LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Debate raises questions about school system’s bid procedures

Published 4:42 pm Saturday, March 7, 2020

Well, I didn’t plan on an ongoing discussion of the school system’s purchase of school bus tires, but Superintendent Howell’s letter in the January 31 Observer left some lingering questions. So, in accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act, I requested some written information from the school system which was provided on a timely basis.

 In a normal bid procedure, you develop a set of specifications for the desired product and make the bid request available to prospective suppliers. The supplier (singular) who submits the lowest price bid while meeting the specifications, wins the bid. It is not a complicated procedure.

However, according to the written response, CCBOE awarded the bid to Moultrie Tire for the Firestone 561 tire and to Thomas Tire for the Good Year Endurance tire in 2018 and 2019. But they were not the same price! I asked if CCBOE purchased tires in 2018 and/or 2019 from any company besides Thomas Tire. The answer was yes, from Moultrie Tire. However, the bid price from Southeastern Comm. Tire was less than Moultrie Tire’s for the same exact same tire. In addition, the second tire bid by Thomas Tire, the Good Year Marathon tire has the exact same specifications as the Good Year Endurance tire, but was not purchased. The price was lower than any other tire bid received, and the usable tread of this tire was the same as the other Good Year tire and exceeded that of any other tire on the bid summary.

Now for the 2019 – 2020 bid summary sheet. Thomas Tire bids were the same prices as before, $305 and $328. Southeastern Comm. Tire’s bid was $314.41. Apparently, unlike the last year, only one company, Southeastern Comm. Tire was awarded the bid. No matter that Thomas Tire’s lowest bid was $305 and the specification is the greatest.

Mr. Howell justified this by saying Southeastern provided a complete package. What package? Purchasing the used casings is not contingent upon getting the bid for furnishing new tires. The bid specs do not include buying the used casings. Southeastern would purchase the used casings anyway because they retread them and sell them for a nice profit. Formerly, the used casings were purchased by another local tire company which did not furnish the new tires.

The information I received from the school system refers to the Good Year Marathon tire as the cheaper tire. On the bid summary sheet the Firestone 561 tire cost is $287.41. It is only because a fee of $27 is added for mounting and balancing it is not called the cheaper tire. Thomas Tire adds no fee for mounting and balancing. The information I received also says that the school’s transportation department prefers not to use the Good Year Marathon tire. Why? The specs for it is better than the Firestone tire. Apparently they have never used it to evaluate it.

There is absolutely no room for personalities or preferences in a proper bid procedure, especially when spending taxpayer money. It is interesting that the school’s transportation department started distancing itself from Thomas Tire in 2018 after all these years. It is also interesting that Mr. Thomas told me that the employees at the transportation dept., who were friends with his employees, are no longer allowed to contact his employees in any manner since July, 2018. I truly hope that is just a misunderstanding.

All the bidders in Moultrie were advised that the bid was awarded to Southeastern Comm Tire for tires for 2019 – 2020, except Thomas Tire. They had to learn from another Moultrie company. Donny and his father ran the company when I came to Moultrie in 1972. Donny and his son run the company now. They are honorable, hard working people. That is how you become a third-generation business. When they close the shop and go home, they are dirty and tired. They deserve to be treated honorably!

What the Transportation Department is doing, in my humble opinion, is not a bid procedure. According to the documented, past history, they are simply asking prices and then choosing the company from whom they prefer to purchase tires. There is nothing competitive about the procedure, although it is labeled a bid procedure. If it is proper for them to purchase in this manner, I believe it would be more correct to eliminate the word “bid” from the price request.

The Observer Editor has been very kind in allowing space for lengthy opinion letters. Therefore, I will hold my further comments concerning the football facilities for another letter. My further remarks concerning tax exemption for seniors is contingent upon the success of a bill presently working its way through the legislature.

Bruce Leigh

Moultrie