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Staff explains piggybacking, cooperative purchasing and one-year warranties
Summary
Council members questioned whether piggybacking on Vancouver contracts yields the best price; staff said the city uses cooperative purchasing for scale and typically secures one-year warranties on resurfacing projects, sometimes extended by negotiation.
A council member asked whether using another agency's contract (a piggyback) prevents Ridgefield from getting the best price. Staff responded that the city legally puts work out for bid and that for slurry seal the city has piggybacked on the City of Vancouver's cooperative contract to leverage volume and lower unit prices. Grant Williams said he routinely shops the market and coordinates with regional partners to obtain competitive pricing.
One council member asserted that some agencies found it cheaper to bid separately than to piggyback; staff acknowledged those examples exist and said they continue to monitor pricing. Williams described cooperative purchasing as a national trend that helps contractors achieve scale and allows smaller agencies to capture better prices.
On warranties, Williams said most resurfacing contracts include a standard one-year warranty; staff can sometimes negotiate extended warranties at additional cost.
Council did not take formal action but asked staff to continue testing procurement strategies to ensure best value.
