Title
Awarding bid for a one-year supply of garbage bags.
Body
Summary:
The City advertised for and received bids for garbage bags to be purchased for FY 2017-2018. In recent years, the City has ordered the annual quantity of bags to be received in a single delivery. Bags come 52 per roll and historically, at the beginning of the fiscal year, residents have received two (2) rolls of bags at no charge. Currently the City has approximately 9,900 active residential water accounts. The City would need 19,800 rolls available in October for each resident to receive two (2) rolls of garbage bags. Residents have the option to purchase additional rolls of bags throughout the year if supplies are available.
The City received seven (7) bids and the bid tabulation is attached showing all bids received (note: an eighth bid was received after the submission deadline and was not opened). As stated under the General Conditions of Bidding, the City “reserves the right to consider and make awards of bids on articles of similar nature that will in all respects serve the purpose for which the purchase is being made.” Additionally, the City “reserves the right to be the sole judge as to whether such articles will serve the purpose.” Further, the City “reserves the right to accept or reject in whole or in part any bid submitted or to waive any informality for the best interest of the City” and the City “reserves the right to award the bid to the lowest responsible bidder…who provides [goods] at the best value for the City”, which may include quality and the extent to which the goods meet the City’s needs.
The bid specifications for these bags clearly state “The plastic bags shall be a 40 gallon size… [and the] preferred overall bag size is 40” x 46”. The bags are to have a “flat sealed bottom.” The specifications further state: “The bags shall be folded in half with the roll being 20 inches long.”
The lowest bidder and the second lowest bidder have been disqualified for not meeting the bid specifications.
Interboro Packaging Corporation, the lowest bidder, is disqualified because the sample product does not meet the bid specifications as (1) they have a star bottom and not a flat sealed bottom, and (2) they are thinner than specified. Note: this company has previously been made aware of the fact that their bags do not conform to the bid specifications, but they continue to submit the same bags each year.
Aleph Industry, the second lowest bidder, is disqualified because the sample product does not meet the bid specifications as they are smaller than the overall bag size of 40” x 46”. The bags do have a flat sealed bottom, but are tapered such that the width of the bag at the bottom is about half the width of the bag at the top. The length of the bag is 44” to 45” depending on whether the bag is measured along the side or down the middle. Either measurement falls short of the specifications.
Houston Poly Bag is the lowest “responsible” bidder. The bags meet the size and thickness specifications and as such, meet the City’s requirements as set forth in the bid documents.
The City currently has approximately 1,900 garbage bags in storage and recommends the purchase of a quantity of 22,000 rolls for the 2017-2018 fiscal year to accommodate existing and anticipated new accounts as well as additional sales of bags throughout the year. The lowest responsible bid for 22,000 rolls is Houston Poly Bag at a unit price of $8.79/roll for a total cost of $193,380.00.
Current Vendor: Houston Poly Bag
$8.92/roll for 16,000 rolls
Fiscal/Budgetary Impact:
Garbage bags are budgeted in the Sanitation Department, Account No. 10-402-4309, Garbage Bags.
Recommended action:
Award bid to Houston Poly Bag for 22,000 rolls of garbage bags at a unit price of $8.79/roll for a total cost of $193,380.00.