Pearland council approves purchase of 12 unmarked police vehicles after debate over co-op pricing

Pearland's City Council voted unanimously April 27 to approve the purchase of 12 unmarked police vehicles, adopting an amended purchase resolution after a prolonged debate about procurement methods and cooperative purchasing agreements.

Staff explained the city solicited bids, received three vendors and recommended awarding vehicles to the lowest bidder for each unit. Most of the vehicles are factory-ordered, with delivery estimated at 90 to 120 days; staff said that approach produced an approximate $66,143.32 saving compared with earlier pricing. The staff recommendation divided the award across three vendors (McCree Ford, Big Star Ford and Caldwell [County/Country] Chevrolet), and noted two units received bids below cooperative pricing while the remainder matched co-op prices.

Councilmember Kosa pressed for competitive bidding and stressed that the purchasing office should pursue the lowest price available. "All of us up here are tasked with saving money," Kosa said, arguing the city had previously saved tens of thousands of dollars through direct negotiation and that relying solely on co-ops can leave money on the table. He asked staff to track the time and cost of formal bidding so the council can compare true costs.

Staff's procurement manager, Jose, said soliciting a straightforward bid typically requires about 40 to 45 staff hours on average (with a national survey range of 45 to 140 hours depending on project complexity) and agreed to track local staff time and convert hours to dollars for future comparisons.

Several council members, including Carbone and Hernandez, urged a pragmatic approach: use competitive bids when feasible but recognize co-ops can speed delivery and reduce staffing burdens. Staff noted prior cooperative purchases (including a recent automated outfitting via a large cooperative vendor, SU) had delivered vehicles on time and met performance expectations, but the council also cited past instances where vehicles remained in city possession due to planning delays.

Council approved an amendment correcting vendor naming and a unit price (raising one Big Star Ford line item by $5) and then voted 6-0 to adopt the amended resolution. The amended total purchase price recorded in the meeting was $447,779.68. Council directed staff to track procurement hours and provide comparative cost data for the next solicitation for 30 additional white-fleet vehicles, which will include significant upfitting and may be better handled by a single vendor for turnkey delivery and warranty coordination.

The motion passed unanimously; no member opposed.