Trails Program Equipment Purchasing.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- 214842
- Issued by
- Johnson County, Wyoming
About this file
This document is a policy statement from the Wyoming Trails Program outlining the rationale for specifying particular equipment brands and models in procurement solicitations. The Trails Program manages both snowmobile and ORV trail operations with constrained seasonal work windows, requiring equipment that demonstrates exceptional reliability, parts availability, and customer service support. The program maintains an internal parts inventory and specialized repair capabilities centered around proven equipment brands to minimize operational disruptions caused by equipment breakdowns, which are particularly damaging during short operating seasons. Standardizing equipment brands reduces the complexity of spare parts inventory management, minimizes the specialized tools required in the central shop facility, and allows maintenance staff to develop deeper expertise with fewer equipment platforms.
The Trails Program has developed its preferred equipment brands through years of real-world operational experience, having tested various manufacturers and found that lowest-bid alternatives frequently failed to meet required specifications, ultimately costing the program significantly more in correction efforts, lost productivity, and inefficient operations than any initial savings justified. The program notes that it maintains the right to specify brand-specific equipment because it is self-funded through motorized trail user fees rather than state general fund appropriations. The Trails Program remains open to evaluating alternative equipment manufacturers and actively encourages interested vendors to schedule on-the-ground demonstrations and discuss their capabilities regarding customer support, parts availability, maintenance and repair services, warranties, and staff training prior to formal bid invitations, with interested parties directed to contact the program office in Lander, Wyoming.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Bidding Conditions 7-2024.pdf | ||
| 0029-N.pdf |
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Trails Program Equipment Purchasing
The Trails Program generally specifies very specific equipment brands and models that have proven to fit its specialized work tasks for the following reasons:
1. The Trails Program operates two programs (snowmobile trails and ORV trails) which both have relatively short operating and field work seasons. Consequently, equipment must be extremely dependable, with proven parts availability and proven exemplary repair and customer service availability. Equipment breakdowns are extremely disruptive and cause costly work progress that results in the program not being able to provide services to its constituents and/or potentially cause adverse environmental effects when trail maintenance and/or construction is delayed or halted.
Having to wait days, weeks or a month for equipment repair is simply not acceptable since it cripples short-season operations.
2. The Trails Program maintains an internal parts inventory designed to help minimize costs and disruptive down-time associated with equipment breakdowns. Consequently, it has been proven that limiting the variety of equipment makes/models significantly improves Trails Program functions and efficiencies. It also eliminates/minimizes costs associated with maintaining a parts inventory for multiple equipment brands and models.
3. By minimizing the range of equipment brands and models used by the Trails Program to proven dependable brands and models, it has likewise proven to minimize the potential range of specialized tools needed in the central Trails Program shop for equipment maintenance and repairs.
Additionally, this has helped minimize the range of staff knowledge required to perform in-house equipment maintenance and repairs – which has ultimately allowed staff the time to become more skilled and knowledgeable about the equipment makes/models used by the Trails Program.
4. Equipment brands currently used by the Trails Program have evolved through real-life experience with a variety of equipment brands over the years – which has proven to be good to excellent performance with some brands and unacceptable with other companies. Equipment currently used by the Trails Program has generally become our ‘preferred brands’ solely through proven unmatched customer service coupled with superior equipment performance and dependability.
5. The Trails Program is self-funded through fees paid by motorized trail constituents; therefore, it has the right to bid brand specific equipment due to its funding not coming from the State’s general fund.
6. The Trails Program has allowed a range of other equipment manufacturers to bid on equipment over past years – only to have significant issues arise when low-bid equipment, trailers, vehicles, etc.
do not fully meet all required specifications and conditions. Unfortunately, this has ultimately cost the Program significant time and money trying to get these issues corrected. Our total costs trying to rectify unmet specs has unfortunately far exceeded the amount saved by taking the lowest bid from another manufacturer – not to mention, the lost time, efficiency and productivity caused by having to use inferior equipment tied to lowest price bids.
7. The Trails Program always remains open and willing to entertain other equipment brands to prove themselves through on-the-ground demonstrations prior to bid invitations being sent each season.
We encourage any manufacturer or dealer to reach out directly to the Trails Program office in Lander, WY to schedule a demonstration of the equipment they propose to offer, and just as importantly, what they can deliver in respect to customer support for parts, maintenance, repair service, warranties, staff service and repair training, etc.
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