Invitational bidding process reviewed during Carleton Place council meeting
CARLETON PLACE — Carleton Place councillors were asked to greenlight a new $377,000 loader purchase this week, but not without a little procedural friction along the way.
“Unfortunately, this year, for whatever reason, one of our preferred suppliers that have supplied us with our last two loaders wasn’t on the Local Authorities Services (LAS) list. So our town mechanic went out and solicited bids from both those that were on the list and weren’t on the list, for our new loader and plow that we have budgeted at $400,000 for this year,” said Guy Bourgon, director of Public Works.
The new machine is intended to keep pace with the town’s steady growth and increasing demands on winter and maintenance operations.
Three bids came in after staff reached out to local vendors: Hartington Equipment at $377,450, Terapro Construction at $377,820, and Brandt Tractor trailing at $447,400. The lowest bid, from Hartington, not only met specifications but also came in comfortably under budget, leaving roughly $15,900 in surplus funds.
However, instead of running a formal open tender, as required under the Town’s procurement bylaw for purchases over $100,000, staff opted for an invitational bid process. That means they contacted local vendors directly rather than opening the bidding more broadly.
Bourgon told committee the move was largely practical. The Town’s usual procurement route, the LAS portal, didn’t include one of their preferred suppliers this time around. Rather than lose access to a vendor with a strong track record, staff cast a targeted net.
“All the local area vendors were contacted for this procurement process. Even though it wasn’t an open bid, they were contacted, and the ones that were interested did submit their bids,” Bourgon said, noting the bids received were competitive and aligned with past procurements.
Still, not everyone was ready to rubber-stamp a policy bypass.
“I have no problem with the people that are on the list, when we’re getting quality equipment, I just feel like this should have been done through an open process. We have a policy for a reason,” said Coun. Dena Comley.
Bourgon pushed back gently, arguing that reopening the process at this stage would likely yield identical results while delaying delivery. That delay could be costly. If the Town restarts bidding now, the loader might not arrive in time for the upcoming winter season.
There are also operational perks to sticking with Hartington’s equipment, Bourgon explained. The Town already runs similar machines, meaning interchangeable parts, reduced inventory needs and faster repairs. Bourgon noted service response has been quick, often within a day, keeping downtime to a minimum.
Coun. Linda Seccaspina brought up the idea of purchasing refurbished equipment rather than buying new. That idea, however, was quickly parked when Bourgon pointed out that refurbished heavy equipment hasn’t delivered the reliability the town needs.
In the end, committee opted to recommend waiving the procurement policy for this one piece of equipment.
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