Summary#
Montréal’s city council adopted a decision awarding Globocam (Montréal) inc. a contract to supply four heated, insulated asphalt trucks. City staff say the goal is to support road repairs and pothole work.
- The contract price is $1,592,638.30, taxes included, plus $159,263.83 for contingencies, for an authorized total of $1,751,902.13, taxes included.
- One truck is assigned to Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough and three to the city’s pothole-repair centre of expertise. The city may move vehicles to adjust their allocation.
- The public call for tenders drew two bids. The resolution says Globocam received the highest final score under pre-set criteria; the staff summary says the contract was to go to the lowest compliant bidder. Globocam was also the lower-priced of the two bids.
- The resolution requires the city to evaluate Globocam’s performance.
What it means for you#
- Road users: City staff expect the trucks to help crews carry and keep asphalt warm, make fewer trips to supply plants, and complete repairs more efficiently. These are expected benefits, not guaranteed results.
- Residents: The decision buys equipment for municipal road work. It does not create a new public service or change residents’ rights or fees.
Money#
The city authorized up to $1,751,902.13, taxes included.
- The base contract price is $1,592,638.30; the remaining $159,263.83 is a contingency budget.
- The second bid was $2,095,240.65 before contingencies, taxes included. The staff summary says Globocam’s bid was 1.37% above the city’s estimate before contingencies.
What is unclear#
- The resolution and staff summary describe different award criteria: highest final score versus lowest compliant bid. The summary also says both bids were compliant.
- The resolution does not state a contract term. It gives delivery deadlines of 180, 195 and 210 days from the purchase order.
- The staff summary says the tender documents did not include penalties, so penalties for late delivery do not apply.
Case for#
- City staff say current methods involve frequent supply trips and asphalt cooling. Heated trucks could reduce those trips and help crews keep asphalt at a suitable temperature during repairs.
- Globocam’s bid was substantially below the other bid and close to the city’s estimate.
Case against#
- Without contractual penalties for late delivery, the city has no stated financial penalty to apply if the trucks arrive late.
- The conflicting descriptions of how the contract was awarded make the basis for selecting Globocam unclear from the supplied materials.