We Energies contracts awarded

**Saul** · November 5th, 2009, 06:14 PM

Dear fellow Wisconsin Locating Professional:

As you may already be aware, recently We Energies requested proposals from locating contractors to provide us with damage prevention services. On behalf of We Energies, I am pleased to announce that have awarded three Damage Prevention Contracts. Our new contracts expand significantly on the traditional services provided by facility locating contractors by requiring services and performance of activities that emphasize damage prevention. These three contracts become effective on January 1, 2010; which immediately follows the expiration of our current contract with SM&P.

Three contractors were selected to provide these services:
Consolidated Utility Services was awarded our contract for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and northern Wisconsin -roughly north of State Highway 21.
Vannguard Utility Partners was awarded our contract for our service territories in southern Wisconsin starting roughly south of State Highway 21, with the exception of the Counties of Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha; and the eastern half of Walworth Co.
Unibar Damage Prevention Group has been awarded our contract for the counties of Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha; and the eastern half of Walworth Co.

If you are locating We Energies facilities now, I want to express our sincere appreciation and respect for your hard work in protecting our facilities and the people digging around them. I am writing directly to you because I understand that times are difficult for all of us, and that our transition to a new contractor may add angst to the challenges you face every day. I want to minimize this by keeping you informed as we complete our transition to our new contracts. In the mean time, I am asking you to remain focused with eyes on task, retain your high sense of urgency, and to not let our transition distract you from providing your very best possible locating services. Once our new contractor establishes a process for ramping up, I will share with you their contact information in case our new approach to damage prevention appeals to you.

Attentively
Saul L. Lopez
Manager of Forestry, Locating, and Right-of-Way
We Energies

**Mke** · November 5th, 2009, 06:50 PM

uhh, kinda weird... (no offense)

why would you put this statement out there this far in advance of the depending change over?

The Good Locators will still work hard, but the locators just phoning it in will have time to plot.

I remember picking up a vehicle from a recently released co-worker, and found about 40tickets under his seat, because he knew he was going to be let go.

There were certian tickets that were 4 and 5 days past dig time.

I'm not saying this statement was bad, i'm just stating I wouldn't of posted it, untill the prospective company and the current company had a chance to handle the release of this information themselves. Then give the new company a week to cherry pick some locators from the other company...

Isn't that how it works?

mke

**yahoo** · November 5th, 2009, 08:23 PM

imho...........i think it was a nice thing to do ....being that some guys may be out of a job soon?????

**Irish Wristwatch** · November 5th, 2009, 09:44 PM

I work for USIC/SMP in WI. This is very frustrating to say the least. We have performed at our highest level this year along with the fact that we have consistently performed better year after year. We bent over backwards for your company when another vendor you awarded more work to could not cut it. What I do not get is you say you are in the damage prevention service but you pull the contract from the contractor who finally meets or comes damn close to meeting your high expectations.

I think it was very unprofessional to post this before USIC even had a chance to tell their locators that they were going to lose a major piece of work to other companies. The locators you refer to are not your locators to announce this to, these are hard working locators that have been bending over backwards trying to meet your expectations year after year.

**locatepro76** · November 5th, 2009, 10:17 PM

So i cancel my weekend to clean up the mess that the last crummy company left you and this is what I get. hey - 50 of my coworkers did the same thing to bail you guys out - again.

We are fed up with switching companies.

Keep to tree cutting or whatever and quit messing with our jobs!

**Oldtimer** · November 5th, 2009, 10:26 PM

For such a picky/needy company it is amazing that you would grab the lowest bids for a contract.

I have worked for SM&P for over 11 years and have located WE-Energies for the last 5 years. We have bent over backwards for you and given you close or above a 1:5000 damage ratio. If you were really in the marked for damage prevention why would you even think about switching companies.

Do you remember what happened the last two times you gave your contracts to different companies. If I remember right one company didn't even show up to the plate and SM&P bailed you guys out by taking the work last minute and just a couple months ago when you fired one of your locating companies and SM&P took all the work unexpectedly.

And I will agree with another post on here and us locators were never "yours". We are USIC/SM&P locators and will never belong to you.

Hope this all fails miserably for you. Good riddance to a high maintence contract.

**Irish Wristwatch** · November 5th, 2009, 10:41 PM

Good point locatepro. It is if Saul thinks that all of the good locators are going to jump ship to "follow" We Energies to the next contractor I believe they are very much mistaken. I and I am confident my other experienced locators that have been busting our ass for WE will stay with USIC and we will deliver even higher quality than ever for the customers we serve.

I am not interested in switching companies again to follow another low bidder just to have you pull the contract out from under them 6 months down the road and leave me back at the start again.

**USIC1** · November 5th, 2009, 11:03 PM

Who are the bums that lost the contract for who puts the food on my table!?!?!

