A committee member presented seven bids for the City of Carmel 's 2026 police vehicles on March 18, with amounts spanning from $46,596.25 to $364,000.
"I imagine what they're doing is bidding on individual vehicles," Major Ryan Jones of the Carmel Police Department said when a board member asked whether the bids were per vehicle or for a package. The board did not yet award the contract and directed staff to evaluate the submissions and return with a recommendation next week.
Bidders read at the meeting included Pearson Ford Inc. ($46,596.25), E.B. Ford Sales Inc. ($48,633.06), Bachman Auto Group ($182,568), John Jones Auto Group ($259,331), Kelly Automotive Group LLC ($306,960), Bloomington Ford Inc. DBA Community Motors Inc. ($355,976.36) and Universal Safety Solutions ($364,000). Board discussion focused on whether the figures represented per-vehicle pricing or total-package bids; police staff suggested the former.
No formal award motion was made. The board said staff will review the bid documents, clarify units/pricing, and report back with a recommendation at the next meeting.