Vehicle & Equipment Towing Services for the Fleet Maintenance Division

The City of Tampa is seeking Vehicle & Equipment Towing Services through an Invitation to Bid (ITB #82041321) to support the Logistics and Asset Management/Fleet Maintenance Division. The procurement will cover five vehicle categories: light vehicles (up to 10,000 lbs), medium-duty vehicles (10,001-26,000 lbs), heavy trucks (26,001-80,000 lbs), construction and specialized equipment, and special equipment including boats and motorcycles. Estimated annual towing volumes range from 200-500 tows across these categories, serving multiple fleet facilities in Hillsborough County. Bidders must demonstrate a minimum of five years of towing experience in Florida, hold valid Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission licensing, and provide three professional references. Qualification requirements include documentation of available equipment and qualified drivers, proof of business registration, and comprehensive insurance coverage. Sealed bids must be electronically submitted through the OpenGov eProcurement Portal by 3:00 p.m. on January 30, 2026, with the contract period spanning one year and potential for four additional one-year renewals.

The City intends to award the contract to multiple responsive and responsible vendors, with no specific set-aside designations for small or minority-owned businesses for this procurement. While no subcontracting goals have been established, the City offers a five percent bid discount for certified small local business enterprises (SLBEs) and minority-owned businesses. The estimated contract budget is $175,000, with pricing requirements including flat towing rates by vehicle category, mileage rates for out-of-county tows, service call rates, and emergency response surcharges. Successful bidders must maintain 24/7 on-call operations with strict response time requirements: one hour for routine calls and 30 minutes for emergencies. The contract includes performance provisions with monetary deductions for non-compliance, such as cleanliness standards, response time failures, and improper vehicle handling, with potential contract termination after four such deductions. Price adjustments will be limited to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), with the first potential adjustment occurring after the initial one-year contract period.