DAVENPORT, IOWA - Scott County (Iowa) Board of Supervisors approved Sept. 15 a contract with Mercury Associates for a study of the fleet services. The RFP was written in conjunction with nearby Johnson County in an effort to reduce consultant travel and logistics costs, according to Dave Donovan, facilities and support service director for Scott County.

"The motivating factor is cost," Donovan said about the fleet study. In addition to reducing costs, another goal is to examine the decentralized fleet and determine how it can be made more effective and efficient, he added.

The County fleet consists of 180 units, 130 of which are motorized, on-road vehicles.

"We're hopeful that we can have it completed shortly after the New Year so we can include some of the results in the budgeting process for the next fiscal year," Donovan said.

The two counties wrote a joint RFP when they found they were both looking into the same service. "We intend our timelines to coincide so the consultants can come and make their site visits at the same time. The savings is primarily in travel," Donovan said. Mercury Associates will conduct two separate reports.

Johnson County is expected to decide whether or not to approve its fleet study at a regular board meeting this week, Donovan said.