State
Equipment Maintenance
Program
PROGRAM SUMMARY
WHAT IS IT?
The statewide Equipment
Maintenance Program (EMP)
allows all government
agencies and departments to
consolidate the care of
electronic equipment under
one comprehensive program.
By replacing existing
service agreements with this
program, agencies will gain
a programmatic solution that
delivers significant cost
savings, enhanced equipment
protection, the freedom to
utilize the best service
vendor for each and every
maintenance action, program
management tools and
information, and achieve
positive control over the
financial and operational
performance of their
equipment maintenance
portfolio.
The Remi Group, LLC (TRG)
has been selected as the new
provider and administrator
of the State's equipment
maintenance program
effective December 1, 2005,
and will partner with the
state in delivering a
long-term equipment
maintenance management
program. TRG’s equipment
maintenance program provides
an effective alternative to
original equipment
manufacturer and third party
maintenance service
agreements. Instead of
facing a future of spiraling
maintenance costs that grow
each year beyond the rate of
inflation, agencies can take
control of their maintenance
budget and build a program
that delivers immediate
savings and offers the
prospect of greater
long-term savings. TRG will
work with each and every
agency to provide program
administrative support,
technical expertise,
day-to-day oversight,
training, and the financial
backing necessary to
guarantee a successful
program result.
TRG does not perform any
service work. You continue
using your present service
provider, your in-house
staff or any equipment
service provider of your
choosing. The EMP also
provides protection for
equipment failures caused by
operator error, negligence,
power disturbances, and
consequential damages due to
HVAC system failures. Few
equipment maintenance
programs provide this level
of comprehensive protection.
All of TRG’s programs are
backed by the full faith and
credit of leading insurance
providers such as Great
American Insurance Company.
Their financial standing is
assured by years of
successful operation,
outstanding financial
structure, and independent
rating agencies such as AM
Best.
PROGRAM HISTORY & PRICING
The Remi Group was
awarded the contract to
maintain and expand the
state’s Equipment
Maintenance Program, which
was put in place in
September 2000. The program
offers a 25% reduction in
annual cost on equipment
that is transitioned from a
service contract to the
State’s EMP. For example, if
we identify equipment that
is eligible for the EMP and
find that an agency is
currently buying service
contracts with an annual
cost of $20,000, placing
this equipment under
the
EMP
would save that respective
agency $5,000 annually. TRG
will work closely with the
Department of Finance,
Division of Risk Management
to manage the current
equipment portfolio, expand
the EMP and corresponding
statewide hard dollar
savings, supply effective
data management tools, and
provide recommendations
based on the state’s
historical maintenance
records.
HOW IT WORKS
The Equipment Maintenance
Program is fairly straight
forward by design. In
essence, very little will
change in how the state
agencies handle day-to-day
operations and equipment
maintenance. When equipment
fails or requires
preventative maintenance,
State employees call their
preferred service provider,
who is very likely the same
service vendor that they
have always called in the
past. Upon vendor request,
provide your blanket
purchase order number
(Agency#-SubAgency#). Once
the work is completed, each
vendor will leave a
completed service report
with the agency to be
submitted to TRG. The
invoice and service report
should be sent by the vendor
directly to The State of
Alabama EMP, P.O. Box 4389,
Montgomery, AL 36130, or
faxed to (866) 497-9397
within 90 days from the date
of service. TRG will handle
reimbursing the service
provider directly for work
done maintaining covered
equipment.
For service events expected
to reach or exceed $7,500
the preliminary loss
information must be reported
to The Remi Group’s -
engineering department prior
to any service action being
taken at (877) 275-7364.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
-
Immediate 25% annual
savings from vendor
service contracts
-
Immediate 10% savings
from 2005 Equipment
Maintenance Program
pricing
-
Sophisticated online
management reporting
tools
-
Convenience of one
program provider and
contact
-
Program engineering,
technical, and local
administrative support
-
Flexible service
provider options
-
Customizable coverage
levels and pricing
options
REPLACING OR RETIRING
EQUIPMENT?
