CITY OF SAN MATEO
CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 8 Section Name: CONSENT CALENDAR Account Number: 82-4683 File ID: 26-11557 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: October 19, 2026
SUBJECT:
Police Patrol Sport Utility Vehicle — Approval
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve a purchase contract with Towne Ford, Inc. for the purchase of nine (9) new Police Patrol Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV), for an amount not to exceed $533,179.44; establish a contingency reserve in the amount of $15,000; and authorize the Public Works Director to execute the agreement in substantially the form presented and issue change orders within the contingency amount.
BACKGROUND:
Replacement of police vehicles is essential to maintaining the San Mateo Police Department’s ability to provide effective community service and ensure the safe transportation of personnel while performing law enforcement duties. Police patrol vehicles serve as the Department’s frontline emergency response assets and are among the most heavily utilized and relied upon vehicles in the police fleet. The standard patrol vehicle for many law enforcement agencies is the Ford Police Interceptor Utility, a purpose-built SUV designed to meet the demanding requirements of police operations.
The Police Department is requesting the procurement of nine (9) Police Patrol SUVs. One (1) of these vehicles will be funded through the California Highway Patrol’s Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program in the amount of $59,242.16. The remaining eight (8) vehicles will replace police patrol cars that have exceeded their useful service life. The procurement of these SUVs will provide the Police Department with safe, reliable, and modern vehicles necessary to support daily patrol operations and emergency response. Replacing aging vehicles will also help ensure operational readiness, reduce the risks and costs associated with maintaining vehicles beyond their useful life, and support the Police Department’s continued commitment to providing a high level of responsive and effective service to the community.
As part of the City’s transition to a Green Fleet, staff continuously evaluate electric and alternative fuel vehicles during procurement and replace existing vehicles with technologies that meet operational requirements when feasible. Fully electric police patrol vehicles remain limited, with the Chevrolet Blazer Police Pursuit Electric Vehicle currently being the only available model that meets the department’s operational needs. The Police Department has procured one vehicle for deployment in late 2026, followed by 12 to 18 months of operational testing to evaluate its performance and suitability for police operations and inform future fleet decisions. Once deployed, the addition of the Blazer Police Pursuit Electric Vehicle will be the fourth fully electric vehicle in service.
Despite these efforts, the Police Department’s limited electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and the preliminary planning stages of proposed facility improvements present challenges to expanding the use of fully electric patrol vehicles at this time. When a zero-emission solution is not a viable option, staff evaluates alternative fuel technologies that may provide environmental and operational benefits without compromising the Department’s mission. Currently, the Ford Police Pursuit Hybrid SUV is the only hybrid police pursuit vehicle available on the market. The vehicle combines battery-
CITY OF SAN MATEO
electric propulsion with an internal combustion engine, providing improved fuel economy and reduced emissions compared to conventional powertrains.
The Department currently operates seven Ford Police Pursuit Hybrid SUVs within its existing patrol fleet and is evaluating their performance and reliability. However, when staff presented the hybrid option for consideration, the Department expressed concerns regarding the safety and reliability of the hybrid powertrain in police pursuit applications.
These concerns, along with existing infrastructure limitations, underscore the need for continued evaluation of available vehicle technologies to identify solutions that balance environmental objectives with operational requirements.
To evaluate these concerns objectively, staff engaged a consultant to provide an independent, fact-based assessment of the safety and reliability of hybrid police pursuit vehicles. Preliminary findings in the Consultant’s report identify the use of hybrid powertrain vehicle technology in a Police pursuit vehicle as a very recent technological advancement which is only currently available in the Ford Police Pursuit Hybrid SUV. The report also identifies a history of hybrid specific recalls and extended service delays associated with parts supply chain constraints.
Given the technology’s limited history in police pursuit applications, the documented recall activity, and potential service and parts supply delays, staff recommends procuring non-hybrid police pursuit vehicles at this time. Based on the consultant’s preliminary findings and the Department’s operational concerns, this approach is considered to be in the best interests of the City.
In September 2026, staff issued a Request for Bids for Police Patrol Vehicles and received bids from two qualified vehicle suppliers with the following results:
Towne Ford, Inc. $59,242.16 per unit
Ford Store San Leandro $59,590.98 per unit
Towne Ford, Inc. was determined to be the lowest responsive, responsible bidder with a total bid of $533,179.44, or an average of $59,242.16 per vehicle. Accordingly, staff recommends approving a purchase contract with Towne Ford, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $533,179.44 and establishing a $15,000 contingency reserve to account for potential price fluctuations in tax rates or license fees at the time of purchase.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Funding for eight (8) of the Police Patrol Hybrid SUVs is budgeted in the Vehicle and Equipment Replacement Fund in the amount of $473,937.28. The remaining unit (1) will be funded through the California Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program, in the amount of $59,242.16, which was approved and accepted by Council as of the August 17, 2026, City Council Meeting.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This procurement is not a project subject to CEQA, because it can be seen with certainty that the procurement of Police Patrol SUVs will not cause a physical change in the environment. (Public Resources Code Section 21065.)
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
This staff report supports the Organizational Health and Good Governance initiative.
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Proposed Agreement
CITY OF SAN MATEO
STAFF CONTACT
Daniel Heffelfinger, Fleet Services Supervisor
[email protected]
(650) 522-7366
Steve Wu, Facilities and Fleet Services Manager
[email protected]
(650) 522-7345
James O’Connell, Deputy Public Works Director
[email protected]
(650) 522-7304