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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Waiving the City's Formal Bidding Procedures and Authorizing Staff to Negotiate the Purchase of a Ladder Truck with Two Vendors and through a Cooperative RESOLUTION NO. 20-363 RESOLUTION WAIVING THE CITY'S FORMAL BIDDING PROCEDURES AND AUTHORIZING STAFF TO NEGOTIATE THE PURCHASE OF A LADDER TRUCK WITH TWO VENDORS AND THROUGH A COOPERATIVE FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA WHEREAS, fire apparatus are essential equipment for firefighting and the replacement program ensures the replacement of fire apparatus at the end of their original life; and, WHEREAS, front line apparatus are kept for approximately 15-years, with the goal of rotating apparatus to serve as backups for another 10 to 15 years; and, WHEREAS, the City currently has only one ladder truck (Truck 3) and it is due for replacement, as identified in the Capital Improvements Plan; and, WHEREAS,the truck was purchased in 2001, and after replacement, it will be refurbished and used as a reserve,which will mitigate the need for assistance from neighboring communities for unit stand-by when a ladder truck is out of service; and, WHEREAS,current City of Ames Purchasing Policies call for formal bids for purchases over $50,000,and for Fleet purchases,this would typically involve writing a specification for the vehicle based on the needs of the department for the vehicle; and, WHEREAS, due to the complexity of fire apparatus, writing specifications could lead to manufacturers creating custom engineered apparatus to meet the City's specifications, and as an alternative,City staff believes that working with vendors on standard models with their options will provide a quality apparatus at a reduced cost; and, WHEREAS, in February 2020, staff issued a Request for Information to prospective ladder truck vendors and responses were received from six vendors; and, WHEREAS, staff evaluated each vendor based on several factors including safety, operational costs, service, and references; and, WHEREAS, costs of the units were not included in the evaluation, and after review staff determined that two vendors met the needs of the department and would provide the best apparatus for the City, and those two vendors were Pierce and Rosenbauer; and, WHEREAS, for the previous purchase, the City negotiated with the vendor and bought directly from the vendor, and after discussions with vendors, staff would also like to explore the option to purchase through a cooperative purchasing organization; and, WHEREAS,a cooperative purchasing organization assists local governments by aggregating demand to create a national cooperative of contract purchasing opportunities that results in lower purchasing costs and time spent writing specifications; and, WHEREAS, staff talked to ten other fire departments from across the state that have successfully utilized cooperative purchasing, and staff had identified that both Sourcewell and the Houston-Galveston Area Council would allow the purchase of the type of apparatus that is being proposed; and, WHEREAS, it is staff s intent to work with the vendors and cooperatives to find the best value for the purchase. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa, that waiver of the City's formal bidding procedures and authorizing staff to negotiate the purchase of a ladder truck with two vendors and through a cooperative are hereby approved. ADOPTED THIS 14`h day of July, 2020. Diane R. Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor Introduced by: Corrieri Seconded by: Betcher Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Junck, Martin Voting nay: None Absent: None Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 14'day of July, 2020.