here if the bidding process is supposed to be effective.

 

Isn’t that what boards should be looking for?


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Jan Bergemann Jan Bergemann is president of Cyber Citizens For Justice, Florida 's largest state-wide property owners' advocacy group. CCFJ works on legislation to help owners living in community  

associations. He moved to Florida in 1995 - hoping to retire. He moved into a HOA, where the developer cheated the homeowners and used the association dues for his own purposes. End of retirement!

 

CCFJ was born in the year 2000, when some owners met in Tallahassee - finding out that power is only in numbers. Bergemann was a member of Governor Jeb Bush's HOA Task force in 2003/2004.

 

The organization has two websites to inform interested Florida homeowners and condo owners:

News Website: http://www.ccfj.net/.

Educational Website: http://www.ccfjfoundation.net/.

   
We think that only owners can really represent owners, since all service providers surely have a different interest! We are trying to create owner-friendly laws, but the best laws are useless without enforcement. And enforcement is totally lacking in Florida !


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