The Department of Public Works utilizes eight snow removal routes to ensure that City streets are plowed efficiently after a significant snowfall. Each route has a dedicated plow assigned to it, with two other plows used as backup units. Due to aging equipment and mechanical failures, both backup plows were placed into a plow route last winter leaving no available backup units. As part of the FY 2019/20 capital outlay process, Motor Pool staff requested funding to purchase a new plow truck to help strengthen the aging fleet.
After thorough research, it was determined that Oshkosh Truck is the only manufacturer that offers a full-time four-wheel drive, all wheel steer unit that meets these requirements. The previous Oshkosh trucks purchased by the City have had little to no maintenance issues when compared to other trucks in the fleet that were built by other manufacturers.
The City is currently a member of Sourcewell Purchasing Program which is a national public service agency that provides cooperative purchasing assistance for state and municipal entities and is similar in function to the State of Michigan purchasing program (MI-DEAL). By utilizing the Sourcewell purchasing program, the Oshkosh plow truck purchase will be routed through the regional Oshkosh dealer located in Gwinn, Michigan. In addition, the City will realize an estimated $15,381 in savings when compared to MSRP. A copy of the summarized truck specifications is attached. Due to the high demand for this type of equipment, the plow truck would be delivered approximately 300 days from the date of order.