DATE: March 13, 2019
TO: Board of Mayor and Aldermen
FROM: Eric Stuckey, City Administrator
Kristine Tallent, Assistant City Administrator / CFO
Deborah Faulkner, Chief of Police
Brian Wilcox, Purchasing Manager
SUBJECT:
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Consideration Of Procurement Award To Best Cleaners Of Columbia, LLC, D/B/A New Brand Cleaners Of Columbia, Tennessee In The Total Estimated Annual Amount Of $68,858 For Garment Cleaning, Pressing, Minor Repair And Alteration Services For The Police Department (Purchasing Office Procurement Solicitation No. 2019-005; $36,508 Budgeted In 110-82260-42110 For Fiscal Year 2019; Contract No. 2019-0077) (03/26/19 WS)
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Purpose
The purpose of this procurement is to purchase garment cleaning, pressing, minor repair and alteration services for the Police Department. These services would be used for Franklin Police Department uniforms and other garments issued by the City to police personnel.
Background
The City published on January 24, 2019 a Notice to Bidders in the Williamson Herald for purchase garment cleaning, pressing, minor repair and alteration services. In addition, bid documents were sent on or about the same date directly to eight (8) potential bidders known or thought to be interested in this solicitation. Bids from three (3) vendors were publicly opened at the bid opening held on February 12, 2019. A tabulation of the bids received for this solicitation is attached.
Financial Impact
The apparent lowest, most responsive and responsible bid, from Best Cleaners of Columbia, LLC, d/b/a New Brand Cleaners of Columbia, Tennessee, is in the total estimated annual amount of $68,858 for the specified services. This estimated annual value is based on the estimated annual quantities of the various specified services as listed by the City in the City’s bid submittal form (which describe the estimated quantities as “estimates only [that] do not represent a guaranteed minimum or maximum”). Although none of the bids met City specifications for the content of the monthly billing statement, the New Brand Cleaners bid was identified because it is the lowest bid that also closely meets or exceeds the City’s intention as expressed and implied by the City’s specifications as well as the instructions, terms and conditions pertaining to this procurement solicitation.
The Police Department budget for fiscal year 2019 allocates $36,508 out of the General Fund for the purchase of uniform maintenance services. Although the New Brand Cleaners bid amount is $32,350.50 (89%) over budget for the estimated quantities of the various specified services as listed by the City in the City’s bid submittal form, as the unit pricing quoted by New Brand Cleaners for the two high-volume line-items ($2.00 for uniform shirts and $3.00 for uniform pants) is substantially less than what the Police Department is paying currently ($4.50 for each) to its current service provider (which service provider did not bid this time), and as total expenditures allocated to this line item in the City budget over the last two City fiscal years have been in the same order of magnitude as the FY2019 budget for this line item, staff concludes the estimated quantities of the various specified services as listed by the City in the City’s bid submittal form were overstated by the City and anticipates no material adverse impact on the budget.
Options
In accordance with the bid documents, the City reserves the right to reject any and all bids.
Recommendation
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Staff recommends that the City accept, contingent upon Law Department and City Administrator approval of City Contract No. 2019-0077, the apparent lowest best bid, from Best Cleaners of Columbia, LLC, d/b/a New Brand Cleaners of Columbia, Tennessee, in the total estimated annual amount of $68,858 for the specified services, and award this procurement to this bidder. Purchasing Manager Brian Wilcox is of the opinion that the prepared specifications as distributed allowed for competition among multiple vendors, and that the staff recommendation appears to be made in a fair and impartial manner based upon the bids received. Pursuant to authority previously granted by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Contract No. 2019-0077 has been prepared for execution by the City Administrator and is attached pending approval by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen of the staff recommendation to accept the bid from and award the procurement to Best Cleaners of Columbia, LLC, d/b/a New Brand Cleaners.