Washington County awards low bid for 72-passenger bus and authorizes electronic RFP publishing

Washington County commissioners approved procurement actions Dec. 5 that included awarding a bid for a 72-passenger clean-burning diesel bus and authorizing electronic publication of an RFP for new tax software.

Manager Curtis Potter said the bus procurement required a formal RFP because the cost exceeded $90,000; three sealed bids were opened and White’s International was the low bidder. Potter said the county must identify an additional $16,000 to meet the purchase cost. Commissioner Johnson moved to accept the low bid from White’s International and the motion carried unanimously.

On a related procurement matter, Potter asked the board to authorize electronic publication of the RFP for new tax software, noting that the local newspaper cannot reliably reach firms that supply this software. Commissioner Keyes moved and the board unanimously authorized electronic publication. Potter said staff will not require vendors to subscribe to the local paper as a condition of responding to the RFP.

The meeting minutes note supporting bid documents and RFP notices will be attached to the official record.