HomeMy WebLinkAboutA017 - September 8, 2026, Regular Meeting of the Ames City CouncilITEM #:17
DATE:09-08-26
DEPT:FLEET
SUBJECT:PURCHASE OF A STREET SWEEPER FOR PUBLIC WORKS
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
Public Works Operations' Division current street sweeper has reached the end of its planned
lifecycle and is due for replacement. The current street sweeper has experienced
significant maintenance issues that have affected the maintenance budget and resulted
in significant downtime and increased contractor costs to cover the downtime.
Fleet staff evaluated the repair costs for the unit and found that it was more than
double the amount of the previous two street sweepers per hour of operation. This
does not include the costs associated with the downtime.
Due to these factors and the difficulty in creating a specification for a street sweeper, staff
determined that using a cooperative contract would be in the best interest of the City for the
replacement of the street sweeper. Public Works staff contacted vendors and conducted two
demonstrations of street sweeping equipment.
After the demonstrations and reviewing the information, including talking to other cities in the
state, staff determined that the best value for the department was the Elgin Whirlwind street
sweeper from Macqueen Equipment. Public Works previously owned an Elgin Whirlwind
sweeper from 2006 to 2016 and had no issues with its performance.
Staff approached Macqueen Equipment to determine if there was a cooperative contract
to obtain the best value on the street sweeper. The Elgin Whirlwind is on the national
Sourcewell contract with a 3% discount off the listed price. Staff confirmed that this is
the lowest price offered by Macqueen Equipment by verifying their other cooperative
and bidding prices. The final cost if Council approves this request is $422,105.41.
Funding is available for this purchase as follows:
Replacement Funds at time of delivery $388,422
Salvage value of equipment being replaced $50,000
Available funding $438,422
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Waive the Purchasing Policies and Procedures requirement for competitive bids and
award a contract to Macqueen Equipment of St. Paul, MN, for the purchase of a street
sweeper in the amount of $422,105.41
2. Do not approve the purchase.
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CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approving this contract to obtain the street sweeper will give Public Works Streets a
reliable street sweeper at the best value. The approval will allow for the procurement
process to continue and will result in decreased maintenance and downtime once the
new street sweeper in put into service. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City
Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1 as described above.
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