To Add Equipment
Obtain the following
information regarding
each equipment item to
be quoted:
-
Manufacturer
-
Model
-
Serial Number
-
Description
-
Replacement value or
purchase price
If the equipment is
under a service
contract, please send a
copy of the contract to
Nancy Dodd at
ndodd@theremigroup.com
or fax to (866)
497-9397.
Complete the Endorsement
/ Change Request form
(listed in the Appendix)
and send it to
ndodd@theremigroup.com
or fax to (866)
497-9397.
If you requested to see
a quote prior to adding
the equipment and
decided to add that
equipment, please send
written confirmation to
Nancy Dodd at
ndodd@theremigroup.com
or fax to (866)
497-9397 advising the
effective date of
coverage. The effective
date can be the current
date or any future date.
To Remove Equipment
-
Complete the Endorsement
/ Change Request form
(listed in the Appendix)
indicating the item to
be deleted and the
deletion date. The
deletion date can be the
current date or any
future date.
-
Send the form to Nancy
Dodd at ndodd@theremigroup.com
or fax to (866)
497-9397.
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT
PROVISIONS
90 Day Provision
In order for TRG to
effectively capture all
details necessary for the
claims review process, we
require a copy of the
service report and the
invoice within 90 days from
the date of service. Both
documents are required prior
to the release of payment to
the vendor. The service
report and invoice should
clearly specify the Make,
Model and Serial Number of
equipment that was serviced,
a description of the
problem, the location of the
equipment, details of the
service work performed, a
list of all parts used, and
a breakdown of all charges.
If the information submitted
as proof of loss is
determined insufficient, we
must receive requested
information to substantiate
the loss within 90 days of
notification.
TRG is not liable for any
loss, damage or occurrence
not reported in compliance
with the above paragraph.
Replacement of Equipment
If a service vendor
recommends a covered piece
of equipment be replaced,
rather than be repaired, you
must receive authorization
from TRG by calling the EMP
Engineering Department at
(877) 275-7364. If we agree
that replacing an item is
more cost effective than
repair, you may substitute
property of a similar kind,
age, model and manufacturer.
TRG will work diligently to
create the best possible
solution for both parties.
TRG is not liable for the
cost of any unauthorized
property replacement.
Large Loss Notification
If a service event is
expected to exceed $7,500
you must notify TRG by
calling the engineering
department at (877)
275-7364. TRG Engineering
will make service repair
recommendations and assist
you throughout the service
process to ensure the best
possible repair outcome.
While you have the final
decision over the repair
process for your equipment,
it is critical that agencies
make prior loss notification
prior to these service
events. Failure to do so
will result in loss of
coverage. TRG will reimburse
for the service event in
accordance with your service
contract.
Upgrades/ Modifications/
Overhauls
If the service vendor
recommends or plans to do
any upgrades, modifications,
refurbishment, overhauls,
etc., contact TRG
Engineering prior to
authorizing the vendor to
perform this type of work.
Our engineering department
can advise you as to what
types of services are
covered and not covered
under your TRG service
contract.
DATA MANAGEMENT
In order to achieve superior
maintenance management
results over the long-term,
it is imperative that the
state collect and analyze
information concerning
equipment performance,
maintenance costs, and
vendor performance. TRG’s
program gives the state the
ability to monitor and
manage their program using
our EMMA system (Equipment
Maintenance Management
Application) combined with
Remi Online, our customer
internet interface that
provides 24 X 7 real-time
access to all program
related information. Through
Remi Online, the state can
track the performance of
individual pieces of
equipment, identify poor
performing equipment, ensure
scheduled preventative
maintenance completion,
delve into individual
maintenance events, or
review overall program
results. In short, through
our program and the
associated technology, the
State of Alabama will gain
knowledge, insight, and the
ability to begin taking
meaningful control of their
equipment maintenance
portfolio.
Registration – Please
e-mail Nancy Dodd at NDodd@theremigroup.com
with REMI ONLINE as the
subject header. Please
include Department name,
Agency name, agency and sub
agency number, your name,
e-mail address, and your
phone number in the body of
the e-mail. Once we receive
the request in our office,
we will e-mail you the user
name, password, and
instructions on how to
access Remi Online (typical
response time is within 2
business days).
