Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance is for the option to purchase Automobiles for the City of Columbus. Automobiles are used in various City agencies. The contract will allow the City to purchase any automobile manufactured by Ford. The majority of automobiles to be purchased from this contract are likely to be the Ford Focus and the Ford Fushion.
The term of the proposed option contract would be from the date of execution by the City up to and including December 31, 2012. The Purchasing Office opened formal bids on November 21, 2011.
The Purchasing Office advertised and solicited competitive bids in accordance with Section 329.06 (Solicitation No. SA004176). Fifty-eight (58) bids were solicited; Four (4) bids were received. The specifications asked the bidders to provide a dollar amount over triple net dealer invoicing.
The Purchasing Office respectfully asks for a waiver of the competitive bidding requirements of Section 329 because the lowest bidder, Ricart Properties, Inc. dba Ricart Ford, Inc. took an exception to two clauses of the bid. Ricart Properties, Inc. dba Ricart Ford, Inc. will provide the standard Ford powertrain warranty of 60,000 miles instead of the 100,000 miles asked for in the bid. Ricart Ford Inc. also proposed providing replacement vehicles for warranty work that takes more than 10 days, for a period of 3 years and 36,000 miles instead of five years as asked for in the bid. The Purchasing Office in conjunction with the Fleet Management Division believes it is in the best interests of the City to accept these exceptions. If the award were made to the only bidder not to take exception to these clauses, the City would spend over an additional $1,400 for each compact automobile, and an additional $4,400 for each mid-size automobile. Discussions with the highest bidder confirmed that allowing them to reduce the warranty to that proposed by Ricart Ford, Inc. would not lead to a lower bid on their part.
The Purchasing O...
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