City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: August 4, 2026
From: Daniel S. Wall, P.E., Director of Public Works-City Engineer Department: Public Works
Submitted by: Dulce Gonzalez, Management Analyst
Subject
Purchase Order with Quinn Company CAT Retailer
Recommendation
A. Approve and authorize the issuance of a Purchase Order with Quinn Company CAT Retailer (Quinn CAT) for a new Towmaster T-12DT Trailer for a total amount not-to-exceed $20,175.24; B. Authorize a contingency amount of ten percent (10%) or $2,017.52 for the trailer purchase in case of unforeseen fluctuations in price driven by inflation or supply chain issues; and C. Authorize the City Administrator to facilitate the bidding and purchase of a comparable utility trailer for an amount not-to-exceed $22,192.76 (Quinn CAT price plus contingency amount) from an alternate source/dealership should Quinn CAT availability be impacted by inventory shortages.
Background
The Public Works Fleet Maintenance team requires dependable equipment and transport assets to maintain and service the City’s operational fleet. To support ongoing field operations and equipment transport requirements, the department has identified the need to procure a dedicated utility trailer. Staff requested a quote from Quinn CAT and received pricing for one (1) new Caterpillar Inc. Model: Towmaster T-12DT Trailer. The specialized trailer will be utilized by the Fleet Maintenance team to safely transport heavy equipment, disabled vehicles, and machinery to and from service sites throughout the City, reducing external towing costs and operational downtime.
Staff recommends approval of a Purchase Order with Quinn CAT in the amount of $20,175.24 (which includes a sale price of $18,251.80, a tire fee of $7.00, and 10.5% sales tax of $1,916.44).
Additionally, staff recommends a ten percent (10%) contingency amount of $2,017.52 to safeguard against inflation or inventory adjustments, or in the event a comparable make and model must be sourced from an alternate dealership. Pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code (VMC) Section 3.32.110(A)(5), the proposed purchase is exempt from competitive bidding because it uses a cooperative procurement contract through Sourcewell, contract number 092922– MNR, which streamlines the public purchasing process by offering participating agencies access to nationally competitively solicited contracts.
City Council approval for this purchase is required pursuant to VMC Section 3.32.030(B), which stipulates that if the City has made payments or awarded a vendor more than $100,000 within the 12 months preceding the effective date of a proposed new, renewed, or amended contract, the City Council must authorize the purchase or contract. Currently, the total payments and purchase orders issued to Quinn CAT by the City over the past 12 months total $189,553.92, exceeding the specified threshold. Consequently, formal authorization from the City Council is necessary to proceed with this purchase.
Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 4: Enhance Community Infrastructure and Facilities Fiscal Impact
The total estimated fiscal impact is $22,192.76 (inclusive of the 10% contingency). Sufficient funds for this fleet procurement are available in the Public Works Fleet Maintenance Vehicle Expense Account No. 011-040-420-527000 in the current fiscal year.
Attachments
1. Quinn CAT Quote