Ensure fleet readiness to meet infrastructure contract demands
Corcentric
In the very near future, we may finally see the signing of a huge bipartisan infrastructure bill. Infrastructure is what keeps our economy moving, from roads and bridges to rail lines to airports to shipping ports, even power plants and telecommunications. When our infrastructure fails, so does the ability to get essential products to the public.
So why did it take more than six decades to take the necessary steps? That’s right, the last great infrastructure bill was President Eisenhower’s highway bill, the Federal-Aid Highway Act, passed in 1956. That Act, according to its plan, was declared complete in 1992, after more than 46,000 miles of roads had been constructed. Since that time, Presidents of both parties have tried to increase funding, but have only ever touched along the edges.
Yet, according to the Infrastructure Report Card from the American Society of Civil Engineers, “America’s Infrastructure scores a C-,” including the fact that 42% of the nation’s 617,000 bridges are at least 50 years old (more than 46,000 are considered structurally deficient), as well as the reality that 43% of our roads and highways (173,000 miles) are in poor or mediocre condition.
This, along with the other categories listed in the infrastructure bill and the $550 billion in funding, means a lot of work for a lot of businesses of all sizes. In addition, the Jobs Act is expected to add 2 million new jobs. The construction industry can be expected to play a major role in these essential upgrades.
Don’t get caught short when opportunity knocks. It’s time to gear up for fleet readiness.
Once the law is signed into effect, construction firms, both large and small, will participate in RFP/RFQ bids to win contracts. With so many shortages and time constraints in the global supply chain, it is vital that you ensure the readiness of the vehicles in your fleet. For smaller companies facing larger competitors, having access to parts, products, and services your fleet needs can be a real challenge. Unless you are a big fish in the construction “pond,” you will have limited leverage when it comes to prices and availability of what you need.
When contracts are awarded, companies will need to not only show their company’s capabilities, but also prove their sustainability to complete the job, regardless of obstacles that may occur. That means you cannot afford delays and downtimes due to shortages that impact your fleet. To “gear up” for fleet readiness and perform job scope requirements, you will need access to products, parts, and services required to get your fleet in satisfactory operational mode.
Get a competitive advantage with Corcentric Fleet GPO
Leverage is everything when it comes to access to needed materials in today’s supply chain. Leverage is also vital when it comes to negotiating price and terms. But unless you are a major player, leverage can be difficult to come by. That’s why construction companies, of all sizes, should explore partnering with Corcentric.
The Hackett Group describes a GPO (group purchasing organization) as “an entity that is created to leverage the purchasing power of a group of businesses in order to obtain discounts from suppliers based on the collective buying power of its members.” In other words: leverage!
Corcentric has decades of experience in the transportation and truck fleet industry and, besides assisting fleets in the purchasing and maintenance of their vehicles, has used that expertise to negotiate the best possible terms with the best possible suppliers globally.
We do this by aggregating spend across our more than 2,000 customers and negotiating and securing national account programs for a wide variety of transportation, material handling, and office products and services. This results in savings for participants from 5% to 20%, and since the Fleet GPO program has relationships with multiple suppliers in each category, participants have greater access to vital inventory. We are able to ensure smaller companies that they will not be left behind when it comes to vying for the parts and services they need to be competitive, including:
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- Tires
- MRO
- Technology
- Capital Equipment Bodies and Power
- Environmental
- Filters/Batteries
- Lubricants
- Fleet Services
Whenever the infrastructure bill is signed and goes into effect, your company needs to be ready to respond and that means your fleet needs to be ready as well. Planning for bids should be happening nowm, not when the RFQs are posted. Don’t get caught short.
Discover how Corcentric can deliver huge savings for your fleet while improving fleet management.