Control/Dimming Console Bid Spec
- Thread starterurban79
- Start date
urban79
Active Member
I have that, as well as the downloadable spec sheet which has been very helpful. I'm wondering (and I swear I've seen it here, but search is failing me) what people include to ensure specific consoles. I seem to remember some "tricks" for lack of a better term that preclude substitutions.
Do you have ETC dimmer racks ?, specify the console must communicate via Ethnernet to the racks. That'll help define the use of the sACN and/or Net 3 protocol. Do you have existing ETC network gear ?, Net 3 nodes ?, are you buying any ?, identify which features ETC provides are to work together. You can specify peripheral devices that are particular to ETC., a tablet remote, and/or iPad/Android software, etc.... "must be compatible" etc....
What particular features of the console are things you think you need and that are particular to an Ion/Eos, identify those and specify, such as Augment 3D as a teaching tool, etc....
What particular features of the console are things you think you need and that are particular to an Ion/Eos, identify those and specify, such as Augment 3D as a teaching tool, etc....
It gets a little silly if you start laying out all of these particular features because if it was contested the likely equivalents proposed would meet most of those items or get close enough that you would be getting into a debate that'll be adjudicated by someone who is only looking at it strictly from a financial manner. If the ground you're standing on is "Made in the USA" or "5-Years' Support After Discontinuation", you're on shaky terrain. School procurement staff won't care about the first one, and companies like Str*nd will say they still support products that are 15-20 years old. Also, Str*nd is the king at competing on cut sheet bullet points and most of the likely relevant bullet points you'd want to include they've already got a way to rebuff. Their products are designed bullet point by bullet point to compete with ETC.
I do a lot of work with school districts and certainly each has their own issues with procurement policies, but it's basically a myth that you can't ask for exactly what you want and prohibit substitutions. You do not have to issue a "Performance Spec" which lays out all of the important bullet points and lets the contractor bid it how they want with whatever products they want so long as they meet those performance criteria. You absolutely can issue a "Hard Spec" that lists the exact makes/models you want. You're still getting prices from multiple dealers so district procurement gets their multiple bids.
My recommendations.
If you can't get the no substitutions requirement past your purchasing department, I would include language that no substitutions are permitted without prior approval and that any requests for substitutions shall be submitted in writing no later than 10 days before bid opening such that approved substitutions can be advertised to all bidders (in which case, ETC or the dealers may sharpen their pencils, and dealers overall are less likely to propose substitutions if they know 5 other dealers are likely to bid against them on whatever proposed savings they were hoping to present your purchasing department with -- many substitutions start as an attempt at undercutting the competition by trying to propose something cheap that other bidders haven't thought of).
If you're going to try to provide performance criteria, I would require 1) that the console have software developed, support, and solely owned by the manufacturer, 2) utilizing a calibrated fixture library and color engine. These points are incredibly important and very tangible because they ensure continued software development and new feature implementation. If you're not familiar with color engine, Eos has a very mature color engine that makes the absolute best use out your existing (or future) LED futures. It is also harnesses Carallon's fixture library, which is a calibrated library of fixture personalities so that if you have 3-4 types of LED fixtures, possibly from different manufacturers, and you punch that R08 button -- you get as consistent as possible an R08 across the entire system.
I do a lot of work with school districts and certainly each has their own issues with procurement policies, but it's basically a myth that you can't ask for exactly what you want and prohibit substitutions. You do not have to issue a "Performance Spec" which lays out all of the important bullet points and lets the contractor bid it how they want with whatever products they want so long as they meet those performance criteria. You absolutely can issue a "Hard Spec" that lists the exact makes/models you want. You're still getting prices from multiple dealers so district procurement gets their multiple bids.
My recommendations.
- Itemize what you want, including cables, touch monitors if don't have already, gooseneck light, nodes, gateways, etc
- Indicate contractor scope including any requirements for installation, instructor-led training, initial setup.
- Require a 1-year installation warranty -- if installation is required and this isn't simply a "package" sale.
- Provide 3-5 potential bidders who are ETC dealers, including contact information with phone numbers and email addresses.
- Indicate that no substitutions are permitted.
If you can't get the no substitutions requirement past your purchasing department, I would include language that no substitutions are permitted without prior approval and that any requests for substitutions shall be submitted in writing no later than 10 days before bid opening such that approved substitutions can be advertised to all bidders (in which case, ETC or the dealers may sharpen their pencils, and dealers overall are less likely to propose substitutions if they know 5 other dealers are likely to bid against them on whatever proposed savings they were hoping to present your purchasing department with -- many substitutions start as an attempt at undercutting the competition by trying to propose something cheap that other bidders haven't thought of).
If you're going to try to provide performance criteria, I would require 1) that the console have software developed, support, and solely owned by the manufacturer, 2) utilizing a calibrated fixture library and color engine. These points are incredibly important and very tangible because they ensure continued software development and new feature implementation. If you're not familiar with color engine, Eos has a very mature color engine that makes the absolute best use out your existing (or future) LED futures. It is also harnesses Carallon's fixture library, which is a calibrated library of fixture personalities so that if you have 3-4 types of LED fixtures, possibly from different manufacturers, and you punch that R08 button -- you get as consistent as possible an R08 across the entire system.
Last edited:
JJBerman
Active Member
For a recent bid document I got to see, it was verbatim the Ion Xe 20 Console Spec from the website: https://www.etcconnect.com/Products/Consoles/Eos-Family/Ion-Xe/Documentation.aspx
Direct spec sheet link: https://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737492062
Direct spec sheet link: https://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737492062
