Item Number: 17
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: April 7, 2026
Submitted By:
Doug Mathews, Director of Public Works and Water
Subject:
Custom Truck Beds for Water Field Service Vehicles
Recommendation:
That the Honorable Board of Directors:
(1) Find that Scelzi Enterprises Inc. is the sole brand manufacturer for the standardization, procurement, manufacturing and installation of two (2) custom truck beds and a sole source is approved in accordance with VMC 2.28.100(b)(2); and
(2) Authorize the procurement, manufacturing, and installation of two (2) custom truck beds and valve equipment in the amount of $272,729.83 to Scelzi Enterprises Inc.
Fiscal Impact:
Acting in accordance with the staff recommendation will result in a fiscal impact of $272,729.83. No additional appropriation is required. Funds have been budgeted in the following account codes as part of the FY25/26 annual budget but will be rolled over to the FY26/27 fiscal year.
Strategic Plan Goal:
This item aligns with Goal E, Invest in Infrastructure. By continuously replacing the vehicles and equipment that have reached the end of their useful life, the District can continue to provide a healthy and livable community for all residents.
Account Description Account Code Available Balance
Replace Vehicle 63207 4100535 – 55040 – 74400 $179,233.97 Replace Vehicle 23409 4100535 – 55040 – 74440 $132,267.81 Total $311,501.78
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Background:
On March 15, 2022, the Victorville Water District (District) Board of Directors approved the purchase of fleet vehicles from Project CC22-060 which included two Water – Field Service vehicles, a Valve Exercising Truck, and a Water Emergency Response Truck.
The nationwide shortage of vehicles resulted in limited availability of inventory and drove the price of new and used vehicles to an all-time high. The Victorville Municipal Code
2.28.100(a)(5) allowed the City Manager to proceed with procuring the equipment in the open market after no responsive bids were received.
Victorville Municipal Code 2.28.120 allowed the Purchasing Division to utilize various cooperative purchasing programs, to take advantage of volume pricing established by any local, state, or federal governmental agencies, if the underlying purchase was made using quotation or bid procedures at least as restrictive as the City’s. The State of California Contract administered by the Department of General Services was deemed by the Purchasing Division to be in conformance with the City’s quotation or bid procedures to permit reasonable competition, provided the supplies and equipment purchased are the same and offered at the same price as the supplies and equipment subject to the program agreement.
Purchasing staff contacted multiple government cooperative purchasing programs, as well as local dealers, to obtain inventory updates. All sources indicated that manufacturers would be releasing limited quantities of vehicles on a first-come, first- served basis. In response, the District, along with other departments, took proactive measures to secure future vehicle deliveries.
In June 2023, two field services trucks (cab and chassis only) were successfully procured with the understanding that additional upfitting would be required to meet operational needs. However, the dealer was unable to source the customized service bodies necessary for staff use. After the vehicles were received, inspected, and entered into the Fleet Division’s system, the next step was to procure and install specialized truck beds to complete the vehicles and place them into service.
On December 17, 2024, the District Board of Directors authorized the procurement, manufacturing, and installation of two (2) custom truck beds in the amount of $239,923 with Doug Page Manufacturing. A purchase order was subsequently issued to the vendor to complete the work. Within a few months of project initiation, Doug Page Manufacturing began experiencing significant delays, and approximately six months into the project, progress had come to a complete standstill.
Throughout the project, including the period of slowed progress, staff conducted routine site visits and maintained ongoing communication with Doug Page Manufacturing to assess project status and identify the causes of delay. The vendor consistently attributed the lack of progress to temporary staffing shortages and material supply issues. In September 2025, Doug Page Manufacturing informed staff that it was liquidating its business and would be unable to complete the project. District staff subsequently 4 5
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retrieved the truck assets, which are currently stored at the District 1 Warehouse located at 13575 Hesperia Road.
Following this development, Water staff, in coordination with the Fleet Division, began evaluating alternative specialty vendors capable of completing the custom truck bed installations, noting that most High Desert agencies had historically relied on Doug Page Manufacturing for this type of work.
In September 2025, Victorville Municipal Utilities Services (VMUS) awarded a contract to Scelzi Enterprises Inc. for the fabrication of two custom truck beds in the amount of $138,003.64. VMUS received the completed vehicles in January 2026, reporting timely delivery and satisfactory performance of the final product.
Based on this experience, Water and Fleet staff initiated discussions with Scelzi Enterprises Inc. to procure, manufacture, and install the two custom truck beds necessary to complete the Field Division vehicles.
Discussion:
Each of these custom truck beds requires unique specifications tailored to specific operational needs, necessitating fully customized designs. The Valve Exercising Truck and the Water Emergency Response Truck are critical assets required to support regulatory compliance, ensure safe drinking water, and provide timely response to maintenance and emergency situations.
The District maintains approximately 25,000 valves (devices that regulate, start, or stop the flow of water within the distribution system) which must be exercised on a three-year cycle. The Valve Exercising Truck is equipped with valve exercising and hydro-vacuum excavation equipment, allowing staff to efficiently perform this work and maintain compliance with state regulatory requirements. This equipment supports the District’s valve maintenance program by ensuring valves remain operable, functional, and capable of fully closing when needed. The ability to operate these valves at a moment’s notice is critical, as emergency situations may require immediate isolation of portions of the distribution system. Without routine exercising and maintenance, sediment buildup and corrosion can cause valves to seize or become inoperable, significantly impacting system reliability and emergency response capabilities.
The second custom truck bed will be configured to support emergency response operations by enabling the deployment of personnel, materials, tools, and specialized equipment. This vehicle will be outfitted to address a wide range of emergency scenarios, including contractor-related damage to water mains and infrastructure failures across the District’s approximately 80-square-mile service area, which includes rural, industrial, commercial, and residential zones. Additionally, the vehicle will be equipped to implement traffic control measures to ensure public and worker safety during emergency operations.
Custom truck bed manufacturing is a highly specialized field, with only a limited number of vendors in California capable of meeting the District’s specifications. Historically, Doug 4 5
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Page Manufacturing and Scelzi Enterprises, Inc. were the two regional providers capable of performing this work. With the closure of Doug Page Manufacturing, Scelzi Enterprises, Inc. remains the only known regional provider within a reasonable proximity that can meet the District’s required specifications.
Accordingly, pursuant to Victorville Municipal Code Section 2.28.100(b)(2), and given that no standard, off-the-shelf truck beds are capable of meeting the District’s operational requirements, staff is requesting that the Board deem this procurement a sole source purchase based on the specialized nature of the equipment. Scelzi Enterprises, Inc. is the only identified vendor within a reasonable geographic area capable of delivering the required customization.
Therefore, staff recommends that the Board approve the sole source procurement and authorize Scelzi Enterprises, Inc. to procure, manufacture, and install two custom truck beds in an amount not to exceed $272,729.83.
Staff is available for any questions the Board may have.
Prepared By:
Sam Arvizu, Water Manager
Alejandra Garcia, Management Technician
Mel Krejckant, Public Works & Water Administrative Manager Attachments: A. Scelzi Enterprises Inc. Quote for Vehicle 63207 B. Scelzi Enterprises Inc. Quote for Vehicle 23409
C. Truck Bed Custom Drawings
D. Sole Source