Beach businesses ask for chance to compete for city work

VIRGINA BEACH

Wyndham Curles has been fixing transmissions for almost 25 years. Private garbage haulers have brought their trucks to Curles. Beach residents have found his shop, tucked behind a tattoo parlor near the Navy base, when their SUVs need repair.

The only business he hasn't seen in recent years is from the city, said Curles, who co-owns Automatic Specialties.

Since 2004, Virginia Beach has been spending about $100,000 a year to get remanufactured transmissions for older police cars, pick ups, and dump trucks from Jasper Engines & Transmissions, a national company based in Indiana.

When the city's contract with Jasper expired late last year, Beach officials piggybacked on a Fairfax County deal with Jasper. The practice is allowed under the state's procurement laws, but Curles said it was unfair that in tough economic times, Virginia Beach-based businesses weren't allowed to compete for the work.

"We didn't get the opportunity to get turned down," Curles said.

Curles and several other auto repair shops have been communicating with each other about the bid process and are trying to lobby the city to make changes.

"We keep paying taxes and not getting ahead," said Mike Boyd, with Heritage Transmissions and Auto Repair.

Beach officials said there are reasons why they've stuck to a nationally known company for the transmissions. If a transmission needs to be replaced, Jasper ships one to the city within a day. That means police cars and trucks don't have to be pulled off duty for long periods, said Reggie Padgett, the Beach's fleet administrator.

Jasper's work has also been reliable, and the company offers warranties for two to three years, he said.

Local transmission shops want the city to reduce its testing and certification standards to do the work, Padgett said.

But some certifications aren't crucial, said David Pace, the director of transportation services for Virginia Beach schools.

The school division was initially going to use Fairfax County's contract as a template to solicit bids for school bus transmissions. But after hearing concerns from local vendors that the certification requirements in the bid kept them out of the process, Pace said he made some "tweaks."

The certification was equivalent to a doctorate degree, when a bachelor's was enough, Pace said.

"We have to do what we can for the small businesses," Pace said. "As long as they're building a good product and in a good timeline."

Jasper and local companies, including Automatic Specialties, submitted bids in May to the school division. School officials awarded the contract to the lowest bidder, a Chesapeake shop, which planned to do the work for about $13,000 less than Jasper. The process saved the schools money, Pace said.

The school division's transmission needs aren't the same as the city's, said Bill Davis, the Beach's purchasing director. For example, the school division got only a one-year warranty, Davis said.

"They rolled the dice," Davis said. "We'll see how they fare."

Mayor Will Sessoms, who has started holding semiannual meetings with small businesses, said he has heard concerns from several Beach-based companies about difficulties in getting city work.

"They don't feel like they're getting a fair shake," Sessoms said.

But Virginia Beach can't favor local companies, unless they come in at the same price as the lowest bidder, he said.

"I want our local businesses to benefit, with as much of the city business as they can," Sessoms said.

Curles said he won't give up trying to get city business.

The change in the school division's bid process is a victory for small businesses, even though his company didn't get the contract, he said.

"We'll keep knocking on their door, little bit by little bit, I'd like to get the work back," he said.

Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com