[Vendorsmi] What's Really Up With the Equipment Inventory?

[David Robinson]

Dear Joe, 

 

  I am happy that you brought this issue to the forfront.  I know as well of
incidents in which equipment was overlooked.  Compressors and air
conditioners in the dropped ceilings, filtering units separate from the
equipment, unused equipment in unseen storage rooms and more.  Then we have
equipment that is not BEP being counted such as fountain dispensors.  What a
mess.  As you say however, it is because the inventory takers do not know
what to look for in the different locations,and the stupidity of the BEP
management to place such unknowledgeable people into such a position.  Well
all we know is that as long as the same management is there, the same and
more problems will keep occurring.  What do they say about the definition of
insanity?

 

Dave Robinson

  _____  

From: Vendorsmi [mailto:vendorsmi-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joe
Sontag
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2012 11:50 PM
To: VENDORSMI List
Subject: [Vendorsmi] What's Really Up With the Equipment Inventory?

 

Two reports received here within the past 72 hours have got me wondering if
the new BEP equipment inventory has any chance of being satisfactory to
anyone who really cares.  One report comes from a highway vending operator,
the other from a snack bar operator, but both have some striking
similarities.

 

Both operators say that they were never asked to open any vending
machinesfor the inventory takers, a problem  because manufacturer's serial
numbers are often accessible only from inside the units, as well as the fact
that additional items for the inventory may be housed in the cabinet of a
vending machine, including but not limited to video and digital recording
equipment used for site security purposes.

 

The other common detail is that the inventory takers showed no interest in
checking storage areas at the vending facilities, even though storage rooms
often contain refrigeration, soft drink service and other items that may
belong on the final inventory.  The roadside operator was told that their
presence was not required at the designated time for the inventory taker's
visit.  I well remember being asked by my PA for equipment identification
details and opening all store rooms and all Agency-owned equipment for John
McEntee, as he methodically documented the equipment at the Comstitution
Hall facility while I ran it.  In fact John's inventory was notable for its
thoroughness in documenting what was present in the locations and for his
documentation of  equipment that the BEP had purchased but that could *Not
be located, including various vending machines and several security systems
for highway facilities.  John was driven out of the BEP shortly before he
would have completed his work on this project.

 

What kind of accuracy and completeness are we likely to get under current
conditions from two student interns with no experience in the Program and
who are being paid at bargain rates?  My guess is that we'll get what we
paid for; and that's not likely to work very well for anybody, especially
those who insist that BS for Blind Persons is doing everything right and
should be held harmless.

 

Joe Sontag

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/vendorsmi_nfbnet.org/attachments/20121206/c594919b/attachment.html>