Bedford council approves purchase and outfitting of two maintenance trucks amid questions about bid outreach

The Bedford Town Council voted to buy two 6-wheel cabin-chassis trucks and to contract separately for dump bodies, plows and sanders, approving two awards the council said are needed for winter and summer maintenance operations. Public Works Director Jeff Foote told the council the town received one bid for the chassis portion from Allegiance Trucks of Manchester, N.H., at $137,000 per truck ($274,000 total), and later negotiated with HP Fairfield to outfit both trucks with bodies, plows, wings and sanders at a higher price than last year. "We received 1 bid from Allegiance Trucks of Manchester, New Hampshire at $137,000 per truck or $274,000 total for the bid," Foote said. Why it matters: the vehicles are used for winter maintenance and other public-works tasks; procurement and vendor outreach affect price, schedule and…