Council members press staff on vendor price discrepancies, trade-in values and appraisal process
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Summary
Members questioned why procurement awards showed notable price gaps (Roca vs Westminster), uniform trade-in valuations for older trucks, and how appraisal vendors will be selected; staff described a new approach to solicit two appraisal vendors and start with the lowest rate to speed cases.
Providence City board members pressed staff on several procurement practices during Section A review.
Members asked why the contract between two vendors (Roca and Westminster) produced a significant price discrepancy. Procurement staff said the award uses unit pricing and parts-percentage factors; having two vendors provides operational redundancy if one vendor is unable to meet lead-time requirements. Staff said prior awards have “flipped” between vendors depending on capacity.
A commissioner questioned why trade-in values on truck listings were uniformly low (for instance, several 2015 models listed with $100 trade-in values). Staff agreed to follow up with detailed lists and explanations of the trade-in valuations.
On appraisal services the city is changing approach: instead of issuing a single RFP per contested property, procurement will pre-qualify two appraisal vendors for tax-basis appraisals and solicit quotes as needed. Staff said they will “start with the cheapest one” and use the second vendor if the first is unavailable or if a case requires specialized expertise, a change intended to shorten litigation and reduce interest accruing against damages.
Board members asked for follow-up details on services covered by each vendor, trade-in calculations, and the appraisal selection rubric.