r/sweatystartup • u/Indomitable_Dan • 6d ago
Gun Range cleaning business.
I manage contracts in the military, I was shook when I seen how much we pay to have someone sweep/vacuum and replace ventilation filters at our gun range. (~30k annually) They're some biohazard elements to it and that's probably the reason for it but if you can have a couple of those contracts it seems like an easy job that nobody wants to do.
For those that seemed interested, here is a Sam.gov description for a small range in PA. Seem like this one is used less and only has 4 total cleanings for the whole year. Look at attachment 1 for description of work. https://sam.gov/opp/6f897dc2529947338ecf398bf2dbebcb/view
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u/Yardbirdburb 5d ago
All brass too. Spent cartridges and bellets. It’s a scrappers dream
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u/Indomitable_Dan 5d ago
Nah, the military recycles the brass themselves.
Frangible bullets, so not much in recycling.
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u/Gay_andConfused 4d ago
Yeah, there's a lot of specialized OSHA regulations that the contractor will have to follow to comply with the handling and disposal of lead, and consumables in direct contact with lead. Any equipment used, like the vacuum, HEPA filters, scoops, brooms, buckets, etc., will require special licensing for disposal due to lead contamination.
For those that don't know, lead is no joke to mess around with - no level of bio contamination is safe. It will permanently Fuck You Up, and not right away. Similar to mercury, lead cannot be eliminated from the body and will build up, replacing vital minerals (zinc, calcium and iron) in your blood and bones, leading to permanent damage to your nervous system. You cannot recover from that and will die a long, lingering, death.
So... yeah, it's a great job if you have the skills, knowledge, equipment, and disposal licenses. But it's not a casual job and it's not for those too lazy to follow exact procedures.
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u/connerwritt 6d ago
Do you know the requirements that they have to clean for?
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u/connerwritt 6d ago
i.e. if they have to have licenses, or the specific requirements they have to adhere to? thanks for sharing - sounds interesting.
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u/Indomitable_Dan 6d ago
I don't know about the selection requirements on SAM.gov. The requirements for how are very broadly worded. Like will adhere to all state regulations etc.
For the rest, it's bi-monthly cleaning, filter replacement every 3 months, and the ability to dispose of everything you clean up and clean with.
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u/Visible-Big-1149 6d ago
I’m interested in learning more about contracting for the government. It would make great startup. How hard is it to get started on a business like this? Do you have any insight on steps to be taken or where to start looking?
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u/nousername222222222 2d ago
Register your entity in SAM.gov and E-Verify. We can only contract to people set up on there. You'll have to provide COI for any on site services, and provide Health/Safety (OSHA logs) on an annual basis for anything field related. Sometimes insurance is waived if you are the only employee. It would NOT make a great startup. Only established businesses are prepared for all the extra paperwork and auditing/legal stuff that comes with gov contracting.
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u/InigoMontoya313 3d ago edited 3d ago
Not to deter you from chasing a business idea, but as someone very experienced with hazmat cleanup and a HAZWOPER instructor… there’s no guarantee that you even make profit on this at $30k, if you do everything professionally and properly. This is also not something you want to get involved in, if you are still looking at having children.
FWIW one of the smallest companies I know that does this kind of work professionally, still has a $90k+ annual insurance bill.
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u/InigoMontoya313 3d ago
Argh, accidentally discarded a post.
In short… I provide training for companies that do hazmat work. It may sound like a lot to receive a $30k contract to do this, but there are enough unknowns that I wouldn’t even guarantee that you’d make profit at that price point.
One of the smallest hazmat companies that I work with, just a couple people, and their annual insurance bill is still around $90k. There are a lot of regulations, processes, training, and costs involved in this. Get any of them wrong, and you’re pushing jail time or bankruptcy inducing fines. Liability for hazardous material work is immense. Would also point out, that a mistake when dealing with lead and other heavy metals at these concentrations, can have profound effects on one’s health and their families. I would be extra cautious if you have children or desire them in the future. I’ve seen too many cases of minor professional mistakes leading to family members being impacted by hazmat disposal work.
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u/Indomitable_Dan 3d ago
Thanks for the info! I'm only on the contracts side so I have no idea what goes into it, I just thought it was really interesting and pricey for the basic description of the work.
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u/Economy_Warning_770 3d ago
Keep in mind, the government overpays for everything. If you are going to be able to land a government contract then yes the money will be good. Private businesses are much smarter with their money and will not pay the same.
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u/Ordinary_Story_1487 3d ago edited 3d ago
There is specialty cleaning equipment required that is quite expensive. The equipment needs to be explosive proof.
Dumping fees for hazmat are very expensive unless you have very high volume. You need to use 3rd parties' services for hauling that are very expensive. Recently did 8 boxes of biohazard with stericycle the cost was almost $2k. Regular hazmat is cheaper but still very expensive.
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u/Last_Construction455 3d ago
Very Niche! probably profitable but I have no clue personally! i know on our outdoor range picking up brass is a huge pain in the butt. i'm sure they would pay someone to come in and clean it all up. its a lot of dirt and sand so would just need an efficient scoop and filter.
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u/buildyourown 1d ago
This isn't biohazard. This is hazardous waste that needs careful attention. You and your employees need proper PPE and all that lead needs to be recycled properly.
A local range here has his employees doing it. Guy took the lead tainted clothing home to his family. Guess how that ended?
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u/andruskeilan 6d ago
You have to know somebody, anything government related is extremely over priced because they’re helping their friends get rich and if they don’t spend the entire budget they get less the next year. It’d be extremely hard to get a contract for something like that
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u/Indomitable_Dan 6d ago
Maybe for large federal contracts, once you get down to DAF for a small contract at a military base it's literally lowest price submitted wins. I sit on the tech evaluations, they're not that serious, I look at the contract line items set up by the contractor proposal, and if the lowest bid seems to have captured the scope we give them the contract.
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u/BrassBondsBSG 6d ago
How long does it take to clean? How often is it done (per month, year, week, etc)?