Public Works Agency
www.santa-ana.org/pw
Item # 28
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
January 20, 2026
TOPIC: Ordinance Amending Chapter 2, Article VII of the Santa Ana Municipal Code Specifying the Procurement and Contracting Procedure of for Vehicle and Vehicle Related Equipment Purchases
AGENDA TITLE
Ordinance Amending Chapter 2 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code As To Section 2-748 Specifying the Procurement and Contracting Procedure for Vehicle and Vehicle Related Equipment Purchases
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Approve the first reading of an ordinance amending Section 2-748 of Article VII, of Chapter 2 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) specifying the procurement and contracting procedure for vehicle and vehicle related equipment purchases.
ORDINANCE NO. NS-XXXX entitled AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AMENDING CHAPTER 2 OF THE SANTA ANA MUNICIPAL CODE AS TO SECTION 2-748 SPECIFYING THE PROCUREMENT AND
CONTRACTING PROCEDURE FOR VEHICLE AND VEHICLE RELATED
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
The City of Santa Ana regularly procures vehicles and specialized heavy equipment and machinery necessary to support essential municipal operations, including police, public works, planning and building, parks and recreation, and various other departments.
Heavy equipment and machinery, such as loaders, backhoes, sweepers, and utility trucks, function as operational vehicles and are integral to the City’s fleet, requiring the same procurement, funding, maintenance, and lifecycle replacement considerations as traditional vehicles.
In prior years, staff presented multiple individual staff reports throughout the year with recommendations for individual vehicle purchases after the City has underwent a competitive bidding process. This process requires a longer lead time and has consistently fragmented the City’s purchasing power. It has also hampered the City’s ability to act in a timely manner and take advantage of market conditions, immediate
Ordinance Amending Procurement and Contracting Procedure of Vehicle and Equipment Purchases
January 20, 2026
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inventory availability, and lower pricing opportunities when offered by manufacturers and dealerships, as these private entities are less likely to hold inventory or commit to lower price for extended periods.
After reviewing best-practice procurement models employed by other municipalities in the region (Exhibit 1), staff recommends consolidating the City’s annual vehicle needs across all departments into a single, comprehensive report to the City Council. Under the proposed annual process, a complete listing of the City’s vehicle needs, along with a not-to-exceed budget, would be identified and submitted to the City Council for budget approval and purchase authorization prior to the competitive bidding process. Upon approval by the City Council, the City Manager is authorized to carry out the vehicle procurement process through a competitive bidding process, execute purchase contracts, acquire the equipment, and report back to the City Council through the existing quarterly report on contracts awarded by the City Manager.
The proposed process increases purchasing agility, enabling the City to respond rapidly and effectively to changing market conditions and operational needs. It supports quick execution of purchase orders for vehicles readily available on dealer lots, reducing the risk of losing limited inventory to other competing buyers. In addition, orders can be placed to meet manufacturer ordering windows, which are often time-sensitive. Overall, this procurement model accelerates contracting and delivery, improves efficiency, and positions the City to secure competitively-priced vehicles and equipment in a timely manner, and with appropriate control measures in place ensuring the integrity and transparency of the purchasing approval and budget allocation process.
This proposed procurement and contracting procedure is specific to purchasing of vehicles and vehicle related equipment and necessitates amending the SAMC. Upon approval of the recommended action, staff will annually return to City Council for approval of the annual vehicle and equipment procurement which will serve as City Council pre-authorization for the City Manager to bind the City on contracts and purchases issued to successful vendors immediately following completion of competitive bidding or through justified non-bid purchases, including piggybacking onto established cooperative contracts that meet the City’s own formal competitive bidding process (SAMC Sec. 2-207(d)). All purchasing policies and procedures, including local vendor preference, will be followed. Pre-authorized purchases will remain within City Council-approved not-to-exceed amounts and valid for a period of one year from the date of approval, unless otherwise specifically noted in the Council’s Action. Should any bids exceed the approved not-to-exceed amount, staff must return to City Council for approval and additional appropriations.
The proposed revision to the SAMC maintains City Council oversight of budgeting and purchasing decisions and Council approval of funding through the budget process remains unchanged. This proposed process will enhance efficiency and streamline the Ordinance Amending Procurement and Contracting Procedure of Vehicle and Equipment Purchases
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procurement of City vehicles and vehicle related equipment. Staff recommends approving the recommended action to add subsection (d) Pre-Authorization by City Council to Section 2-748 of Article VII, Chapter 2 (Exhibit 2).
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with the action.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no quantifiable fiscal impact associated with the proposed ordinance. All vehicle and equipment contracts and purchases executed under the amended authority would be limited based on the annual vehicle and equipment procurement staff report approved by Council.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Administrative Authority for Vehicle and Equipment Purchases City Comparison
2. Ordinance amending Chapter 2, Article VII, Section 2-748 Submitted By: Rodolfo Rosas, P.E., Acting Executive Director – Public Works Agency Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager