Continuing its practice of the past two fiscal years, the Vienna Town Council on Aug. 26 approved blanket purchasing authority for more than $2 million worth of vehicles under the town’s replacement program.
Buying new vehicles has become trickier for local governments in recent years, as supply-chain problems and reduced inventories have reduced vehicles’ availability and increased their cost.
Blanket purchasing authority allows town officials to pounce when vehicles and other equipment become available – typically for just one or two weeks – rather than potentially missing out by following the usual, longer procurement process.
Blanket purchasing power also mitigates upward pricing fluctuations, town officials said.
The Council granted such authority for the purchase of up to $1,345,011 worth of vehicles in fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
The newly granted authority for up to $2,011,300 is to buy the following vehicles and equipment (prices for which include a 20-percent contingency allowance):
• The Department of Parks and Recreation is seeking to purchase a sport-utility vehicle ($60,000), an aerator ($21,600) and 1.5-ton dump truck ($108,000).
• The Department of Public Works wishes to buy two sport-utility vehicles ($60,000 and $53,695), pickup truck ($54,000), air compressor ($41,993), two trailers ($12,449 and $30,000), a four-wheel-drive pickup ($54,000), an electric pickup ($72,000) and a small electric sedan ($69,600).
Public-works officials also will seek to purchase a crew-cab truck with stake bed ($112,800), a tandem truck ($349,200), a small 1.5-ton dump truck ($89,922), a crew-cab truck with canopy ($112,800) and three 14-foot material spreaders ($66,000 apiece).
• The Vienna Police Department hopes to buy a dual-rear-wheel truck with extended cab ($101,836), two unmarked utility vehicles ($69,000 each), three motorcycles ($43,699 apiece) and a single-rear-wheel truck with extended cab ($102,166).
• The Department of Planning and Zoning wishes to purchase a pickup truck or sport-utility vehicle ($38,400).
The purchasing authority only may be used when the town can ride competitively bid contracts in other jurisdictions.
“I would not recommend doing this every year,” Town Attorney Steven Briglia said of the blanket purchasing power.
Council member Howard Springsteen, who retired not long ago after a spending his career with the Fairfax County Department of Vehicle Services, termed the proposed vehicle costs “high” and questioned why the town did not choose cheaper gas-powered vehicles over electric ones for the time being.
“Vienna is not going to solve the world’s problems by buying two electric vehicles,” he said, adding that Fairfax County Public Schools has been having difficulties with its electric buses.
But the maintenance and gas savings with hybrid vehicles are “absolutely eye-popping,” said Council member Roy Baldwin.
Mayor Linda Colbert had a more conservative view, saying there have been fire and disposal issues regarding lithium batteries used in hybrid and electric vehicles.
“It’s not necessarily a fact that it is greener to go with electric,” Colbert said. “There’s unsettled science on some of this.”
Council member Sandra Allen, who cast the lone nay vote regarding the purchasing authority, said she was concerned about expenses the town was encountering.
“I think we should wait and see how the economy and our residents will fare in the coming years,” she said.
