DEPARTMENT: San Antonio Police Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD William McManus
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance authorizing amendments to the Municipal Wrecker Service Agreements between the City of San Antonio and Allied Towing, Assured Towing Inc. and Texas Towing by providing one-year renewal periods for each agreement commencing on December 1, 2014 and ending on November 30, 2015.
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing amendments to the Municipal Wrecker Services Agreements between the City of San Antonio and Allied Towing, Assured Towing, Inc. and Texas Towing by providing one-year renewal periods for each agreement commencing on December 1, 2014. Each renewal shall allow Allied Towing, Assured Towing, Inc. and Texas Towing to provide wrecker services in their respective assigned Zones at the discretion of the City. All other terms and conditions of the Agreements shall remain the same.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Public safety towing for the City is currently handled by three wrecker service contractors operating in six zones that coincide with the six Police Substation Service Areas. The agreement requires the contractors to remove from public streets, ways or other public property in the city of San Antonio, vehicles which have been abandoned, have been involved in collisions, have been parked in violation of the law, have to be checked for evidence, and/or belong to prisoners. Contracted tow companies must respond to a request for wrecker service within 30 minutes of being dispatched by the City. Over the last three years, the City dispatched an average of 43,428 tows a year. In addition, towing services for all inoperable City vehicles (light, medium and heavy), tire changes and battery jumps are provided to the City at no cost. The contractors provide an average of 5,013 free tows a year.
ISSUE:
The current agreements for Allied Towing and Assured expire November 30, 2014, although the two agreements contain provisions for one two-year renewal. The agreement with Texas Towing expires November 30, 2014 with no further extensions. While the contractors have provided satisfactory services, staff is seeking a more efficient method to clear the City's streets and rights-of-way and get on-scene police officers back into service sooner. In these services, the City will require a towing management system capable of performing dispatching, recording, oversight, auditing and report generation regarding Police and City initiated towing services performed by City qualified, and experienced state licensed towing companies. The selected contractor will be responsible for subcontracting with qualified, licensed tow companies to provide this service. Additionally, the contractor will oversee and manage the assignment of Police and City initiated tows and the performance of the services provided. This will provide for a quicker response time for wrecker request, which will shorten the amount of time an officer and citizen are on the scene of an accident and clear the roadways. In addition, this model will open opportunities for local small business to participate in providing these services to the City and gain the experience and training not currently available under the current agreements.
Staff briefed the Public Safety Council Committee on June 4, 2014, regarding the proposed towing manager request for proposals (RFP). The Public Safety Council Committee raised concerns of a potential increase of tow fees as a result of RFP responses and the inability for the current contractors to recoup any recent capital expenditures. The Public Safety Council Committee voted to recommend the current agreements with Allied Towing and Assured Towing be reduced from one 2-year extension to a one 1-year extension commencing on December 1, 2014 and terminating on November 30, 2015. Additionally, the Texas Towing agreement would be extended for a year commencing on December 1, 2014 and terminating on November 30, 2015. This action would maintain the alignment of the current contractors in preparation of a solicitation process in summer 2015.
On June 10, 2014, staff presented to the High Profile Contracts Committee. SAPD staff provided the alternative recommendation by the Public Safety Council Committee and the High Profile Contracts Committee agreed with their recommendation. As a result, the RFP will be released January 2015 and the RFP will go to Council for action in August 2015.
On June 12, 2014, the City Council approved an annual contract between the City of San Antonio, and Texas Towing for the towing of operable and inoperable City owned vehicles and equipment. Since towing of inoperable city owned vehicles is covered by the Municipal Wrecker Service Agreements, that portion of the annual contract will be delayed for a portion of city vehicles until expiration or termination of the Municipal Wrecker Service Agreements.
ALTERNATIVES:
An alternative to approving the amendments would be to authorize the release of the RFP at this time and not allow for the extension of the wrecker services agreements; however, the San Antonio Police Department would have to designate wrecker service providers for a period of time that would allow for a competitive process to select new contractors. Another alternative would be to proceed with an RFP to identify a towing management contractor that would select towing subcontractors and manage all aspects of public safety towing. The current wrecker service agreements would be terminated on November 30, 2014.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes amendments to the Municipal Wrecker Services Agreements between the City of San Antonio and Allied Towing, Assured Towing, Inc., and Texas Towing. The General Fund will continue to receive $6.00 for every non-consent tow as well as violation fees for annual revenues totaling approximately $301,610.00. In addition, the City will receive towing services for all inoperable City vehicles (light, medium, and heavy), tire changes and battery jumps at no cost. In obtaining these services free, the City will avoid expenses of approximately $588,190.00 per year.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the approval of amendments to Allied and Assured to reduce the extension period from one 2-year extension to one 1-year extension and add a 1-year extension to Texas Towing. This action would maintain the alignment of the current contracts in preparation of a solicitation process in summer 2015.