Edrei Carrenho, Cargill: Tips to vehicle bidding in Brazil
When launching a vehicle tender for your company in Latin America, there are several factors you must consider and, for international food production company Cargill, this is done on a national basis as opposed to a regional one.
This is according to Edrei Carrenho who is administrative supervisor in Brazil for the US-based company. In this case study, here are a few tips mention by the executive during a brief talk we had in late January.
| Name: | Edrei Carrenho |
| Job Position: | Administrative Supervisor |
| Countries responsible for: | Brazil |
| Number of vehicles in fleet: | 1,200 |
“In Latin America, Cargill Agrícola does not launch vehicle tenders under a Latam scope. As each country in the region has different economic conditions and situations, our focus from our São Paulo office is on fleet management in Brazil only,” Mr. Carrenho told Fleet LatAm.
In order to meet the needs of the company and suffice its vehicle fleet policies, several factors must be considered, according to the executive, among them being security, maintenance costs, service center network, leasing fees and partnerships.
All of this may seem complex. However, when focusing on analysis and necessary volumes, the company is able to achieve synergies and in turn opportunities, according to the executive.
When questioned about how important the financial aspect of tendering is, Mr. Carrenho stated that this is important but other conditions surrounding fleet management must be considered, regardless if they are for direct, indirect or day-to-day fleet management.
For one, “we cannot talk about having vehicles in operation without first considering the safety of our employees. Although investing in safer and more complete vehicles is more costly, it brings much more security and value to the management of the fleet and to the users,” says the executive.
Meanwhile, among the main points you cannot forget when preparing a vehicle bidding document is to first carry out a well-discussed RFI [request for information].
To help scrutinize companies and bring financial security to the bidding process, what really needs to be evaluated first is the financial health of each company participating in the tender process.
Another thing that you cannot go without is a well-defined schedule, including vehicle delivery deadlines organized by lots or by predefined periods.
“Besides validating and demonstrating the company’s capacity, this helps to assure well-aligned processes and to fulfill all the tender demands,” says Mr. Carrenho.
Cargill headquarters (source: Cargill)
Finally, the executive pointed out the importance of certifications related to social and environmental responsibilities and the capacity to secure data and information. Having clear cut protection policies helps to identify a company which is serious and coherent with its customers, partners, and communities, Mr. Carrenho says.
