Excerpts from the daily-journal.com:
The Kankakee City Council unanimously approved the $2.3-million purchase of a Pierce 100′ aerial for the Kankakee Fire Department. It will replace a 1998 truck. The city will likely not take delivery for three to four years.
The council’s budget committee is expected to settle on its payment option at Monday’s committee meeting. A perk for paying for the truck out of cash reserves is that a pre-payment option would earn the city about a $200,000 discount, reducing the vehicle’s cost to $2.1 million.
Whatever the payment mode, there is no question the price is high. The fire department had anticipated receiving at least two bids for the truck, but Pierce was the only company to bid. The expected bidding was in the $2-million range.
The chief said the current 1998 truck is simply nearing the end of its useful life. For the past 10 or so years, costly maintenance has been needed to keep the ladder truck certified and there is fear the truck will soon be impossible to keep in service, as needed parts are becoming far more scarce due to the truck’s age. Testing for the truck’s pump and ladder continually becomes more difficult to pass.
The city’s 50-member fire department also has two pumpers; a refurbished 2005 and a 2022.
Once the new ladder truck arrives, the thought is the existing truck would be kept in service as a reserve truck. Its fate once it becomes decertified is not known at this point.
thanks Dennis
#1 by Chuck on September 16, 2023 - 7:20 PM
I appreciate every single comment on here. The portion of one (and it’s not directed at the poster,) that I have a problem with is “MacQueen/Pierce probably wrote the spec”. Why is the dealer writing the specs, when it’s in their interest to gin up every little useless accessory that jacks up the price (and no doubt adds to delays in a delivery date,) to their commissionable benefit? And a four year delivery date? That should be a non-starter right there.
#2 by Craig Mack on September 16, 2023 - 5:56 PM
Talked to 2 other dealers today. Neither one had any knowledge of the obscure “posting”. Taping a piece of paper to the door of your village hall isn’t going to send out a bat signal to other manufacturers. If this is what they wanted, then buy thru HGAC like everyone else, but don’t make it seem like everyone had a chance lol
#3 by DENNIS on September 16, 2023 - 4:24 PM
Steve sounds like you have a hard on against Kankakee for some reason or another but for someone says they know all about the bid process you once said you didn’t know what a drifting outrigger is. Anyone in the fire service that has used an aerial knows what that is. So, calm down and let Kankakee handle their own business.
It’s unbelievable that there are people who come on here to read the blog to find out the new happenings but have to deal with the negative, and disrespectful comments of a few time and time again.
#4 by Rob on September 16, 2023 - 9:44 AM
Mike,
Thank you for letting me know the issues are the same with Pierce.
Dennis,
Your comments should be directed at Harry. As he talked about the supply chain.
#5 by Steve Axis on September 16, 2023 - 8:05 AM
I know for a fact that public bids are often kept on the down low so the department can get what they want. By law, the bid has to be posted for a specific time but I don’t remember the exact terms but it’s not hard to keep it low key. I think the bid needs to be posted about 21 days.
I personally see this purchase as flat out irresponsible! Not the part about spending $2.3 million on a truck but the fact that Kankakee proceeded with this order with only one price. Typically, a public bid is non-negotiable but if you have multiple bids, now you have leverage for negotiations especially when a specific budget is established on a truck. Even if Kankakee was adamant about getting Pierce, they could have easily eliminated unqualified bidders and still award Pierce on the truck most likely saving money.
I haven’t seen the spec for this truck, but if I had to guess, MacQueen/Pierce probably wrote the spec which is probably pretty hardcore Pierce making it hard for others to bid. McHenry has been sending out pure Pierce specs for years which is how they’ve maintained an all Pierce fleet because it’s impossible for other apparatus builders to meet the spec.
Bid manipulation happens all the time!
The crazy thing is, 4 years from now, what will the result of inflation be? Is 2.3 million dollars going to be enough or will they get hit by a surcharge like some manufacturers are doing!
#6 by DENNIS on September 15, 2023 - 7:50 PM
In case anyone wants to see for themselves.
https://citykankakee-il.gov/perch/resources/9-5-2023.pdf
#7 by DENNIS on September 15, 2023 - 7:49 PM
Just to add a bit more on the bid process for vehicles in case there’s some that have never been involved in it or simply don’t know. The city of Kankakee released a statement that Bids for a new tower are being accepted and they will open on August 11th, 2023. The only manufacture who is on the Bid Tabulation Sheet (Document showing all manufactures who bid on the build) was MacQueen which we all know is the Pierce Dealer for the area. ALL bid announcements must be made public, but there’s also nothing that forces any other manufacturers from either submitting or not submitting a bid. All this information is public knowledge.
#8 by DENNIS on September 15, 2023 - 7:27 PM
Rob, there is absolutely a supply chain issue. All the components that go into a fire engine regardless of if its rebuilt or bought new they have raised their prices. Same goes for the food we buy, the home supplies we buy and so on. 30 years ago, nobody would have thought a new engine would cost over $100,000 but here we are. 30 years ago, nobody would have bought a medium size home for over $140,000 but here we are. The point is everything goes up at some point because of different issues. This time its supply chain issues; the next will probably be the cost of personnel.
As for Kankakee buying pierce, who cares. The administration has chosen to buy a tower from Pierce and considering that the current pierce has lasted this long with any out major problems I think it’s a great choice but I don’t work there so again none of my business.
#9 by Mike on September 15, 2023 - 6:39 PM
Rob pierce and quality have not been used in the same sentence for quite some time. The city should have looked into what Libertyville did with their tower ladder. They could have had their 1998 non emission apparatus completely rebuilt for less then half the cost of this new turd.
#10 by Harry on September 15, 2023 - 2:38 PM
There is no supply chain they are trying to make us believe this
#11 by Rob on September 15, 2023 - 1:17 PM
Has the quality gotten better with Pierce?
#12 by crabbymilton on September 15, 2023 - 1:09 PM
Just like Milwaukee. They have had very long relationship with PIERCE. Granted standardization is a good thing but at what cost? Just like the guy who only buys FORD products. If FORD no longer builds the vehcle he always bought or it’s not available for whatever reason yet. What happens. Again, it pays to take a generic approach and don’t get attached to one builder otherwise you limit yourself. Plus in the case of PIERCE, they seemed to have shifted to quantity rather than quality.
#13 by Michael m on September 15, 2023 - 9:34 AM
I agree, no other bidders? How come they did not plan for this purchase when they ordered the engine? By the time the new truck comes, the current truck will be almost 30!
I am shocked by the price tag! Over 2 million! WOW! They use to cost 1 to 1.5! Talk about inflation!
I am guessing they might have to make a emergency purchase of a use truck in the event it becomes decertified in the next 4 years. 4 years is a long time!
#14 by Craig Mack on September 15, 2023 - 9:25 AM
2.3 mil??? No other bidders???? Sounds like someone’s brother is making money on this one!! Good to see Chicago corruption is alive and well 2 hours south!! Lol
#15 by Mike C on September 15, 2023 - 8:32 AM
I spoke to my guy at Pierce, and he’s stating most trucks ordered now won’t be seen for 4 years.
When they state that nobody else bid on the truck, this all falls back on the fire department reaching out for bidders. Clearly they wanted a Pierce because I’m sure they could’ve gotten a bid from Smeal, E-One, and maybe even Ferrara or Sutphen.