CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: MAY 12, 2026 CONSENT CALENDAR
SUBJECT: APPROVE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS/QUALIFICATIONS FOR AS-
NEEDED VEHICLE TOWING AND STORAGE SERVICES FOR THE
PALM SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING THE ADVERTISEMENT AND SOLICITATION OF
RESPONSES
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: Police Department
SUMMARY:
On April 5, 2006, Council adopted Ordinance 1686, which established criteria for the evaluation of proposals and a contractual bidding process for the provision of tow services initiated or requested by the Police Department, including the requirement for competitive bids and the establishment of a citywide rotational dispatch. This action allows Council to authorize staff to solicit Request for Proposals/Qualifications for new tow service providers for the Department’s as-needed vehicle towing and storage services.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize staff to advertise and solicit responses for as-needed vehicle towing and storage services for the Palm Springs Police Department; and,
2. Adopt a Resolution entitled, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS/QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ROTATIONAL TOW PROGRAM,
AUTHORIZING STAFF TO ADVERTISE AND SOLICIT RESPONSES FOR THE PALM SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT.”
BACKGROUND:
The Police Department relies on timely, reliable responses from official police tow service providers to clear the roadway of damaged vehicles and debris, remove abandoned vehicles, recover stolen vehicles, and help ensure roadway safety. Official police tow service providers, dispatched on a rotational basis, remove and store vehicles the Department impounds or holds for investigation, examination, or evidence. The Department may initiate tows when a vehicle’s owner/operator is arrested, incapacitated,
City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 2
Request for Qualifications for As-Needed Vehicle Towing and Storage Services or fails to express a preference for a particular towing company. The City has historically solicited Requests for Proposals/Statement of Qualifications (RFP/SOQ) and entered into contracts with various tow companies to provide as-needed towing and vehicle storage services.
On April 5, 2006, City Council adopted Ordinance number 1686 adding Chapter 11.82 to the Municipal Code, establishing a selection process and contractual system for police tow services. In addition, the ordinance set forth minimum requirements and performance standards for equipment, facilities, personnel, and services for each tow company providing as-needed vehicle towing and storage services requested by the Palm Springs Police Department. There are established procedures for suspending or revoking tow companies that fail to meet the City’s minimum standards, violate federal, state or local laws, or for any cause, which the Police Department determines are in the public interest, convenience, necessity, or general welfare to suspend or revoke an individual agreement.
On July 18, 2018, City Council adopted Resolution No. 24471, approving the City’s RFP to solicit proposals for new tow service providers. In response to the City’s RFP, the City’s three incumbent tow service providers submitted proposals to continue providing tow services to the community. On December 19, 2018, City Council adopted Resolution No. 24536, approving an Official Police Tow Service Agreement with those three firms: A&A Towing and Recovery, Inc. (A6280); Dave’s Towing Service (A6281); and Mohica Towing, Inc. (A6282).
The terms of these agreements were 5 years, through December 2024, and has subsequently continued on an interim basis to allow staff to prepare a new Request for Proposals/Statement of Qualifications (RFP/SOQ) to solicit new proposals for tow services.
Section 11.82.060 “Selection process” of the Palm Springs Municipal Code regulates the method by which the City can select contractors to provide tow services for the Police Department. Specifically, the process includes the following:
11.82.060 Selection process.
(a) Using an open, competitive process, the city council shall select one or more persons to serve as an official police tow services provider. The chief of police shall prepare a request for proposals which, at a minimum, must include:
(1) Specifications, terms, conditions and minimum performance standards for towing service; and
(2) The procedures and standards for evaluating proposals and selecting an official police tow services provider.
(b) By resolution, the city council shall adopt the request for proposals and authorize the city clerk to advertise for proposals.
