Information

Type: Deliberation

Department: PHSS - Public Health & Social Services

Directors' Update: July 3, 2024

Business Meeting: July 9, 2024

Summary:

This resolution ratifies the Director of PH&SS's signature on a contract for the purchase of a kitchen trailer as equipment for use in providing homeless services, following a formal published call for bids for the purchase.  The contract is with Chef Units, which was the low bidder for the alternate containing a dishwasher.  (The bid call specifically referenced a dishwasher as preferable but not required, and invited bidders to submit an alternate including one; the bid call also noted that the County could select the alternate in lieu of the mandatory bid). The cost is $118,973.18, including 8.2% sales tax.  (This is slightly less than the bid/contract amount, which accidentally charged 8.25% sales tax---hence the invoice for the lower amount.)

Publications:

Cover Letter To:

Additional Copies To:

Resolution

WHEREAS, the Lewis County Homeless Shelter is in need of commercial kitchen facilities to serve the people therein; and

WHEREAS, acquiring a portable commercial kitchen trailer provides the flexibility to serve not only those in the shelter but also homeless populations offsite and, upon occasion, people rendered temporarily homeless through emergencies or natural disasters; and

WHEREAS, Lewis County published a formal call for bids for sale and delivery of such an item in the newspaper of record and via OpenGov; and

WHEREAS, the call for bids sought certain mandatory equipment, and noted that other equipment -- such as a commercial dishwasher -- was preferable but not required.  Bidders were invited to submit the mandatory bid and alternate bids that included additional equipment at a higher price if they so chose; and

WHEREAS, the responses received, including the lowest price option for each category and 8.2% sales/use tax, were as follows:

 

BIDDER	MANDATORY BID AMT	ALTERNATE (WITH DISHWASHER) BID AMT
Renown Cargo Trailer*	$93,825.63	N/A
Chef Units**	$103,995.05	$119,028.10
Mobile Concepts	$177,556.20	$218,618.00

 

* This bid did not include photos as required by the bid call.

** This bid was slightly too high because it included 8.25% sales tax rather than 8.2%; and

WHEREAS, sales and use taxes were added equivalently to all bids to treat them equally and to reflect Lewis County's true costs, and bid irregularities not giving the bidder any competitive advantage (such as lack of photos or charging slightly too high a sales tax) were waived as specified in the bid call; and

WHEREAS, Renown Cargo Trailer was the lowest responsible bidder overall, but offered no alternate with a dishwasher, whereas Chef Units was the lowest responsible bidder for an alternate with a dishwasher; and

WHEREAS, the call for bids clearly indicated that Lewis County could select an alternate in lieu of the mandatory bid, and Chef Units' bid for an alternate with a dishwasher met all required specifications; and

WHEREAS, the Director of Public Health believed that an alternate with a dishwasher was most advantageous to the County, and was authorized via Lewis County's procurement policy to contract with Chef Units and seek subsequent ratification by the Board of County Commissioners; and

WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has reviewed the contract and agree that it is in the public interest.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the BOCC hereby ratifies the contract with Chef Units for the sale and delivery of a kitchen trailer for homeless services, with occasional emergency services use. The actual price, reflected in the invoice charging the correct 8.2% sales tax rather than 8.25%, is $118,973.18.

DONE IN OPEN SESSION this 9th day of July, 2024.