INDIANAPOLIS (March 10, 2010) – Indiana local governments saved nearly $8.7 million on road salt last winter through the state’s OneIndiana program. The time is approaching for local units of government to commit their Winter 2010-2011 volumes to again maximize the state’s purchasing power.
The Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), working through the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) and the Association of Indiana Counties (AIC), asked local governments to project the volume of salt they would need for winter 2009-2010 and to commit that volume to the state. As a result, IDOA procurement administrators were able to leverage the promise of large volumes into lower, guaranteed prices for 160 local government units. Local communities will have three weeks – March 22-April 9 – to submit their volumes via IDOA’s web-based tool www.oneindiana.net. IDOA will begin its solicitation for salt prices on April 26 and announce the bid winner the week of May 31.
In Michigan City, Monticello and Winchester, city executives were able to count on two things in regards to snow removal this winter: timely arrival of salt supplies and savings on their salt purchases.
The savings was worth the commitment. For winter 2008-2009, local government units paid an average $103.50 per ton for salt. Winter 2009-2010, with amassed buying power, the cost dropped to an average $60 per ton.
“The road salt initiative is a clear win-win for both state and local governments,” said IDOA Commissioner Mark W. Everson. “We hope to expand the program in the future to other critical purchases.”
“It’s a great program,” agreed Michigan City Mayor Charles Oberlie. In the Lake Michigan snow-belt, his city paid one-third of the cost per ton for winter 2009-2010 over the 2008-2009 snow season. “This effort has demonstrated what can be done when governments work together.”
Monticello Mayor Jason Thompson said the OneIndiana salt program came to his attention by the city’s venerable street superintendent of 30 years. Mayor Thompson said Monticello was fortunate this winter that snow most often fell to the south of the city; but salt supplies arrived with “no problems at all.” Better yet, the city’s cost was about half of the previous year. “It’s a good service and actually, we didn’t use all of our supply,” he said.
Snow that missed Monticello apparently landed on Winchester, in east central Indiana. Mayor Steven Croyle said “we’re very grateful to the state for letting us in on the purchase. When Indianapolis would receive 3 to 4 inches of snow, we seemed to get 6 to 8. The program allowed us to cut our costs for salt in half. I hope it continues.”
“Thanks to this state program municipal leaders all across Indiana have been able to purchase road salt at a significantly reduced rate,” said IACT Executive Director Matthew C. Greller. “During this harsh winter and these tough fiscal times, having this program in place has helped save the taxpayers money and increased the public’s safety on our roadways.”
Winchester’s Mayor Croyle is ready to see the OneIndiana program extended into other cost-intensive areas for street departments throughout the state. “I wish they’d offer it for asphalt, gas and oil,” he said.
About IDOAThe Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) provides support services to state agencies. IDOA centrally manages activities related to state purchasing, the vehicle and aviation fleet, state travel, real estate leases, and property disposition, among others. Through its operations, IDOA helps to ensure the smooth function of state government, finding efficient, effective solutions to government-wide needs.
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Media contactIndiana Department of Administration: Connie Smith, (317) 233-1494, csmith@idoa.in.gov