Final Installment – At the 2017 International WorkBoat Show last December, Chris Parsonage, TVIB President, presented on a panel discussing the TSMS option versus the U.S. Coast Guard Inspection option for Subchapter M compliance. Following is the fourth and final in a series of posts from that presentation.
Factors to consider in TPO selection:
- What are the major costs that should be considered?
- What does the TPO charge?
- What happens after the introductory special disappears?
- Is my TPO committed to the Commercial Towing Market?
- Will the TPO be less responsive when the oil industry rebounds?
- Can the TPO meet our schedules?
- Can the TPO perform multiple compliance audits within one audit so that it will meet other audit requirements such as AWO RCP?
- What is the anticipated vessel downtime waiting for inspections or audits to be completed?
- Will the TPO work to understand my operation?
- Will the TPO provide guidance to help answer compliance questions unique to my company?
- Does the TPO offer training for employees of companies selecting the Internal Survey Option?
- Does the TPO have an adequate number of trained auditors and surveyors?
- Will there be auditors and surveyors in all the locations where my vessels operate, or will they need to travel a long distance to perform the services?
- Auditor and surveyor travel costs can amount to 25-40% of the cost of this work.
- Will the auditors and surveyors be familiar with commercial towing vessels and related regulatory requirements for the specific vessel, and their route and service?
- How is the TPO going to interpret equipment repair or replacement?
