Up to six companies will vie for Scranton's parking meter management contract.
Representatives of the six firms spent more than a half-hour peppering Business Administrator Ryan McGowan and city solicitor Paul Kelly with questions about the city's request for proposals during a mandatory pre-bid conference Friday in council chambers at City Hall.
"This is a mandatory pre-bid, so whoever is here will be the only people who are allowed to bid," Mr. McGowan told the group.
The proposals for the five-year management deal are due by May 6.
Among the companies represented was Chicago-based Standard Parking, which has been managing the city's meters on a month-to-month basis since January.
The others were: Complus Data Innovations, Tarrytown, N.Y.; Laz Parking, Hartford, Conn.; Republic Parking System, Chattanooga, Tenn.; StreetSmart Technology, Chesterfield, Mo., and Xerox Services, Germantown, Md.
Some of the questions fielded by Mr. McGowan and Mr. Kelly dealt with the technical requirements of the RFP, but others were more general.
A Laz Parking representative questioned the city's preference for a company with experience in Pennsylvania.
Mr. McGowan explained the successful bidder will be expected to understand Pennsylvania law and the parking citation process used in the state.
"We want someone who has experience from day one," he said.
In response to another question, Mr. Kelly said he anticipates the city will enact an ordinance to allow the successful company to issue parking citations on its behalf.
Standard Parking originally submitted a proposed five-year management agreement that estimated the city would receive $2.8 million annually. However, the proposal was tabled in February after it was discovered the contract stated the agreement had been bid upon when it never was.
After the proposals are received May 6, it will take administration and council officials a "few weeks" to review them and recommend a vendor, Mr. McGowan said.
Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com