The Police Department has nine patrol vehicles to replace in the FY17 Equipment Replacement Plan (ERP) and three patrol vehicles that were approved through a supplemental budget request.  The State of Montana conducts an annual competitive bidding process for law enforcement vehicles.  Local government agencies are allowed to use the same vendor that the State chooses.  Bison Ford Motor Company, Great Falls, Montana, was selected as the vendor to provide the State of Montana with Ford Sedan Police Interceptors patrol vehicles in 2017.  Local car dealers cannot usually compete on price due to the volume purchased through the State contract.  Therefore, staff is requesting that the City Council approve purchasing twelve patrol vehicles from Bison Ford Motor Company of Great Falls for the price of $27,561.18 each, or a total cost of $330,734.16. 

The City Council may:

• Approve the purchase of the 12 patrol vehicles from Bison Ford, or
• Not approve the purchase of the 12 patrol vehicles.  Present patrol units will be retained and operated beyond their recommended replacement life, which will result in more down-time and higher repair costs.   

Nine replacement patrol vehicles are budgeted in the 2017 Equipment Replacement Fund budget and three patrol vehicles are budgeted in the FY17 Police budget.

Staff recommends that the City Council approve purchasing 12 patrol vehicles from Bison Ford Motor Company of Great Falls for the price of $27,561.18 each, or a total cost of $330,734.16.