The Kansas Collaborative: Transportation Breakthrough Team
Using the State Contract to Save Money
We have only begun to use the resource of the state contract to save money for counties.
Here is an example from Seward County of how it is done. This example comes from Mary Bloomer, the Seward County Administrator, and shows how you can leverage state contract pricing to purchase a vehicle through a local dealership.
“Our Road and Bridge Supervisor, Tony Herrman contacted the state to see which business was awarded the state contract for vehicles. He was advised the state contract holder for vehicles was Shawnee Mission Ford, Inc., in Shawnee, Kansas. Tony then contacted them to see what the state pricing was for a Ford F-250 truck and they advised him what the contract price was and sent him the pricing information. We then went through our regular bid process that we have in place with the county. A request for bids was advertised in our official county newspaper 2 consecutive weeks and was also hand delivered to each of the dealerships in our area. Tony also advised the dealers that he had received information regarding what the state contract pricing was and encouraged them to submit a bid and hoped they could be competitive with the state contract so that we could keep the bid in county.
We received 5 sealed bids (one sealed by us in the form of the state contract bid as received from Shawnee Mission Ford). The state contract was low bid. The Ford dealership was second best bid. Once the bids were compared, Tony contacted the Ford dealership here in town and advised him if they could meet or beat the bid of the state contract pricing we would like to award the bid to them. They reviewed the bid and readjusted their pricing – it was $64.00 less that the state contract price. The Board awarded the bid to our local Ford dealer. It was a win-win situation for us and our dealership.”
There are over 100 different contracts that can be used to save counties money.
Large equipment is another arena that the Collaborative has focused on to provide opportunity to save money.
Mark Clements at the KDOT Purchasing Department is keeping us informed of all the large equipment bids coming through KDOT. These contracts are not listed on the State Contract list and there is a limited time to purchase equipment off of these contracts. Contact Norm Bowers if you are interested in the specs for the crawler loader, sweeper, or arrow board listed below. Norm also has information on a Flashing Light Trailer and Equipment Transport Trailer. Mark Clements from KDOT will keep updating us on large equipment bids that are available to local units of government and we will get the word to you.
RFQ #10180 Crawler Loader
Vendor: Murphy Tractor and Equipment
Contact: Bill Buckles
Phone: 316-945-1015
Model: 2007 Deere 655C Series II
Cost: $157,726.00
Unit has to be ordered within 120 days
RFQ #10168 Self propelled non-pickup type Sweeper
Awarded to: Berry Tractor and Equipment
Contact: Ken Wasinger, 800-864-4509.
Model: Superior DT80CT
Price: $35,262.00
Price is honored on units ordered by May 1, 2007 plus differential on freight
RFQ #010169 Arrow Board, Skid Mounted and Trailer Mounted
Skid Mount Awarded to: Ver-Mac
Contact: Kimberly jack, 888-488-7446
Models: VM-368425LTG and VM-4825LTM
Price: $1,475.00 & $1,325.00
Pricing good for 6 months.