The City Manager or Director of Utilities, as appropriate, or their respective designees, shall certify in writing that certain personal property belonging to the City is surplus and has no further public use, or that the sale or disposition thereof would be in the best interests of the City. Original documentation for all surplus personal property sales shall be maintained in the Purchasing Division.
(Ord. 15998 § 1, 1957-12-23; Ord. 23123 § 1, 1984-03-06; Ord. 24743 § 1, 1990-10-23; Ord. 26914 § 1, 2001-12-18; repealed and reenacted by Ord. 27777 Ex A, 2009-01-06)
City sales of surplus personal property shall be made in accordance with the Purchasing Policy Manual except as otherwise provided in this Chapter or by other applicable law.
A. 
The sale of surplus personal property shall be accomplished by bid, unless a negotiated disposition process is approved. Use of a negotiated disposition process for surplus personal property with a value over $500,000 may be approved only by the City Council, for property held by General Government, or by the Public Utility Board, for property held by the Department of Public Utilities. Use of a negotiated disposition process for surplus personal property with a value under $500,000 may be approved by the Director of Finance. The negotiated disposition process may be used for surplus sales to other governmental entities, surplus sales of specialized or sensitive police and fire surplus personal property, sales of utility equipment to Department of Public Utilities customers, or when otherwise determined to be in the best interests of the City.
B. 
Trade-ins, when part of a purchase, do not need to be declared surplus.
(Ord. 24743 § 2, 1990-10-23; Ord. 25763 § 1, 1995-09-26; repealed by Ord. 26914 § 2, 2001-12-18; repealed and reenacted by Ord. 27777 Ex A, 2009-01-06; Ord. 28651 Ex. A, 2019-12-17)
Each bid for surplus personal property with an estimated value over $500,000 shall be accompanied by a deposit in the form of a cashier's check or bid bond in an amount not less than five percent of the amount bid. Other governmental or public agencies may be exempted from the deposit requirement. All such deposits so made shall be returned to the unsuccessful bidders depositing the same after the City has determined the successful bidder(s). The deposit of the successful bidder shall be applied to the purchase price, or, upon failure of such bidder to consummate the purchase, such deposit shall be forfeited as liquidated damages.
(Ord. 27777 Ex A, 2009-01-06; Ord. 28651 Ex. A, 2019-12-17)
Sealed bids for the sale of surplus personal property shall be opened in public by the City’s senior financial manager or designee at the time and place specified in the request for bids. The senior financial manager or designee shall make a tabulation of all bids that shall be available for public inspection during regular City business hours.
(Ord. 24743 § 3, 1990-10-23; Ord. 24973 § 1, 1991-09-10; Ord. 25082 § 1, 1992-03-24; Ord. 25335 § 19, 1993-07-20; Ord. 25361 § 1, 1993-09-07; repealed by Ord. 26914 § 2, 2001-12-18; repealed and reenacted by Ord. 27777 Ex A, 2009-01-06; Ord. 28651 Ex. A, 2019-12-17)
The award or rejection authority and procedure shall be as follows:
A. 
The City Manager or designee, for transactions involving the sale of surplus personal property held by General Government and valued over $500,000, shall forward all bids or negotiated offers received, or a summary of such bids or offers, together with the recommendations relating to the award thereof, to the City Council for approval or rejection.
1. 
The City Manager or designee shall have the authority to approve the sale of surplus personal property held by General Government valued at $500,000 or less.
B. 
The Director of Utilities, for transactions involving the sale of surplus utility personal property held by the Department of Public Utilities and valued over $500,000, shall forward all bids or negotiated offers received, or a summary of such bids or offers, together with the recommendations relating to the award thereof, to the Public Utility Board for approval or rejection. Upon approval of such sale by the Public Utility Board, the award shall be made by the senior financial manager. For purposes of this Section and RCW 35.94.040, the Public Utility Board is hereby authorized to approve, in a legislative authority capacity and after public hearing, all sales of surplus utility personal property without further City Council approval.
1. 
The Director of Utilities or designee shall have the authority to approve the sale of surplus utility personal property valued at $500,000 or less.
(Ord. 27777 Ex A, 2009-01-06; Ord. 28651 Ex. A, 2019-12-17)
A. 
Sale at auction.
1. 
When deemed to be in the best interests of the City, the senior financial manager or designee, may authorize the sale of surplus personal property by public auction; provided, however, that surplus personal property with an estimated value over $500,000, must first be approved as surplus personal property by the City Council or Utility Board, as appropriate. Upon completion of an approved auction sale, further governing body approval is not required.
2. 
Surplus personal property that will be sold by third-party auctioneers does not require prior approval by the City Council or Utility Board, even when the estimated value is over $500,000; provided, however, that the auctioneering services contract is approved by the City Council and/or Utility Board, as appropriate, and the intent is disclosed at time of contract approval.
B. 
Purchase at auction. Pursuant to 39.30.045 RCW, the City may purchase supplies, equipment, or materials at auctions conducted by the United States or any agency thereof, or any other government agency or private party without being subject to public bidding requirements if the items can be obtained at a competitive price; provided, however, that in the event the bid price is anticipated to be over $500,000, prior authorization shall be obtained from the City Council or the Public Utility Board, as appropriate.
(Ord. 27777 Ex A, 2009-01-06; Ord. 28651 Ex. A, 2019-12-17)
A. 
Transfer of property. When certain personal property, which has been declared surplus, has no commercial auction value or would cost more to sell as compared to the net proceeds received, then the department/division head, with the approval of the finance/purchasing manager, may transfer title of said surplus property to entity(ies) or person(s) in accordance with the standards and procedures set forth in the Purchasing Policy Manual, including but not limited to the following order of preference:
1. 
The surplus personal property may be transferred to a public agency;
2. 
The surplus personal property may be transferred to a private nonprofit agency that serves or benefits the public; or
3. 
The surplus personal property may be made available to the public when appropriate signs or advertisement notes the availability of the free items.
B. 
Wheels to Work program. Surplus vehicles that the City Manager determines are valued at less than $3,000 each may be provided to a nonprofit entity as part of the Wheels to Work program in accordance with a written agreement authorized by the City Council.
C. 
Release. The department/division involved in any transfer under this Section shall secure a release from the entity(ies) or person(s) acquiring the surplus property in a form available from the Purchasing Division, and as approved by the City Attorney; and a copy of such release shall be provided to the Purchasing Division.
(Ord. 27777 Ex A, 2009-01-06)