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Danbury Board of Awards unanimously approves equipment purchases, rescinds fire-vehicle order and declares emergency to reissue
Summary
At its Oct. 2 meeting, the Danbury City Board of Awards unanimously approved five items including a police narcotics analyzer, multiple municipal vehicles, a $47,464 CCM membership and ARPA consulting services; it rescinded a prior fire-vehicle award and declared an emergency to reissue the purchase order.
The Danbury City Board of Awards met Oct. 2, 2024, and unanimously approved five procurement items, including a handheld narcotics analyzer for the police department, several municipal vehicles and ARPA-funded financial consulting services. The board also rescinded an earlier award for two fire-department vehicles and declared an emergency to reissue that purchase order.
Chip Bolkin, the city’s purchasing agent, said the board received four sealed bids for the police department’s handheld narcotics analyzer and that the apparent low bidder — Metro USA — offered an alternate unit at $59,273.28. "This is an ARPA, American Rescue Plan Act, funded request," Bolkin said, and he reported that Detective Lt. David Partovich recommended awarding the Rigoco unit, priced at $59,582, because it requires less handling and uses less expensive test kits. The board voted to award the Rigoco unit; Bolkin noted the award was recorded as contingent on further review noted in the record.
The board next approved purchase orders for the public buildings department for two 2024 pickup trucks with service bodies and plow attachments needed for winter operations. Purchasing solicited quotes from four vendors; examples cited by Bolkin included Generous Ford at $69,179.20 each (total about $138,358.40) and Ingersoll Auto with a combined total of $148,034.76. Superintendent of Public Buildings Sean Hanley commented on availability and equipment differences. The board approved the purchases under state contract.
On the fire department request, Bolkin said the city had previously awarded two 2024 Ford Mavericks to National Auto Fleet Group (original award price $31,302.66 each, $62,605.32 total) with $9,060 for two custom cabs. National Auto recently told the city it could not supply the 2024 models and proposed 2025 units with a different shade of red and uncertain delivery and pricing. Purchasing located alternate 2024 Mavericks from other dealers at varying prices. To avoid a color/fit mismatch on custom caps and because of supply uncertainty, the board voted to rescind the prior award, declare an emergency due to market conditions, and reissue the purchase order to the identified vendor contingent on financial review.
The finance department’s request to pay the city’s annual membership to the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) for $47,464.00 was approved, and the board also unanimously approved as-needed ARPA financial consulting services from PKF O'Connor Davies to supplement the firm’s existing audit contract with the city.
All motions on the agenda carried unanimously. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn that the board approved.
