June 3, 2025
Police Department
DATE: June 3, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Bisa French, Chief of Police
Daniel Chavarria, Director of Public Works
SUBJECT:
Contract Amendment No. 2 with Lenz I nc., dba Civic
Center Auto Care, Wellsco, Inc. dba Certified Towing, and Checker's Group, Inc. dba. Checker's Towing
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The funds for the proposed expenditure of up to $20,000 are available in the Public Works Equipment Services
Maintenance budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 (Account
String 50336031-400705-03B04); additionally, the
proposed expenditure of $140,000 is included in the
Police Department’s approved budget for Fiscal Year
2024-2025 and proposed Fiscal Year 2025- 2026 budget
(Account String 01194021-400538).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
April 20, 2021
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Public Works Department and Police Department
are requesting City Council approve the second contract amendment with Lenz Inc., dba Civic Center Auto Care,
Wellsco, Inc. dba Certified Towing, and Checker's Group, Inc. d.b.a. Checker's Towing, to increase each contract’s payment limits as demand for the tow services has
increased.
AGENDA
REPORT
June 3, 2025
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a second contract amendment for rotational
tow and automotive services with Lenz Inc., dba Civic
Center Auto Care increasing the payment limit by
$30,000, for a total payment limit of $75,000; and a
second contract amendment with Wellsco, Inc. dba
Certified Towing increasing the payment limit by $40,000, for a total payment limit of $85,000; and a second
contract amendment with Checker's Group, Inc. dba
Checker's Towing increasing the payment limit by
$90,000, for a total payment limit of $135,000 for a term ending on December 31, 2025 – Police Department
(Chief Bisa French 510-621-1802).
DISCUSSION:
On April 20, 2021, the City Council approved a contract with four (4) tow companies as part of a rotational tow agreement. Three of the vendors are: Lenz INC., dba Civic Center Auto Care, Wellsco, Inc. dba Certified Towing, Checker's Group, Inc. d.b.a.
Checker's Towing’s. The vendor’s contracts had a not-to-exceed amount of $45,000 and the terms were set to expire on December 31, 2023. In December of 2023, Police Department staff received approval of the first contract amendment that extended the contract term with each vendor by two years, to December 31, 2025, but did not increase contract funds at that time. The Public Works Department and the Richmond Police Department both utilize the Lenz Inc., dba Civic Center Auto Care contract, and City staff in both departments have been working together to address the growing towing needs throughout the City.
The contracts are in their final year, and the projected need for towing services will exceed the current $45,000 not-to-exceed amount of each contract. City staff is seeking City Council approval to increase the payment limits of the contracts with Lenz Inc., dba Civic Center Auto Care by $30,000, for a total payment limit of $75,000, and Wellsco, Inc. dba Certified Towing by $40,000, for a total payment limit of $85,000; and increasing Checker's Group, Inc. dba Checker's Towing’s by $90,000, for a total payment limit of $135,000. The Department staff plan to issue a Request for Proposals during the Council’s 2025 Recess and bring new towing contracts to the Council by December 2025, before these contracts expire.
This payment limit increase will allow the Richmond Police Department and the Public Works Department to continue to perform tow services in a timely manner without service interruption. The Public Works Department utilizes the contract services for towing City fleet vehicles that become inoperable while in use, and the Police Department utilizes the contract for towing vehicles involved crimes and held for investigation purposes. Due to some investigations spanning several weeks to years, the total invoice amount upon billing for impoundment can vary in cost. For example, a
June 3, 2025
vehicle towed for involvement in a crime will incur a tow fee and a daily impound fee.
Because the daily impound fee is variable, it can lead to varying final invoice amounts ranging from $100 to $3,000 or more, which is why Public Works and the Police Department are requesting additional funds to cover expenses that may be incurred by the end of the calendar year.
Police Department staff are asking for additional funds for the second contract amendment with Checker's Group, Inc. dba Checker's Towing due to several large cases being closed and evidence now allowed to be released.
Public Works and Police Department staff believe the proposed amendment is in the best interest of the City and its residents.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Proposed Second Contract Amendment with Lenz Inc., dba Civic Center Auto Care
Attachment 2 – Proposed Second Contract Amendment with Wellsco, Inc. dba Certified Towing
Attachment 3 – Proposed Second Contract Amendment with Checker's Group, Inc. dba Checker's Towing
Attachment 4 – First Contract Amendment Lenz Inc., dba Civic Center Auto Care Attachment 5 – First Contract Amendment with Wellsco, Inc. dba Certified Towing Attachment 6 – First Contract Amendment with Checker's Group, Inc. dba Checker's Towing
Attachment 7 – Original Contract Amendment with Lenz Inc., dba Civic Center Auto Care
Attachment 8 – Original Contract Amendment with Wellsco, Inc. dba Certified Towing Attachment 9 – Original Contract Amendment with Checker's Group, Inc. dba Checker's Towing
Civic Center Certified Checkers T otal Increase
Original 45,000.00$ 45,000.00$ 45,000.00$ -
Public Works Add - 10,000.00$ 10,000.00$ 20,000.00$ Police Add 30,000.00$ 30,000.00$ 80,000.00$ 140,000.00$ New T otals 75,000.00$ 85,000.00$ 135,000.00$ -
Increase 30,000.00$ 40,000.00$ 90,000.00$ 160,000.00$