Agenda Item Wording:
title
Authorization to award a service contract to West Coast Tow - Authorize the City Manager to award a service contract not to exceed $150,000 annually to Lewis Holdings, Inc DBA West Coast Tow of Visalia for light duty evidence towing and evidence storage for both light and heavy-duty vehicles for a five-year term that is renewable thereafter annually for up to five consecutive one-year periods and appropriate $100,000 for Fiscal Year 2025/2026.
body
Prepared by:
Police Chief Jason Salazar, 559-713-4215, jason.salazar@visalia.city;
Police Captain Andrew Swarthout, 559-713-4035, andrew.swarthout@visalia.city;
Police Lieutenant Mike Verissimo, 559-713-4154, mike.verissimo@visalia.city;
Financial Analyst Liz Ybarra, 559-713-4250, liz.ybarra@visalia.city;
Department Recommendation:
Authorize the City Manager to award a service contract not to exceed $150,000 annually for RFB 23-24-45 to Lewis Holdings, Inc DBA West Coast Tow (WCT) from Visalia, CA, for light duty evidence towing and evidence storage for both light and heavy-duty vehicles for a five-year term that is renewable thereafter annually for up to 5 consecutive one-year periods and appropriate $100,000 for FY 25/26.
Summary:
The Visalia Police Department was required to announce a public (RFB 23-24-45) bid for light (<15,00 GVW) and heavy- duty (>15,000 GVW) evidence towing and storage services due to the 2017 contract with West Coast Tow expiring. GVW, or Gross Vehicle Weight, refers to the total weight of a vehicle, including its chassis, body, engine, fuel, passengers, and cargo. The bid accepted includes towing for light duty evidence vehicles and storage for light and heavy-duty vehicles. As of the April 2025 vendor statement, there were 30 vehicles being held in storage as evidence with WCT. The Department receives a monthly statement that indicates new vehicles towed into storage and any vehicles released. On average, the Department tows 10 vehicles per month that are stored for evidence and a similar number of vehicles are released monthly. The oldest vehicle in storage has been stored for evidence for 1,821 days.
Vehicles that remain in storage for extended periods are typically retained at the request of the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office due to ongoing criminal proceedings. During an internal audit conducted in 2023, the District Attorney’s Office was contacted regarding the status of these cases and confirmed that the vehicles should remain in evidence storage until the associated criminal matters are resolved. As these cases reach a legal conclusion, the Visalia Police Department coordinates the release of the vehicles. The most recent audit to verify the status of evidence stored vehicles was completed in May 2025.
Background Discussion:
The Purchasing Department announced a formal public bid on April 3, 2025, and April 8, 2025. The bid closed May 1, 2025, and the City received one (1) bid. The specifications for this bid required that the vendor provide indoor storage for processing in addition to having outdoor facilities to store all vehicles that are currently held in seizure by the Visalia Police Department. Prior to 2017, vehicles held for evidence were stored in the City’s Corporation Yard; however, that process was not sustainable. West Coast Tow has been the City’s light duty tow and storage provider since 2017, when they also were awarded the bid.
Fiscal Impact:
There is an approved budget of $53,100 for FY 25/26 a budget adjustment of $100,000 for FY 25/26 is required based on expenditure projections noted below. The current cost of storage is $7.00 per day, and the towing cost is .01 per tow. The new tow fee is $75.00 per tow and the storage fee is now $13.00 per day. The monthly projected cost, based on 10 tows per month and 30 vehicles in storage, is $12,450. West Coast Tow did not bid on heavy-duty tows; however, the bid does provide for the storage of heavy-duty vehicles at $50.00 per day. Heavy-duty tows are rare, typically occurring only 1-3 times per year, and are requested on an as-needed basis from other qualified local tow companies.
|
Evidence Towing and Storage Services |
|
Project Cost |
|
Description |
Quantity |
No. of Days |
Rate |
Expenditure |
|
Tows |
10 |
N/A |
$75.00 |
$750.00 |
|
Stored Vehicles |
30 |
30 |
$13.00 |
$11,700.00 |
|
Total Monthly Expenditure |
$12,450.00 |
|
Total Annual Expenditure |
$149,400.00 |
A new process was implemented effective January 2025 to reduce both the number of vehicles in storage and the length of time they are stored. The Department’s new process ensures that once a vehicle is stored and processed for evidentiary purposes, it is released. Long-term storage is no longer the standard practice. In addition, the Visalia Police Department is actively reviewing all current evidence-related vehicle cases and coordinating with the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office to streamline the release of vehicles that have been stored for extended periods of time. These procedures will help manage costs, improve efficiency, and ensure that vehicles in storage are necessary for evidentiary retention. Under this process, a projected cost for 20 vehicles in storage would be:
|
Evidence Towing and Storage Services |
|
Project Cost |
|
Description |
Quantity |
No. of Days |
Rate |
Expenditure |
|
Tows |
10 |
N/A |
$75.00 |
$750.00 |
|
Stored Vehicles |
20 |
30 |
$13.00 |
$7,800.00 |
|
Total Monthly Expenditure |
$8,550.00 |
|
Total Annual Expenditure |
$102,600.00 |
While this new process is expected to reduce costs by approximately 31%, the Department is requesting a budget based on the higher estimate of $149,400. This is due to several variables that could impact the timing of vehicle releases, including the nature of the incidents involved and the timeline for prosecutorial decisions. Although the Department is optimistic about the long-term impact of the new procedures, we are still working towards finalizing the process. We do not want to prematurely reduce the budget based on projected savings alone. Budgeting for the higher amount ensures sufficient funding while allowing flexibility as the new process is further evaluated.
Prior Council Action: None.
Other: N/A
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Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to award a service contract not to exceed $150,000 annually for RFB 23-24-45 to Lewis Holdings, Inc DBA West Coast Tow (WCT) from Visalia, CA, for light duty evidence towing and evidence storage for both light and heavy-duty vehicles for a five-year term that is renewable thereafter annually for up to five consecutive one-year periods and appropriate $100,000 for FY 25/26.
Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Deadline for Action: 6/16/2025
Attachments: Bid, Sample Contract, and Levine.