Machinery Equals/Not Equals to Productivity

I was checking out Gebiz as usual in my down time and came across a tender for a "robotic mower", which I thought would be one of these remote controlled mowers featured along with the Landscape Productivity Grant (more on that later). But it turned out to be something less controlled and more automated.

Nah, not this type.

 

So. Refined.

Here goes the boring Gebiz details:

INVITATION TO QUOTE FOR THE PURCHASE OF A ROBOTIC MOWER UNIT AND THE OPTION TO PURCHASE SPARE PARTS AND ENGAGE TROUBLE-SHOOTING SERVICES

Quotation No.: NPB000ETQ17000133
Agency: National Parks Board

ITEMS TO RESPOND
1. Robotic mower unit
2. Blade
3. OTHER ITEM OF WORK AND/OR SERVICE NOT INCLUDED IN ITEMS ABOVE BUT WHICH ARE NECESSARY FOR THE FULL AND SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF THE WORKS.
4. OPTIONAL ITEM - Supply and replacement of Battery, Rechargeable (12 months warranty against manufacturer's defect upon acceptance of item).
5. OPTIONAL ITEM - Supply and replacement of Sealing Strip (for control panel) or equivalent.
6. OPTIONAL ITEM - Supply and replacement of Sealing Strip (for main unit body) or equivalent.
7. OPTIONAL ITEM - Supply and replacement of Wheel Snap Function (for wheel) or equivalent.
8. OPTIONAL ITEM - Supply and replacement of Motor Assy or equivalent (at least 3 months warranty against manufacturer's defect upon acceptance of item).
9. OPTIONAL ITEM - Supply and replacement of Motor Assy Height Motor or equivalent (at least 3 months warranty against manufacturer's defect upon acceptance of item).
10. OPTIONAL ITEM - Supply and replacement of Joystick Kit Rear or equivalent.
11. OPTIONAL ITEM - Supply and replacement of Joystick Kit Rear ( for column kit ) or equivalent.
12. OPTIONAL ITEM - Supply and replacement of Motor Kit Drive Wheel or equivalent (at least 3 months warranty against manufacturer's defect upon acceptance of item).
13. OPTIONAL ITEM - Transportation & on-site inspection/service charge (Per trip).
14. OTHER ITEM OF WORK AND/OR SERVICE NOT INCLUDED IN ITEMS ABOVE BUT WHICH ARE NECESSARY FOR THE FULL AND SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF THE WORKS.

[Edit: Seemed like items 3 and 14 are repeated. Below are the excerpts of the response of two companies that participated in the ITQ.]

Company A (Awarded)

1. $3980 - HUSQVARNA (SWEDEN) AUTOMOWER - MODEL 430X (PN 967 62 25-03)
GPS Assisted Navigation/ 0.8 Acre Working Area Capacity
2. $71.55 - Husqvarna Automower Blades
3. $1500 - Installation Package includes 2 x complimentary follow-up service/loop wire reset with 3 months from installation
4. $214.50 - Husqvarna Automower 430X Replacement Li-Ion Battery
14. $1105.30 - Additional Automower Ad-Hoc Replacement / Service Parts & Accessories

Company B

1. $7500 - Robotic mower unit
2. $2160 - Blade
3. $4500 - Labour $1500 Wire Laying/ Trenching / Material $4500
4. $850 - Replacement battery
14. $1500 - Labour

The awardee was a lot more competitive in pricing as compared to the latter, and even so they could have profited quite a bit.

This bundle, costing approx SGD 2900, includes an install kit that comes with guide wires (250 metres), which sets the boundary for the robot mower (see below).

 The yellow line around the property represents the guide wires that tells the robot mower not to go past. The dotted lines are its mowing path I suppose.

The guide wires were installed a few inches below ground, so I have no idea why the second tenderer have to go and cost in $1500 for laying it and $4500 in materials (which I guess are the guide wires and staples). Assuming the lawn that this mower was used on was exactly 0.8 acres (3237.5m2), and the guide wires were laid just around the boundary, then only 227.6m of it was needed. The install kit comes with slightly more than that length of guide wires.