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MyPE

MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

How to think like an idiot politician

13 March 2012 By Alan Straton

  1. Put out a tender for a major Easter Event.
  2. Accept the lowest tender and then demand the winning company cuts the tender price by around 25% to R2 million.
  3. Take months and months to pay the pittance.

Just for the record – thinking like a businessman goes like this:

  • A far more effective tender would have stated; “The municipality has R2 million to spend on an event – send us proposals based on your best version of this event given our seed capital injection“.
  • Pay a substantial amount upfront, ask for performance guarantees, set measurable outcomes, give realistic time scales, monitor and measure.

Based on the above companies could have secured sponsors to boost their offering and win the tender by offering a R5m event for just R2m.

It is called leverage, Roland. Like buying Italian shoes for the price of Bata Toughees!

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.
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Filed Under: Editorial Tagged With: roland williams, skinder, skinner, splash, tender

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. TheKing says

    13 March 2012 at 12:11 pm

    Alan, what more can you expect, when the only job criteria is an ANC membership card and the desire to get rich – quick?…..

  2. Steven says

    14 March 2012 at 2:01 pm

    I fully agree. Unbelievably dumb planning! The Splash fest is one enjoyed by hundreds of thousands and is probably to be a major flop in 2012!
    Shame on you politicians!

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