City signs with new auction service
Prince Albert City Council has voted to go with a new auction service for municipal auctions, a must in order to comply with city policy of selecting the lowest bid for tendered projects.
Despite a plea from local business Schmalz Auctions, city council voted at a special meeting last week to go with McDougall Auctioneers Ltd. out of Regina. While some councillors were empathetic to the request to support local business, a report from administration said there was little choice in the matter.
“The City shall accept the lowest qualify tender or bid meeting the City’s specifications, unless the tender documents clearly set out additional and/or acceptance criteria,” the report said. “There is no option to the recommendations that does not involve either a contravention by City Council of the City’s binding Purchasing Policy 17.4 or litigation risk of a claim by McDougall in these circumstances.”