(c) In evaluating a proposal, the city council may consider all relevant facts or information, including any one or more of the following criteria:
City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 3
Request for Qualifications for As-Needed Vehicle Towing and Storage Services (1) Demonstrated financial strength including, but not limited to, the proposer’s:
(A) Current facilities, equipment, and personnel,
(B) Capability of securing financing for facilities, equipment, personnel, or other resources,
(C) Credit worthiness;
(2) Quality of the proposer’s existing or proposed facilities, equipment, and personnel;
(3) Demonstrated and successful completion of services of similar scope and size, including, but not limited to:
(A) Years of experience that the proposer has an official police tow services provider or a municipal service provider,
(B) Timeliness of performance,
(C) Customer satisfaction or complaints;
(4) Other cities’ and clients’ evaluations of the proposer’s prior or current services and any actions taken by such cities or clients regarding the proposer; (5) Demonstrated safety record for the proposer’s tow vehicles and employees; or
(6) Degree to which the proposer ascertained and addressed this city’s needs and priorities.
(d) By resolution, the city council shall award an agreement to a person whom the city council determines is the most qualified to serve as an official police tow services provider. (e) When it best serves the city’s interests, the city council may do any one or more of the following:
(1) Reject all proposals;
(2) Amend, cancel or reissue a request for proposals; (3) Extend the deadline for accepting proposals; or (4) Establish and operate its own municipal towing service, or storage lot, or both.
On March 25 and April 8, 2026, City Council adopted Ordinance 2129 amending section
11.82.130 (j)(1), Subdivision (j)(1) of Section 11.82.130 of Chapter 11.82 of Title 11 of the Palm Springs Municipal code to read as follows:
(j) Official police tow service shall have a secure and environmentally safe vehicle storage facility with a minimum of fifteen thousand usable square feet. (1) The vehicle storage facility must be located in or within ten (10) miles of the corporate city limits of the city of Palm Springs. For purposes of measuring the ten (10) miles, distance shall be measured in driving distance.
City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 4
Request for Qualifications for As-Needed Vehicle Towing and Storage Services The prior code required tow facilities to be located within cooperate boundaries of the city which resulted in reduced competition, therefore staff desired to modify the location requirements for vehicle storage facilities. This change will now provide the tools necessary for the Police Department to retain a rotational pool to clear the roadway of damaged vehicles and debris, remove abandoned vehicles, recover stolen vehicles, and help ensure roadway safety. Official police tow service providers, dispatched on a rotational basis, remove and store vehicles the Department impounds or holds for investigation, examination, or evidence.
In accordance with Chapter 11.82 and CVC section 22850.5(a), the Vehicle Towing Administrative Cost Recovery (VTACR) fee is based on the actual and reasonable costs incurred by the City, including administration and overhead, from operating the rotational tow program by the Police Department. Staff evaluated its historic labor and material costs associated with administering the rotational tow program and determined those costs were equivalent to $235 per tow. Council authorized Resolution 25189 on March 14, 2024, adopting the VTACR of $235 per vehicle.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Palm Springs Municipal Code Section 11.82.060 requires that Council adopt by Resolution the Request for Proposals/Qualifications authorizing staff to solicit responses.
Staff has prepared a new Request for Proposals/Qualifications document for the City’s rotational tow program for the Police Department. Approval of the document will allow staff to proceed with advertising this Request for Proposals/Qualifications, which identifies the City’s requirements and performance standards, payment of fees, reporting requirements and other terms and conditions related to vehicle towing and impound services for the Police Department. Staff propose that contracts allow for a term of three (3) years, with an option to extend for up to two additional one-year terms.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
The requested City Council action is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. The requested action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15378(b), in that a “Project” does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of these actions has no fiscal impact, as City expenses associated with administering the rotational tow program are recovered through applicable fees paid by owners of vehicles impounded or towed at the direction of the City’s Police Department City Council Staff Report
May 12, 2026 -- Page 5
Request for Qualifications for As-Needed Vehicle Towing and Storage Services via the vehicle towing administrative cost recovery (VTACR) fee as established by the City Council and adopted by Resolution No. 25189 on March 14, 2024.
REVIEWED BY:
Department Director: Andrew G. Mills
Procurement & Contracting Manager: Tabitha Richards
City Manager: Scott Stiles
ATTACHMENTS:
A) RFQ 04-26
B) Resolution