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Do not underestimate the time and energy that developing a PMP for your client will take. It is your responsibility to explain to your client the benefits of a PMP. Remember, not all of your client's will appreciate the value of what is being offered and your task is to clearly define the PMP and any costs associated with the service. How you choose to pass on the costs of this service is a decision that only you can make. I have seen contractors offering variations of a PMP at no cost to their client and I would urge you to not to undertake this approach as it is difficult to assign a value to a service that has no cost to the end user. I would suggest charging an annual fee for inspection services plus a separate cost for generating specs for bidding purposes.

After you have reached an agreement with your client on the level of service and the associated costs, invest the appropriate time and energy to generate a substantive report that is consistent with your mutually agreed upon objectives. Generating a PMP on a fee basis is not a guarantee of getting all of your client's pavement maintenance and rehabilitation business, but a well-executed PMP will allow you access to your client's short- and long-term objectives. It also will allow you to demonstrate your pavement maintenance knowledge on a regular basis.

The owner will place a high value on your contributions and will be more inclined to work with a "value" oriented contractor, such as your firm, rather than a "price" oriented firm that does not appreciate the long-term needs of the operation.

Distinguish yourself and your firm in your market area from your competitors by discussing the importance of a site specific PMP and offering this service to those who appreciate the long term value.

Michael Groh is a senior consultant with Benchmark Inc., a pavement and roof consulting firm with offices located in Cedar Rapids, IA, and Elm Grove, WI. He has more than 24 years of experience in the pavement industry and is a frequent speaker at National Pavement Expo and at University of Wisconsin - Madison pavement seminars throughout the United States.