I am putting together a bid for a job down here, and My Supplier won't give me a quote for the Lithonia Items, Unless I Provide what I feel is Irrevelent.
If I need 12 GT8F2-32FW-A12, I only need to know how much, Why do the need the Engineer and Job Info.
Seems Like a way for my supplier to try to get a Bid In, Or pass on to a friend who is also a contractor?

Agents often need job info to be sure that suppliers get the same price for the same package.

Different suppliers will add different markups, but all suppliers will have the same price for the lighting package.

This is very typical.

I looked at the spec sheet, looks like a plain vanilla 2x2, however, it needs the overlapping flange. I thought maybe if it was a simple fixture, you can buy some Lithonai fixtures at Home Depot.

Not this time, you need to order from Lithonia.

Can you substitue the package?

"but all suppliers will have the same price for the lighting package".
That's what I don't understand.
If they saw it was from a High Dollar Engineer, maybe they would charge a Higher Dollar?
Needing to know the Engineer and the Job Name/Location

Lithonia won't return calls, emails, I will see if other suppliers of Lithonia need the excess info.

When I Provide a quote for someone, I don't ask how much money they have in the Bank?
This company aggrivates the crap out me. They are currently holding up progress, eating my time.

They just now called me back, I already hate this jerk process?

TK, Thanks, This is the first time having to do this, I won't recommend them to anyone.
One supplier says they won't use them because of this.

Does anyone know of a Lithonia distributor that does not need that info?

An electrical distributor, for example, Graybar, WESCO, CED, (these are large national distributors you may know) or local private suppliers, do not buy directly from Lithonia.

If yuou asked all for a price, they will all go to a local manufacturers representative, called an "agent".

The agent goes to the manufacturer for pricing, add a markup, and will give all the distributors one price for the same lighting package.

The reference usually is the job name.

The engineer is out of the loop. All he did was specify the fixture. He is done. Yea we all hear that specifiers get a kickback from someone to specify that fixture brand. That may or may not happen, but that would be the agent paying the engineer a fee for a job that got sold.

My comment you mention I mis-typed. I meant that they will have different prices out to contractors. They will all get the same price from the agent.

Pricing will be different from each distributor is because each will add a different markup to the same package price they all got from the same agent.

If you got prices from each of three I mention, Graybar, WESCO, CED, each has their own markup structure, costs, profit, etc.

One may be more hungry that the others, and drop their markup to get the sale.

Lithonia is not the only fixture manufacturer that asks for job name, etc. Most if not all do.

Even GE, Square D, Siemens, when I ask for switchgear pricing, want to know job name. Even whenit is not a bid situation.

The fixture your looking for is not unusual other than the plaster frame and aluminum. I am sure you can go to Hubbell or Cooper lighting and find a similar fixture.

You may need to submit the subsitute you propose to the engineer for approval.

I am not telling you just to go out and buy someone else's fixture and install, without getting aprroval.

Hey thanks, One supplier mentions the Architech/Engineer may get a kickback of some sort for including their product in the design.
This makes sense, still don't like it.

Thanks for your time, take care.

I have heard the same thing, but never really asked any agents or engineering firms to confirm if this does happen.

I don't have an issue with someone getting a "finders fee".

If I had a product that would sell more if someone was to suggest, recommend, or in design engineer's verbage, "specify", I would certainly give that engineer a fee for product that sold because of his/hers actions.

It is how business is done.

Not much you can do about it. If you don't give the supplier the info that they need to get you a price so you can submit your bid, then some other contractor will get the job.

All up to you.

I haven't had to do this as I had Most prices available and could bid accurately without.
I had been given a Medium size prints.
Had no way to scan, had contractor email me the set, forwarded the Electrical sheets listing parts, Architech, Engineer, waiting for the Quote Back.
I am use to Emergeny Troubleshooting, and dealing with Quick and Efficient, This is the total opposite of what I do. I am at the Mercy of this Supplier, Waiting for this Quote? I should have sent to more than one, but since the price is Fixed? Or SET.
Originally this job was no hurry and going to start in a couple of months, Permitting some how starting moving and need this bid.
I will likley not get this bid, And NEVER deal with this supplier, I am a small contracting company, and likley behind Bigger More Money Jobs.

This Process is Extremely Slow, Hate it. I can't make them do their job?

Just Called my supplier and they say Lithonia still has it?
Not only do they have bigger contracts, but many more.

Fixture manufacturers will not let out package prices until nearly the last minute. Typical do not fault the distributor.

You should always get more than one price for packages from different distributors.

You will still wait for all quotes, since they are all waiting for the lighting price.

Been times, depending on the size of the packages, we are sitting in the parking lot at the bid opening waiting for the lighting or switchgear price to add into our quote and complete the bid package.

Would be nice if the Engineers/Architechs, provided the Manuafacturers the specs ahead of time, since their product is going to be used anyway. When a request for a quote came in, it would just be a click of a button, instead of figuring from scratch as the request came in?
Still Waiting.
Appreciate your input, Take Care

Called Suppliers today and Lithonia still has it, haven't sent prices to the Suppliers.
Is their an Absolute Maximum limit of time it should take? If it takes another month, The job could already be done.

Something's is wrong, or odd. Call the supplier, ask why the price is not being released. Call the engineer, ask if substitute package is allowed. Let him know Lithonia is not releasing pricing.

Is there a due date for bid? Does supplier and Lithonia know this date?

I live in an Odd place, I am one of the few down here who has an actual License, many have to work under those who "whore out their license".
Down here its not what you know or who you know, but who you xxxx.
I called the Contractor, Got his Voice Mail?
This is for an "I believe Foundation".
I am going to try Lithonia Now. Wish me Luck.

Lithonia says, South Dade Electric Never submitted a request.
They say they sent a quote to City Electric an hour ago.
If I don't have by the end of the day I will call them, Don't want to slow down their normal operations.