Columbus Fleet Division Seeks Authority to Purchase Automobiles and Light-Duty Trucks via UTC Contracts
The ordinance would establish purchase orders for vehicles and upfitting for city operations.
Source: Columbus OH Council Agenda ↗
Columbus, Ohio’s Fleet Management Division is seeking council approval to spend $2,000,000 on automobiles and light-duty trucks plus associated upfitting for the Division of Fire and Division of Police, with purchase orders to be drawn against previously established Universal Term Contracts.
Ordinance 2169-2026 would authorize the Finance and Management Director to establish purchase orders with three vendors: George Byers Sons Holding Inc. at $1,300,000 for vehicles; Law and Order Technology, LLC at $150,000 for computers and accessories; and Parr Public Safety Equipment Inc. at $550,000 for safety upfit service and emergency vehicle lights.
The George Byers order covers 23 Ford Interceptor SUV cruisers and two Ford Interceptor SUVs. The city cited high mileage, high maintenance costs and end-of-life-cycle status as the basis for replacement, saying the new units will improve fuel efficiency and reduce maintenance expenses.
Funding would come from the General Fund’s Income Tax Set Aside subfund. The ordinance carries an emergency declaration, which under Columbus procedure allows it to take effect immediately upon passage rather than after the standard 30-day waiting period.
The UTC with George Byers runs through June 30, 2027; Law and Order Technology’s agreement expires April 30, 2027; and Parr’s safety upfit UTC runs through December 31, 2027, while its emergency vehicle light contract expires November 30, 2026. The ordinance had not been voted on as of the August 31, 2026 filing date.
