Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Procurement Waiver topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Marshfield council waives procurement rule to approve two public-works contracts; one abstention
Summary
The Marshfield Common Council voted to waive city procurement policy 4.8 to approve two Board of Public Works contracts—replacement survey/GPS equipment compatible with existing Trimble systems and a contractor to apply a pavement rejuvenation product the city has used—after debate about competition and policy revision.
The Marshfield Common Council voted to waive city procurement policy 4.8 and approve two contracts recommended by the Board of Public Works, a move council members said was needed because of proprietary equipment and limited local contractors.
Council members debated whether staff had adequately demonstrated that the purchases required a waiver of the city’s procurement policy. The contracts would allow the city to replace a nonrepairable component of its Trimble-brand survey/GPS system and to schedule application of a pavement-rejuvenation product the city has used on multiple projects.
Alderman Tompkins moved to approve waiving policy 4.8 for Board of Public Works items 10C and 10F; Alderman Giles seconded the motion. Alderman O’Reilly said she would not support the waiver because the council was not following its written policy and she was frustrated the procurement rules had not been updated. Alderman Stauber said staff had identified that a single vendor or contractor could provide the needed proprietary components and distribution for the GPS equipment and that the pavement product contractor was the lone local applicator the city has used. The motion passed; Alderman Bridal recorded an abstention.
City staff told council that the city attorney reviewed the contract documents and that his role was to review contract form rather than to judge the substantive rationale for a waiver; staff said the attorney specifically noted the council should be explicit that approving the contracts would waive policy 4.8. Council members also said the city’s procurement code is under revision and staff plan to bring piecemeal amendments—emergency procurement and procurement under donations—back to committee review soon.
Supporters of the waiver said denying the contracts could delay necessary work: staff reported the GPS component is broken and not repairable, and delaying the pavement contractor could push the surface treatment beyond this construction season. Opponents said relying repeatedly on sole-source purchases without competitive solicitation risks narrowing future procurement options and discouraging vendor competition.
Council instructions next: staff may execute contracts following the council vote; the mayor and staff said they plan to return revised procurement policy language for committee review in coming weeks.
