Bedford Council approves purchase and outfitting of two 6-wheel trucks after single-bid and negotiated award

Bedford Town Council on July 16 voted to buy two 6-wheel cabin chassis and to contract for dump bodies, plows, wings and sanders to outfit them, approving two separate awards that combined will replace vehicles used for winter and summer maintenance.

Public Works Director Jeff Foote told the council the chassis contract (bid O3-2025) drew a single bid from Allegiance Trucks of Manchester, N.H., at $137,000 per truck, $274,000 total, and recommended award. He said the trade-in condition of an older vehicle was displayed outside to illustrate the need. For the dump body/plow/sander work, the town received no bids on the advertised opening; under direction from the town manager staff negotiated with last year’s vendor, HP Fairfield of Hopkinton, N.H., for an agreement priced at 5% above 2024 levels and presented a quote of $124,850 per truck ($249,700 total).

The contracts were presented as linked purchases: the chassis purchase (Allegiance) followed by the equipment package (HP Fairfield). Councilors asked about the age of the trucks to be retired (Foote said one is a 2014 model and the other a 2016) and about the town’s solicitation practices after staff reported one employee had failed to notify some previous bidders, which the director said contributed to receiving no bids for the body/plow/sander package. Councilor Levesque recommended formalizing vendor notification to avoid a repeat.

Foote said the combined cost for chassis and outfitting was still about $58,000 below the town’s 2024 estimate when packaged together and that leftover funds could be used toward future purchases. He explained HP Fairfield declined to hold 2024 pricing but agreed to a 5% increase given tariffs and uncertain supply-chain costs; the director described the result as “a good deal for the town” given market conditions.

Councilor Carter asked follow-up questions about lifecycle and replacement timing; Foote said trade-in timing varies by condition, spending and anticipated next failures, and is not a precise formula. Councilors also asked where bids are posted; Foote said the town posts solicitations on the town website and the New Hampshire municipal website and previously advertised in the Union Leader.

Motions: the council approved award of contract O3-2025 to Allegiance Trucks LLC for $137,000 each ($274,000 total) and authorized the town manager to execute the contract using the funding source listed in the staff report (motion carried). The council then approved awarding contract 4-2025 to HP Fairfield for $124,850 each ($249,700 total) and instructed staff to use CIP fund account 28051 to outfit both trucks (motion carried).

Discussion versus decision: the record shows substantial discussion about solicitation practices, vendor outreach and pricing, followed by formal votes awarding both contracts. Councilors asked the town manager and public works director to formalize outreach to potential bidders and to track expenditures and future trade-in timing more precisely.

Clarifying details: Foote displayed a trade-in vehicle outside council chambers; the chassis bid opened April 28 and closed May 19; the single chassis bid amount was $137,000 per truck; HP Fairfield’s outfitting quote represents a 5% increase over 2024 pricing; the combined purchase was reported to be approximately $58,000 under the town’s 2024 combined estimate when comparing chassis + outfitting versus the prior projection.

What happens next: staff will execute the contracts and proceed with the equipment build-out and installation. Councilors asked staff to formalize bidder notification and to return if additional budget or procedural questions arise.