**locatin'4Alivin** · November 6th, 2009, 12:07 AM

WOW! What kind of crap is this?? WE bust our ass for you guys, and this is the thanks we get? You can't even let our company tell us the news? And I know for sure that our locators are not going to "jump ship" to mark your utilities. We know the history and where the work ends up. USIC is just going to move forward and keep providing great service for the other companies out there that respect us. WE will be fine, will you?? Damage prevention you say? Get ready to fork over more now than ever before, because you get what you pay for.
GO USIC!!

**locatin'4Alivin** · November 6th, 2009, 12:23 AM

Oh, one more thing. I agree with my co-workers on here. WE were never "your" locators. WE work for USIC, not we energies. You don't own us, and you sure as hell aren't our boss!

**cableunderground** · November 6th, 2009, 12:48 AM

We'll all figure out quickly, which I believe is the reason for this web site, that our industry has become what it has becaus of customers like this. Don't necessarily blame the company you work for...All of them are trhying to make a good living, doesn't matter what company it is...every company has it's issues, but in my esxperience, those folts typically driven by the customer...doezznt' matter what business.

Hey WE---question for you...in a time of recession, where so many of us are contemplating siggnifficant changes in our lives, cutting back to make ends meat, giving up benefits for the sake of providing food, and worrying about what tomorroww might bring, have you considered a r8 case that gives back to the consumer...Ford, GM, Chrisler, Microsuft, etc., have cut jobs to remainm comppetitive...what have you offered up...anything...ultimmately, you'll survive...your governned by the government...but to send out such a message says a great deal about what you stannd for. Explain what this move does for the "Wisconnsin locating proffessional"...I mean, really...let's hear from you what this does to help us paint slingerz...we're very curious....I'll guess that's the last we hear...

**beyond help** · November 6th, 2009, 05:59 AM

Granted, this does not directly affect me, but what a load of horse shit. For some idiot manager to talk about this before the company can even tell their employees what is going on. Oh, and last time I checked, Saul, your name is not on their checks. What a friggin' bonehead.

**Goldenboy** · November 6th, 2009, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by Saul

Once our new contractor establishes a process for ramping up, I will share with you their contact information in case our new approach to damage prevention appeals to you.

I definately won't be jumping ship but am interested in your "new approach to damage prevention". As far as I know USIC met all your inflated goals already. What more could you be asking for now?

**Mke** · November 6th, 2009, 09:33 AM

I wonder how full someones Inbox is today?

I work for a public agency, and I know we have strict guidelines on how to release information, as well as, if we can release information.

The more I thought about this topic, the more it stank of arrogance.

I feel for my painted boot bretheren from the colder parts of the nation. I wish Utilities would come to terms with quality over quantity, but the people who sit behind the solid oak desks need to save money somewhere.... and its not going to be their pocket.

At the same time, some responsibility should be laid at the doorstep of the Locating companies as well. I'm not familiar with the companies that were awarded this contract, or the terms of said contract, but in typical fasion, i'm sure there is a discount in the contract language for WE energies. If there wasn't, they wouldn't of had to switch locating firms.

just a thought.

mke

**Journeyman** · November 6th, 2009, 10:45 AM

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank WE Energies for continuing to demonstrate how important damage prevention truly is to their organization. I have worked with three different locating organizations protecting gas and electric facilities in the state of Wisconsin for WE Energies. SM&P/USIC has consistently demonstrated that quality is paramount, and that "protecting our customers infrastructure" is something they passionately believe in, and do on a daily basis. My team, as well as many others, have multiple individuals that have damage ratios of over 1:10,000, and it is all because of the training, leadership, and team work here at SM&P/USIC.
We've all seen this before. Those of you that have been around awhile remember when CLS was locating in Wisconsin. How concerned was WE Energies with damage prevention then? Enough to see that SM&P had consistently delivered quality results, with a tenured staff of professional individuals that work well as a team. Then there was Utiliquest. Just two days into the contract they decided they could not feasibly do the work in southern Wisconsin. With short notice, SM&P came to rescue of WE Energies and insured that their facilities and the general public would be protected. And more recently a portion of Milwaukee was given to Precise. How did that work out? There were so many damages coupled with customer and contractor complaints that WE Energies once again asked SM&P/USIC to bail them out. How did SM&P/USIC respond? Individuals from all over that state came to the area on a weekend and preformed a week's worth of work in 2 days!
So what exactly is this "new approach to damage prevention"? I'm sure WE Energies is hoping that the majority of SM&P/USIC employees go to work for their new vendors. But we've seen this before. We know the outcome. We will continue to provide reliable, quality oriented results to the customers that value our partnership. Again, thank-you WE Energies for continuing to demonstrate how important damage prevention truly is to your organization.