Cost is not the only consideration in bidding. Sometimes longevity of a purchase can play a part, such as the wastewater treatment plant grit screw bought for $42,000 Monday night to replace one which failed last August.
Or, in the case of tree trimming and tree removal, “Bids were extremely competitive,” said City Manager Kevin Anderson, who administers matters less than $15,000 without needing council approval.
“Staff was put in the position of having to make a tough call. There was a $5 difference on the tree removal side, but there was a significant difference on the tree trimming side. We’re going to combine the two together because from a staff standpoint, we’re going to have much more than $5 in administrative costs with multiple people. The good news is we’re going to be able to do more trees than originally anticipated. We’ll be going out for a second round of bids.”
“There seem to be situations when expertise and additional training trump the bidding process,” Third Ward Councilman Dr. Charles Burling said.
“Like the grit screw, you’re not always going to take the lowest bid, you’re going to take the bid that makes the most sense. The staff will make that judgment call,” Mayor Donald Lyons said.
City officials’ reasoning didn’t make Stacy A. Smith of Rusty Tree Service north of Dowagiac any less upset.
A “very disappointed” Smith said, “I assumed I wasn’t wasting my time” Jan. 5 when he won the tree removal part of the 2012 program by $5 with a $3,950 package price only to see it bundled with tree-trimming and awarded to Williams A-1 Expert Tree Service. Rusty Tree Service started eight years ago. There were four bidders.
Council gave second reading to the proposed tree ordinance amendment to Section 86-48 of the Municipal Code introduced Dec. 12. Final approval passed 6-0.
After meeting with Dan Williams, who expressed concerns on when a business with a certified arborist on staff must be used for city tree projects, Anderson revised language to read:
“Any person or firm to engage in the business or occupation of pruning, treating or removing street or park trees within the city shall certify to the DIrector of Public Services (Jim Bradford) that they have the equipment and training necessary to safely conduct said activities.”
“This language requires contractors to state their qualifications and, coupled with the city’s purchasing policy, expects the (DPS director) to make sure qualified, competent contractors perform work for the citizens of our community,” Anderson said. “Language is consistent with the Tree City model ordinance, clarifies contractor concerns over who can remove trees and assures taxpayers competitive bidding for services will occur.”
By the same token, of the grit screw recommended by Jones and Henry of Kalamazoo, a JVD U260 shaftless conveyor, Mayor Pro Tem Leon Laylin said, “The low bid wasn’t taken because of the type of material used. One specified stainless steel with high-wear quality, so even though the other is cheaper, it wouldn’t be better in the long run. The cheapest price is not always the best policy.”
The $42,000 quoted by Solberg Knowles and Associates fell between a $32,700 offer and a $57,000 offer.
Grit screws convey solid matter and can be constructed with or without a shaft. Applications range from municipal sewage plants to industrial applications in food and paper industries or waste disposal plants.
The grit screw will be installed in 12 to 14 weeks, Anderson said, and involves another $5,000 of work.