The Purchasing Department conducted a Request for Bid Process for this service. The Police department has reviewed the two (2) bids submitted. Signature Towing, Inc. submitted a bid for $1,921,785 and Jordan Towing, Inc. submitted a bid for $1,084,658. We recommend award to Jordan Towing Inc., which represented the lowest, responsive, responsible bid meeting all required specifications.
The selected vendor will provide towing services to both the public and to the city. Towing services are necessary in many situations; such as the removal of wrecked or disabled vehicles from the roadway to quickly restore the safe flow of traffic. Citizens will normally be responsible for the cost of towing their vehicle following an accident or mechanical issue. The City also requires towing services to impound an arrested person's vehicle, recovery of stolen vehicles, seizing vehicles for criminal investigations, towing abandoned vehicles, and towing city owned vehicles which have become disabled. The City is responsible for these costs. This contract also requires the awarded vendor to handle vehicle disposal, legal notifications, and the eventual auctioning of unclaimed vehicles, as mandated by state law.
A contract for towing services represents minimal expense to the City. The primary towing expense the City would incur is through the towing of vehicles that are involved in criminal investigations. There are no acquisition costs. The fees proposed by the vendor represent the costs the public would incur in the event towing services are needed. Approximate annual expenditures for the City is $6,000. Approximate annual fees collected by vendor for public tows is $1,084,658.
In the event the City does not award this contract, there is the potential for disruption in the ability of the Police Department and City to carry out its duties.