Situation Analysis:
We received an urgent call for assistance from a well known restaurateur that was taking over a vacated restaurant at an upscale hotel in NYC. The existing kitchen equipment did not suit the menu being proposed for the new restaurant. Working with their local supplies/ smallwares provider on the equipment replacement, the restaurateur was at an impasse as the smallwares provider required payment for drawings “up front” and a commitment to purchase the replacement equipment in order to proceed with their work.

Challenge:
Prepare design and bidding documents for replacement equipment immediately to allow the restaurateur to maintain his schedule.

Solution:
The call came in on Thursday, we met with the restaurateur at the site on Friday and delivered final connection drawings and specifications suitable for bidding on Monday, three days after our meeting. The bid package was reviewed by the restaurateur and issued to a number of bidders within 7 business days of our first meeting.

Results:
The smallware supplier’s proposal for the replacement equipment was $170,000. Four bids were received. The bids ranged from $132,000 - $175,000. The contract was awarded within 12 business days of the initial phone call. It was awarded to the low bidder (smallwares supplier originally involved in the project) at $132,000. The smallwares supplier did not want to jeopardize the future smallwares business they had w/ the restaurateur and they sharpened their pencil substantially in preparing their revised proposal. The savings generated by the low bid covered the cost of the consulting service many times over so the restaurateur received the best design for the lowest price and didn’t lose any time in his schedule.

The restaurateur commented to our Principal, Gary Bensky that his commitment to solving their problem was “like a breath of fresh air”.