Item 5B on this week’s city council agenda relates to air conditioning equipment for our zoo.
The city proposes to spend almost $120,000 dollars for various units, once again without bidding, but through a buy board.
Four percent of this money is paid to this Houston based buy board. A review of the contract documents relating to this vendor reveals that the vendor was not the lowest price offerer. The contract was issued in 2010.
Air conditioning equipment and services are available through the El Paso based Region 19. We would have to pay a percentage to this buy board also but at least that money would stay in El Paso.
Them again if this item had been taken out to bid we might have found lower prices than through the buy board. I don’t understand how the city can determine that the buy board is more cost effective than bidding without in fact bidding.
Adding insult to injury, this money is coming from our quality of life bonds.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
$120 large? Are these A/C units diamond-studded? Let me get out my chalk board so l can do some math: Let’s say, for example, that they need up to 40 units. $10,000 to have them trucked-in from point A to point Zoo, + $1000 per unit (remember, we’re buying in bulk) + $150 to install each unit ($50 per hour times 3) = Someone is getting fat and happy, and it ain’t me!
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OnlyInElPaso,
The list of buildings can be seen here.
Click to access 07091305B.pdf
Thank you for caring.
Brutus
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