1000-Plus Camera Project And No Integrator

Presumably a large Axis distributor is going to sell direct? Yes/no?

They could. Some large Integrators may be willing to make no margin or lose a couple points taking a risk they may get some service or something out of it. Distibution may not have some of the insurance requirements needed for the bid either, not positive on that though I didn't handle that part of the bid process working for an Integrator.

I've seen similar RFPs where they buy through an Integrator but they set one authorized Distributor to buy the cameras through. Really weird. If it was me I'ld want to buy through an integrator and have them sell me blocks of support time alonside the cameras.

Why not. We essentially work the same way. Since I've been here (over 15 years), we've never had an Integrator install our cameras.

Do we hire Integrators for certain tasks? Yes, especially if the job is too complex for our skill set or requires more hands than we have in our department but never for camera installations.

Even during a very hectic and intense remodel in 2011, we performed all camera removals and re-installations.

On a deal like this, during the warranty period, if the user needs to replace a camera, does the seller need to get involved facilitating this or does the user just contact the manufacturer directly?

Yes, Indian tribes typically require a Vendor License from vendors, often only if sales exceed a certain dollar value. Fees are usually on a sliding scale determined by the dollar value of annual sales and may have minimum and maximum caps. Although I can't speak for other tribes, in our case, the Vendor License requirement is triggered at $25,000 in sales.

It gets a bit more complicated for one-shot deals, since there is a minimum basic fee for new vendors while the license renewal fee is based on previous year aggregate sales. The basic fee for a first time sale is quite small, no matter how large the proposed sale is, but the renewal fee can be as much as 10 or more times the basic fee. In that case, if we aren't considering buying more than $25,000 from that vendor in future years, we tell them they don't have to renew their license at the end of the year. We can still buy up to $24,999 from that vendor but if sales in any year exceed $25,000, they will be informed that they must renew their license, at a cost determined by previous year's sales to us.

The fees and requirements vary from tribe to tribe.

<edit> By the way, if the vendor(s) include an allowance for it on their bid, it typically doesn't affect the competitiveness of that bid since all vendors would have to pay the same fee if they won the project. We do try to make new vendors aware of the fee structure so that they all can consider it during the bidding process.

Our license fee also includes separate line items for background checks of all vendor company "principals". If you can't survive a full background check, don't bother bidding. I believe these checks are nearly universal.

I'd think a manufacturer would be alright dealing directly with an end user if they are large enough to have their own dedicated and experianced security systems team AND were trained and certified in the products.

That, and if you were an integrator looking to make some small points on a "pass through" sale and leave support up to the mnaufcaturer, are questions you want to assess before getting involved.

Here's an update on this. Now they're looking for an integrator someone to help them install.