The Bangor City Finance Committee on Dec. 1 moved to send to the full City Council a staff recommendation to buy two tandem-axle, fully outfitted Freightliner plow trucks from Freightliner of Maine.

Staff told the committee that Public Works solicited bids for two tandem-axle dump plow trucks with options for either a dump-side body or a hook-lift body; three vendors submitted bids across two configurations and staff decided to buy one of each configuration. According to the presentation, two bidders added a $7,000 per-truck tariff after submitting initial pricing; Freightliner notified staff it would hold its price, making it the low, stable bidder. Staff recommended awarding the purchase to Freightliner of Maine.

Councilman Mallett pressed staff on timing and model years, noting the bids were opened Oct. 2 and the committee was considering award Dec. 1. Fleet Director Mike Moore said manufacturers are building the model-year 2027 units now and that a 12-week build window was the expected turnaround. Moore also said staff had reviewed the bids in depth and delayed final award by several weeks to coordinate internally.

A committee member asked whether funds to cover the purchase would be returned to the capital budget or require a future request. Staff said the department would reallocate savings from a completed project and postpone a nonurgent project (staff identified those projects as a large loader steel plow and a "stump gardener") to cover the extra funds needed.

The committee moved and seconded the recommendation; the chair said the item will appear on the next full council agenda (no committee vote tally was recorded in the committee transcript).