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Council waives sealed‑bid rule to buy Rain Bird irrigation upgrades for three city golf courses
Summary
Livonia authorized a sole‑source purchase for irrigation upgrades at Fox Creek, Whispering Willows and Idyllwild golf courses for $141,334.19, citing an authorized Rain Bird dealer requirement in Michigan.
The Livonia City Council on Aug. 11 authorized a sole‑source purchase and waived the sealed‑bid process to fund irrigation upgrades at three city golf courses, citing proprietary vendor authorization for Rain Bird equipment under state procurement rules.
Douglas Ware of Parks and Recreation asked the council to waive sealed bids and purchase upgrades for Fox Creek, Whispering Willows and Idyllwild golf courses for a total of $141,334.19. Ware said the city already upgraded some satellite boxes and that the three courses differ in their needs: Idyllwild required only a software and computer upgrade while Fox Creek and Whispering Willows needed additional satellite boxes.
An audience question asked why the city was using a sole‑source purchase rather than competitive bids. Ware said the vendor is the authorized dealer for Rain Bird for the state of Michigan and that "they are the only place we're allowed to buy them," explaining the use of sole‑source procurement. The council approved the request on consent.
Council members praised course conditions and asked staff to pass along thanks to maintenance staff. The purchase will be funded from budgeted Parks and Recreation funds and the city will complete installation work as scheduled.
