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Council approves sole‑source purchase for switchgear to speed underground utility project
Summary
Council approved a sole‑source procurement up to $130,000 for an S&C 440 switchgear to avoid long lead times and keep the underground electrical project on schedule; staff cited existing relationships and maintenance agreements to justify the sole‑source request.
City staff asked the council to designate a planned S&C 440 switchgear purchase as sole‑source so the material—reported by staff to be in short supply—could be secured promptly for an ongoing underground electric project.
Staff explained the RFP the city issued covered labor and equipment but not raw materials; lead times for the required switchgear could exceed a year. A staff presenter said Blue Ridge Electric Co‑op had indicated it could provide the needed switchgear quickly and that the city already has a maintenance relationship with Blue Ridge.
"We ask that you allow us instead of bidding this process out ... so we can secure that part while we can," staff said, asking council to authorize sole‑source procurement not to exceed $130,000 and to return to council if the price would exceed that cap.
Council approved the sole‑source designation and the not‑to‑exceed amount, with instructions that any cost above the cap would be brought back for council review.
