Albany dealership apparent winner on $195,901 in auto bids with Dougherty County
Ford dealership apparent low bidder on almost $200,000 worth of county vehicles
By Carlton Fletcher
ALBANY — Monday morning turned out to be a precursor for what should be a prosperous week for a local auto dealership.
Sunbelt Ford Town of Albany was the apparent lowest responsive and responsible bidder on eight replacement vehicles budgeted in Dougherty County’s SPLOST VI projects list. If approved at the Dougherty County Commission business meeting next week, the bids will bring $195,902.95 to the local dealership.
The recommendation of Sunbelt as bid winner on three separate bid packages left one commissioner to question whether vendors outside the county had been “spooked” by recent community emphasis on local vendors.
“I just want to make sure our bid documents are firm so that we can know we didn’t spook (outside vendors) with our recent response to local vendors,” District 2 Commissioner John Hayes said.
County Clerk Jawahn Ware, who serves as procurement officer for the county, assured Hayes all vendors had had the same opportunity as the local dealership.
Ware noted that Sunbelt emerged as the only bidder on a package of six 2016 Ford Police Interceptor sedans (a $147,409.98 total) because the two other vendors that presented bid packages had been disqualified, one because it could not supply hooks for floor mats and another because it could not provide service manuals.
The local Ford dealership also had the lowest responsive and responsible bid on a Ford Escape that will be used by the county district attorney’s office ($20,495.97) and a Ford Pursuit SUV for the Sheriff’s Office ($27,997).
Another local vendor, Flint Ag and Turf of Leesburg, had the lowest bid ($58,287.24) for a John Deere Tractor that will be utilized by Public Works, while Kellerman Construction of Valdosta was the lone bidder to construct a judge’s bench for the third floor of the city/county Judicial Building.
Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas, an attorney who previously served as chief assistant district attorney in the county, said the new bench is “long overdue.” County Administrator Richard Crowdis told commissioners that while the bid ($55,349) seemed high for a bench, it was for a piece of furniture that includes a witness stand and space for the court reporter.
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