Non Exclusive Franchise Towing Agreement

The City of Pasadena is seeking applications for non-exclusive police towing franchise agreements to provide vehicle towing and impound services for the Pasadena Police Department and Department of Transportation. The procurement will authorize multiple towing companies to perform municipal towing services within city limits, with a focus on police impounds, street sweeps, and vehicle storage. Qualified towing companies must provide trained personnel, tow trucks, and storage facilities within 4 miles of Pasadena, with a minimum storage lot area of 20,000 square feet and the ability to respond within 20 minutes for impound requests. Proposers must submit comprehensive documentation including business details, vehicle listings, personnel credentials, insurance certificates, and various compliance forms such as non-collusion declarations and conflict of interest disclosures. The evaluation process will be pass/fail, focusing on compliance with the Pasadena Municipal Code and Towing Franchise System Operations Manual. Proposals are due electronically by 3:00 pm on February 26, 2024, with a deadline for questions on February 21, 2024. The initial contract term is one year with options for up to four additional one-year renewals.

The procurement does not explicitly specify set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though the application materials include workforce utilization forms suggesting an interest in diverse vendor participation. The franchise opportunity is structured as a non-exclusive agreement, meaning multiple vendors can be authorized simultaneously, which provides the city flexibility in managing towing services. Each franchisee will be required to pay a quarterly franchise fee of $22,500 and adhere to standardized towing rates of $151 per impound and $42 per day for storage. Towing companies must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including Commercial General Liability with $1,000,000 per occurrence limits and Automobile Liability coverage. The city will establish rotation lists to ensure equitable work distribution among franchisees, with potential for franchise termination for chronic performance issues, failure to respond to dispatches, or criminal convictions related to the towing business. While a specific total contract value is not specified, the quarterly franchise fee structure and potential for multiple franchisees suggests a substantial potential revenue opportunity for qualified towing service providers.