Poughkeepsie City’s Board of Contract and Supply discussed vendor responses to a request for bids and proposals for new and recapped tires on Oct. 1 and agreed to gather additional information from bidders before making an award.

The board heard from Mr. Farrow, who runs the city’s garage, and from purchasing staff about differences among bidders on price, repair‑and‑yard service frequency and availability. "Barnwell Tire ... do offer really good service to the garage. We call for tires. They definitely pull through as far as in a timely manner getting us the tires," Mr. Farrow said. He added that Barnwell provides Monday‑through‑Friday yard service and has been responsive for on‑site repairs of large equipment, while other responders advertised only one day per week of yard service.

The discussion focused on balancing service reliability with cost. Purchasing staff noted Barnwell’s yard service rate is lower than some bidders but said Inner City’s overall numbers were "about $60 cheaper" on yard service for some items. Staff also reported that several bid line items list substitute brand tires that may be on national back order; Mr. Farrow said he had confirmed with a Barnwell contact that some listed tires are on national back order.

Because the city operates heavy equipment that can require prompt field repair, several board members and staff said one‑day‑per‑week yard service would be impractical. Staff proposed contacting bidders that submitted lower prices to determine whether they could expand yard service days or otherwise guarantee timely on‑site repairs. The board agreed to ask those follow‑up questions and to revisit the award at a meeting scheduled in about two weeks.

The board did not take a formal vote on a contract award during the meeting. Purchasing staff also noted the city rebid tires because prior billing practices under a piggybacked contract with Barnwell made it difficult to verify whether the city had been charged contract prices.

Items the board said it will confirm before returning to the award decision include whether bidders can supply equivalent tires when specific brands are on back order, whether companies can increase yard‑service frequency, and clarifications on line‑item pricing for commonly purchased sizes and recaps. The board flagged that Barnwell is based out of New Jersey with a local Maybrook office and that some bidders include recap options the city frequently uses.

If follow‑up responses show bidders can provide five‑day yard service or otherwise meet the garage’s operational needs, the board indicated it would consider those service guarantees alongside price in the award decision when it reconvenes.