FF&E PROCUREMENT
Slaton Rivera, as an independent Agent, and in a fiduciary capacity, provides a professional and comprehensive FF&E Procurement service at an affordable cost to Hotel Owners and Developers.
From sourcing and negotiating, to value-engineering, order execution, delivery, and install, Slaton Rivera works in an ethical and transparent manner on behalf of the Owner and as a member of the Team, from Project Kickoff to Project Closeout.
Understanding the Scope of Work
Following initial meetings with the Owner and other consultants, Slaton Rivera will thoroughly review and assess the FF&E specifications, guestroom layouts, and floor plans, in order to gain a complete understanding of the FF&E procurement requirements of the project. A differentiation document and FF&E quantity matrix are established and used in conjunction with similar documents provided by other consultants to establish 1) a final agreed upon quantity of each item for each room type or area; and 2) who is responsible for providing each item and/or quantity takeoff.
Initial Cost Estimate
After establishing the scope of work, a line-item cost estimate is developed based on the product and manufacturers called out in the Interior Designer’s specifications. Freight and sales tax estimates are included, resulting in a total as-specified FF&E cost estimate. This cost estimate is then shared with the Owner for review and either approval or revision.
Competitive Bidding / Value Engineering
Should it be determined that the as specified FF&E cost estimate is over budget, Slaton Rivera will execute competitive bid and/or value engineering exercises.
Following identification of qualified alternate sources, and working in conjunction with the Interior Designer, Slaton Rivera will combine item specifications from like product groups and issue a Request for Quote. In addition to product quality, operational performance, and price, factors such as lead- time, payment terms, FOB point, etc., are considered. Along with price point, these additional factors are included in a spreadsheet detailing a comparison of the quotes. The comparison spreadsheet is then shared with the Team for final review, decision-making, and sample requests for review, if required.
Following a competitive bid exercise, if additional cost savings are still necessary, Slaton Rivera will participate in a value engineering effort with the Owner, Interior Designer, manufacturers, and other involved parties, to explore creative solutions and/or compromises to achieve the target budget number.
After final review and approval of all FF&E, a line-item cost report is established that accounts for product and vendor substitutions and shows the revised total FF&E cost estimate. Upon Owner acceptance, this becomes the approved FF&E budget for the project.
Purchasing
The purchasing phase of the project is initiated once the approved FF&E budget is in place. Purchase orders with detailed information for all items and groups of items are prepared and sent to designated team members for review and approval. Once approved, purchase orders are submitted to vendors, confirmations and acknowledgments are received and checked for accuracy, and invoices are generated and submitted for payment through the Owner’s preferred method.
Coordination with other Consultants
It is understood that timely and efficient coordination between consultants will be critical to the success of the project. Slaton Rivera is adept at working and coordinating work with PMCs, General Contractors, Interior Designers, FF&E Installers, and others, to make sure that the product meets the specified quality, quantities are accurate, and deliveries are arranged per the schedule.
Accounting
Slaton Rivera maintains a complete financial accounting of each project. Invoices against each purchase order are entered into the Procurement System and provided to the Owner, either for direct payment to vendors or in the form of a Draw Request under which Slaton Rivera will facilitate payments on behalf of the Owner. A standard system-generated invoice report is provided to the Owner on a regular basis detailing purchase order and invoice amounts and showing the current total financial commitment. Raw data can be provided in Excel format for Owner’s internal use and custom accounting reports to meet a specific criterion can be provided in most instances.
Project Closeout
Following completion of FF&E delivery and install, an electronic closeout package is provided to the Owner that includes all purchase orders, vendor invoices, and payment information, as well as vendor warranty information, flameproofing certificates, and maintenance instructions. A complete cost and invoice report is included that accounts for the amounts of all purchase orders and invoices. Freight is per actual invoiced cost and sales tax is accounted for on two separate line items – one showing the invoiced and paid amount and another showing an estimated accrual of Use Tax.
LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT
Freight costs, like FF&E costs, are transparent and freight management services are included in the Procurement fee. Communication with vendors is constant throughout the project with production schedules regularly monitored, updated in the form of a tracking report, and communicated to the Team on a regular basis. And while there are advantages with respect to damage claims in having a vendor or manufacturer make shipping arrangements, other available options are considered and presented to the Owner as necessary. Should warehousing be required, Slaton Rivera will issue an RFQ to qualified warehouses, provide a quote comparison to the Owner for review and assessment, and facilitate an agreement between the Owner and the warehouse.
INSTALLATION COORDINATION
Slaton Rivera will coordinate and work closely with the Owner’s FF&E installation team. Copies of purchase orders, an FF&E listing, tagged room and area layouts, floor plans, and any other necessary information required for a complete and professional FF&E installation will be provided to the installation team, and Slaton Rivera will be available for consultation as required.