Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Finance and Management to enter into contract and issue purchase orders as needed with Versalift East LLC for the purchase of (2) Insulated Aerial Bucket Trucks. This purchase will be made for the Department of Public Service, Division of Traffic Management.
The Department of Public Service, Division of Traffic Management, is responsible for traffic maintenance throughout the City of Columbus. The City of Columbus, Fleet Management Division, approved the purchase of this equipment to replace equipment that has reached the end of its useful life.
The Purchasing Office advertised and solicited competitive bids in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329 relating to competitive bidding (Solicitation RFQ013275) through Vendor Services. The City received three bids for the (2) Insulated Aerial Bucket Trucks on October 16, 2025 and they were tabulated as follows:
Company Name Bid Amount City/State Majority/MBE/FBE
Utility Truck & Equipment Inc. $519,961.00 Circleville , OH Majority
Equipment Technology LLC. $443,675.32 Oklahoma City, OK Majority
Versalift East LLC. $340,766.00 Bethlehem, PA Majority
The award is to be made to Versalift East LLC as the lowest responsive and responsible and best bidder for all lines of its bid of $340,766.00.
Searches in the System for Award Management (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery list (State) produced no findings against Versalift East LLC.
2. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
The contract compliance number for Versalift East LLC is CC053808 and expires on 10/09/2027.
3. FISCAL IMPACT
Funds are available for this purchase within the Municipal Motor Vehicle Tax Fund, Fund 2266. Supplemental appropriation is necessary for this purchase.
4. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
The department requests emergency designation for this ordinance so this equipment can be put into service as quickly as possible to prevent interruption to, or disruption of, the City’s traffic maintenance program.
Title
To authorize the Director of Finance and Management to enter into contracts with Versalift East LLC for the purchase of (2) Insulated Aerial Bucket Trucks; to appropriate funds within the Municipal Motor Vehicle Tax Fund; to authorize the expenditure of up to $340,766.00 from the Municipal Motor Vehicle Tax Fund to purchase the equipment; and to declare an emergency. ($340,766.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service, Division of Traffic Management, needs to purchase (2) Insulated Aerial Bucket Trucks to maintain and provide traffic maintenance throughout the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, this purchase has been approved by the City’s Fleet Management Division; and
WHEREAS, the Purchasing Office received formal bids on October 16, 2025 for (2) Insulated Aerial Bucket Trucks for the Division of Traffic Management; and
WHEREAS, Versalift East LLC submitted a bid in the amount of $340,766.00 for (2) Insulated Aerial Bucket Trucks and is the lowest responsive and responsible and best bidder; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation in the Department of Public Service to authorize the Director of Finance and Management to enter into contracts with and to issue purchase orders to Versalift East LLC in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of Solicitation Number RFQ031275 on file in the Purchasing Office; and
WHEREAS, funds must be appropriated within the Municipal Motor Vehicle Tax Fund; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to expend funds to pay for the equipment; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Finance and Management Director to enter into contracts with Versalift East LLC so this equipment can be put into service as quickly as possible to prevent interruption to, or disruption of, the City’s traffic maintenance program, for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Finance and Management be and is hereby authorized to establish contracts with and issue purchase orders to Versalift East LLC for the purchase of (2) Insulated Aerial Bucket Trucks.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, the sum of $210,000.00 is appropriated in Fund 2266 (Municipal Motor Vehicle Tax Fund), Dept-Div 5913(Division of Traffic Management), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $340,766.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2266 (Municipal Motor Vehicle Tax Fund), Dept-Div 5913 (Traffic Management), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 7. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.