LMR_November

LPS Delivers the Goods
in Procurement of Muncipal Trucks
For many city jobs, only a truck will do. Municipalities everywhere
rely on these workhorses for hauling personnel, materials
and heavy equipment, often under difficult conditions.
Yet even the toughest trucks break down and can need replacing
unexpectedly. Locating and identifying vehicles for immediate
purchase and delivery is a challenge. Available budget or suitable
models may be hard to find. Ordering vehicles through State contract
can involve months of waiting for delivery or the frustration
of discovering certain vehicles are unavailable or have been discontinued.
LaMATS Purchasing Services (LPS), which
provides expert consulting and technical
assistance to Louisiana local government,
has had success this year securing
quotes and bids on trucks available for
immediate delivery that either weren’t
on State contract or were no longer available:
• On behalf of the Town of Oil City, LPS successfully located
and received quotes on a Ford F-250 Pickup Truck 4WD for
immediate delivery through the LPS GovQuote LaMATS Edition
electronic platform.
• For Grand Coteau, LPS bid, through reverse auction, a GMC
Silverado 1500 Double Cab Pickup Truck available for immediate
delivery. The reverse auction was conducted on
the EASiBUY electronic platform through LPS’s e-Auction
Services.
A Word from
Our Affiliates
• Utilizing the GovQuote LaMATS Edition electronic platform,
LPS received affordable quotes for a Ford F-250 Pickup
Truck available for immediate delivery to the City of
Carencro.
In each case, the vehicles were purchased from licensed Louisiana
dealerships that do not sell on State contract. Nonetheless,
the prices paid were well below $30,000 and comparable or below
the prices found on State contract. The key to success with
LPS is its unique competitive process to identify and locate available
vehicles at the lowest prices. Dealerships we engage are
more than happy to compete to make a
successful sale.
This month, LPS will be securing a Ford
F-550 Diesel Chassis capable of accepting
a crane bed and boom for the City
of Carencro. This hard-to-find vehicle
was desperately needed after a purchase
order filed through State contract fell
through. LPS is confident we’ve identified a suitable F-550 or similar
available for immediate and direct delivery to the crane manufacturer
in Shreveport, Louisiana. Carencro will receive a very
competitive price through the reverse auction process using the
EASiBUY electronic platform.
If securing the budget authority for a new truck proves more
challenging than finding the vehicle itself, remember that vehicle
purchases can be financed through lease-purchasing provided by
LPS-partnered Government Capital Corporation (GCC), which can
offer low monthly, quarterly or yearly
payments with low interest rates.
The next time your municipal fleet
needs a new workhorse, call the procurement
experts at LaMATS to find
one fast! LaMATS Purchasing Services
can be reached at (225) 344-5001 or
via email at paul@lamats.net.
LMR | November 2018 Page 11