Remi Online Access –
www.remionline.com
(once you have a user
ID & password)
If you have any problems or
questions with registering,
please contact The Remi
Group at (888) 451-8916.
EMP KEY STAFF
TRG On-Site Representative
TRG Account Executive
Nancy Dodd Mike Van Derveer
NDodd@theremigroup.com
MVanDerveer@theremigroup.com
Tel: (334) 353-8751 Tel:
(704) 602-0878
Cell: (704) 661-8912 Cell:
(704) 607-4770
Fax: (866) 497-9397 Fax:
(704) 887-2916
State EMP Hand Mail
Attn: Nancy Dodd
RSA Union Bldg
Room 160
Engineering & Replacement
Hotline
Tel: (877) 275-7364
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
How
are equipment additions and
deletions reflected in my
bill?
All changes to the covered
equipment schedule will be
listed on your next
quarterly statement from TRG.
Please pay the current
invoice in full as all
additions and deletions made
during the current three
month period will be
reflected in your next
invoice from TRG. For
example, if a $300 machine
is added to the program a
few days after the first
quarterly statement is
released, you will not pay
for coverage on that machine
until the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th
invoices are due. Using this
example, you will be charged
$100 on each of the last 3
statements.
What happens if I find a
discrepancy with my
quarterly premium invoice?
Since the premium and the
respective coverage for each
machine is pro rated to the
date coverage was initiated
or removed, these
discrepancies can be handled
on your next quarterly
statement. Please contact
Nancy Dodd at ndodd@theremigroup.com
with any specifics regarding
discrepancies. Maintenance
coverage on equipment,
payment of vendor invoices,
and fees for coverage will
reference the original
requested date from your
agency.
What type of machines can be
covered under the program?
Nearly every machine that
plugs into the wall is
eligible for the equipment
maintenance program and the
corresponding 25% savings
from vendor contracts. Some
of the most common equipment
types are telephone systems,
security equipment, mailing
equipment, communication
equipment, computers,
printers, monitors, servers,
X-Ray and imaging equipment,
copiers, fax machines, and
many others. Please e-mail
Nancy Dodd at ndodd@theremigroup.com
for more details.
Who
do I call if my machines
break down?
You have the freedom to call
any vendor you choose, from
the manufacture of the
machine to your local supply
and fix-it company. Any
company that can properly
work on your equipment can
be used under the EMP.
Please inform this vendor
this is a time and materials
service call, give them your
purchase order number
(agency# - sub agency#),
have them complete a service
report with you, and give
them the billing address of
The State of Alabama, P.O.
Box 4389, Montgomery, AL
36130. TRG will pay that
vendor directly for his work
once we receive both the
service report and invoice.
What happens if a vendor
sends the bill to me?
All invoices need to be
submitted to Nancy Dodd at
The State of Alabama, P.O.
Box 4389, Montgomery, AL
36130, by fax (866)
497-9397, or by hand mail
box at RSA Union Bldg, Room
160. Please forward any
invoices and/or service
reports to Nancy Dodd as
soon as possible for review.
What is a service report and
what should I do with it?
There are two documents for
each service event, an
invoice which is mailed to
the EMP P.O. Box directly,
and the service report which
is left with the state
employee. A service report
is a dated document filled
out by the vendor that
provides information
regarding that specific
service event. It should
contain the machine’s make,
model, serial #, location,
what was wrong with the
machine, what was done to
fix it, what parts were
ordered, and how long it
took to fix the machine.
Please fax this the Nancy
Dodd at (866) 497-9397
directly after the service
event. All service events
have a corresponding service
report and it is the state
employee’s responsibility to
deliver this to Nancy Dodd
in a timely fashion.
What if I want to add
equipment but I don’t have a
maintenance contract price?
You do not need a
maintenance contract or
price in order to add
equipment. TRG maintains an
extensive database of
equipment and corresponding
vendor pricing. Just send
the information on the
equipment to Nancy Dodd and
it will be added. You can
also request a quote on
equipment in order to get a
premium amount prior to
adding the equipment.
|
