SAN DIEGO – The City of San Diego announced that City employees won the bid to perform street sweeping services for the City. The City workers’ bid came in 12% lower compared with previous costs. The bid will save $560,000 in annual street sweeping costs without a reduction in service, according to the City. City workers beat out three independent contractors in the bidding process.

“The winning bid includes no reduction in service levels,” said San Diego’s Mayor Jerry Sanders. “In other words, our streets will be swept with the exact same frequency at a lower cost to taxpayers. Our employees have devised a plan to work smarter and more efficiently – which is exactly what managed competition is designed to do.”

Government Fleet spoke with John Clements, fleet manager for the City of San Diego, about how street sweeping’s reduced costs will affect fleet management. According to Clements, Fleet Services’ managed competition established an annual fixed price for all vehicle and equipment maintenance. With this being the case, the number of street sweepers the City will end up using, and fleet services will end up maintaining and repairing, will vary. The City currently operates 45 sweepers.

“If a substantial number of sweepers are reduced from the fleet, management will have to determine the financial impact and reduce fleet resources (labor, parts, etc.) accordingly,” Clements said. “The street sweepers will continue to be part of the vehicle replacement program, as are all other vehicles.”

At this point it remains to be seen the specific effects this change will have on fleet services.