Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Finance and Management to enter into contract and issue purchase orders as needed with Best Equipment Co., Inc. for the purchase of one (1) Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL for the Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection. The Division of Refuse Collection will use the truck for collecting food waste and transporting it to the composting facility to divert organic and recyclable materials from the landfill in support of department and city litter control and recycling initiatives.
Special Assistance Grants are available on a competitive basis from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA). The purpose of these awards is to support recycling, recycling market development, and litter prevention activities. Ordinance 3294-2024 authorized the Director of Public Service, on behalf of the City of Columbus, to submit applications to and execute grant agreements with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) relative to litter control, recycling initiatives, accept, appropriate, and expend awarded grant funds, and issue refunds, if necessary.
The Purchasing Office advertised and solicited competitive bids in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329 relating to competitive bidding (Solicitation RFQ031396) through Vendor Services. The City received four (4) bids for the Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL on October 30th, 2025, and they were tabulated as follows:
Company Name Bid Amount City/State Majority/MBE/FBE
Best Equipment Co., Inc. $129,304.00 Indianapolis, IN Majority
Municipal Equipment Inc. $123,667.00 Louisville, KY Majority
Municipal Equipment Inc. (*alternate) $133,475.00 Louisville, KY Majority
Technology International Inc. $205,900.00 Lake Mary, FL Majority
The award is to be made to Best Equipment Co., Inc., as the best bidder for one (1) Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL, with a base bid of $129,304.00 and options priced at $2,744, for a total of bid of $132,048.00. Best Equipment Co., Inc. submitted the lowest bid that met specifications outside the 180 day quote requirement and exceeded the listed specifications which provided options that increase driver safety, vehicle longevity, and provided more overall value to the City.
Searches in the System for Award Management (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery list (State) produced no findings against Best Equipment Co., Inc.
2. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE INFORMATION
The contract compliance number for Best Equipment Co., Inc. is CC007016 and expires 06/05/2026.
3. FISCAL IMPACT
A grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in the amount of $62,500.00 from the General Government Grants Fund, Fund 2220, associated with G592506 (2025 Community and Litter Grant) will partially fund this purchase. Transfer of appropriation from purchased services to capital outlay within the grant is necessary. Public Service will contribute the required city match funds in the amount of $69,548.00 from the Refuse Collection G.O. Bond Fund, Fund 7703. Those funds are appropriated and will fund the remainder of the truck purchase.
4. REQUEST FOR WAIVER OF FORMAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS
A request for waiver of the formal competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Code Chapter 329 is requested for this purchase so that the Division of Refuse Collection can obtain the vehicle that will provide the most driver safety, vehicle longevity, and overall value for the City of Columbus.
5. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
The department requests emergency designation for this ordinance so the truck can be put into service as quickly as possible to prevent interruption to, or disruption of, the City’s food recycling program and make use of grant funds that have time limitations.
Title
To authorize the Director of Finance and Management to enter into contract with Best Equipment Co., Inc. for the purchase of one (1) Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL for the Department of Public Service; to authorize the waiver of the competitive bidding requirements of the Columbus city Code; to authorize the transfer of appropriation within the General Government Grants Fund; to authorize the expenditure of up to $132,048.00 from the General Government Grants and Refuse G.O. Bond Funds; to repay any unused grant funds at the end of the grant period; and to declare an emergency. ($132,048.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection has initiated an innovative program collecting food waste as part of its Recycling Program; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 3294-2024 authorized the Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection to apply for and accept a special assistance grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for the purchase of one (1) Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL to assist with litter control and recycling initiatives; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 3294-2024 authorized the execution of the grant agreement and other requisite agreements related to a special assistance grant, appropriation and expending grant funds awarded by Ohio EPA, and refund of any unused funds; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to purchase one (1) Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL to assist with its Food Waste Recycling Program; and
WHEREAS, the Purchasing Office received formal bids on October 30th, 2025, for one (1) Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL for the Division of Refuse Collection; and
WHEREAS, Best Equipment Co., Inc. submitted a base bid in the amount of $129,304.00 with options totaling an additional $2,744.00 for a total bid of $132,048.00 for one (1) Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL that exceeded specifications; and
WHEREAS, Best Equipment Co., Inc. submitted the lowest bid that met specifications outside the 180 day quote requirement and exceeded the listed specifications which provided options that increase driver safety, vehicle longevity, and provided more overall value to the City; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary for Council to authorize a waiver of the competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Code to procure this equipment; 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 contract with and to issue purchase orders to Best Equipment Co., Inc in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of Solicitation Number RFQ031396 on file in the Purchasing Office; and
WHEREAS, funds are available in the Refuse G.O. Bond Fund and the General Government Grants Fund for this expense; and
WHEREAS, appropriation must be transferred from object class 03 to 06 within the General Government Grants Fund for this expense; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of up $132,048.00 with Best Equipment Co., Inc. for the purchase of one (1) Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL; and
WHEREAS, at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Finance and Management to associate all general budget reservations with the appropriate contracts with Best Equipment Co., Inc. so the equipment can be used for collecting food waste throughout the City of Columbus as part of its Recycling Program can be purchased and paid for during the limited grant period and put into service as quickly as possible, thereby preserving 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 Best Equipment Co., Inc for the purchase of one (1) Food Waste Satellite Collection Truck Non-CDL for the Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of appropriation of $62,500.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 2220 (General Government Grants Fund), Dept-Div 5902 (Division of Refuse Collection), Project G592506 (2025 Community and Litter Grant), from Object Class 03 (Purchased Services) to Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $62,500.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2220 (General Government Grants Fund), Dept-Div 5902 (Division of Refuse Collection), Project G592506 (2025 Community and Litter Grant), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $69,548.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 7703 (Refuse G. O. Bond Fund), Dept-Div 5902 (Division of Refuse Collection), Project P520001-100000 (520001-100000 Mechanized Collection Equipment) in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That City Council finds it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus to waive the formal competitive bidding requirements of City Code Chapter 329.
SECTION 6. 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 7. 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 8. 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 9. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 10. 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.