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Hi friends - here's a re-org of some FAQ's (some new, some originally posted earlier this week) I've been getting about my company @Unbelts' involvement in the @YourAlberta school mask procurement process. #abpoli #ableg @TheBreakdownAB @ryanjespersen @ctvedmonton
(Of COURSE the week I learn Twitter is also the week my toddler has a sleep regression and I'm a walking zombie. If I'm still Tweeting wrong, please tell me. I can take it.)
Context: My #YEG-based biz @Unbelts was asked on July 29 if we could fulfill all or part of (at that time) 1M cloth masks needed for #abschools in Sept. We'd been making masks since April, had been getting great reviews (thanks!), and were excited. #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #1: Didn't @YourAlberta go with the other suppliers because other companies (like @Unbelts) couldn't make enough masks? / No. Our July 31 proposal encompassed 600K masks delivered by Sept. 1 (the orig. target date) + 400K by Sept. 10. #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #2: Were @Unbelts masks too expensive for the
@YourAlberta budget? / No. We had to meet a particular price point, and we did. Actually, our cost per mask was significantly *lower* than one of the selected suppliers, as reported by @ctvedmonton on Jan 14. #abpoli #ableg
@YourAlberta budget? / No. We had to meet a particular price point, and we did. Actually, our cost per mask was significantly *lower* than one of the selected suppliers, as reported by @ctvedmonton on Jan 14. #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #2 cont'd: Our @Unbelts team, including myself, has school-aged children. We, our material suppliers, and our sewing partners were willing to cut our margins because we truly believed we had the best mask option for kids.
#abpoli #ableg
#abpoli #ableg
FAQ #3: @Unbelts masks have behind-the-head straps. Maybe @YourAlberta needed a supplier that could make ear loops? / They did. They asked on Friday, July 31 if we could change our design, and we said yes. They confirmed receipt of our reply. #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #3 cont'd: (Side note - I confirmed up-front with our procurement officer that @Unbelts masks met all of their technical specifications. Our design specs met all @YourAlberta and @WHO's guidelines for fit and filtration, and in some ways, exceeded them.)
FAQ #4: Are you, like, super mad that @YourAlberta
didn't choose @Unbelts as a mask supplier? / A: No. I mean, I did not love waking our sewing teams in the middle of the night for estimates, or writing panic proposals for financing. But... #abpoli #ableg
didn't choose @Unbelts as a mask supplier? / A: No. I mean, I did not love waking our sewing teams in the middle of the night for estimates, or writing panic proposals for financing. But... #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #4 cont'd/ ...it was a great chance for our
@Unbelts team, in the middle of a crazy year, to get our priorities crystal-clear. We wanted #abschools to be safe for kids, and we now knew exactly how many masks we could make on a tight timeline. #abpoli #ableg
@Unbelts team, in the middle of a crazy year, to get our priorities crystal-clear. We wanted #abschools to be safe for kids, and we now knew exactly how many masks we could make on a tight timeline. #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #4 cont'd/ We ran a "maskraiser" campaign in September instead, and our freaking amazing customers helped us give 20K masks to kids who needed a better mask fit, or more than 2 pcs, via #abschools. If you bought masks from us in Sept. - THANK YOU. #abpoli #ableg
Those are the q's we were getting on Monday. Here's what's been asked since:
FAQ #5: I saw you in the @CTV story on Jan 12. Do you think the @YourAlberta government overspent on masks for schools? / No. I was asked if an interview if @Unbelts’ per-mask price compared to IFR’s, and I truthfully responded that ours was lower. In fact... #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #5 cont'd/ ...I think spending a little more money *and* time to support @Unbelts' fellow Alberta-owned businesses would have been a terrific investment and a real win for the @UCP. #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #6: Some news sources say you bid on 1M masks. Others mention 600K and 300K units. What's up? / It's confusing because the parameters changed twice: on July 29, @Unbelts was asked to propose by midday July 31 our pricing and turnaround time for 1M masks... #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #6 cont'd/ ...but on July 30, @Unbelts was asked what we could deliver by Sept 1. // We proposed on July 31 that we deliver 600K masks Sept 1 + 400K Sept 10. // Aug 4 (next biz day): we were asked what we could deliver by Aug. 24. We responded with 300K units. #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #7: Were your masks going to be produced locally?
/ No - there was no time. We have a studio in #YEG and one in China, where I started @Unbelts. Identical labour standards, both paying living wages. We're a Certified #BCorp, and... (cont'd) #ableg #abpoli
/ No - there was no time. We have a studio in #YEG and one in China, where I started @Unbelts. Identical labour standards, both paying living wages. We're a Certified #BCorp, and... (cont'd) #ableg #abpoli
FAQ #7 cont'd/ ...all our fabric, elastic, hardware, etc. suppliers pay living wages, too. / We had 13 biz days to deliver 300K masks (Aug. 5-Aug. 24). 1 sewing staff can cut/sew/QC/package ~45 masks/day. @Unbelts' #YEG studio couldn't safely accommodate enough people... #abpoli
FAQ #7 cont'd/ ...and the #YYC factory @Unbelts has worked with before needed 4.5 weeks to make 2500 masks. We *could* have manufactured in Alberta. We just needed more time. That said... we don't make anything if we can't make it ethically. #abpoli #ableg
FAQ #8: Would @Unbelts bid on another @YourAlberta mask contract? / Of course. This isn’t about hurt feelings or partisanship. It’s about getting quality masks on Alberta kids, educators, and school staff, and ideally about helping #Alberta businesses grow, too. #abbiz #abpoli
I hope that clarifies things. Regardless of what happens with this story - we've been overwhelmed by the really lovely support of @Unbelts this week, and we're all here to answer your q's and serve our awesome customers. Thank you. #abbiz #abpoli #ableg
