Towing Services

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
CITY OF FERGUSON, MISSOURI
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
TOWING SERVICES
The City of Ferguson ("City") is soliciting proposals to provide towing services for Ferguson
Police Department for an initial term of November 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with up to
four (4) additional one-year renewal terms at the option of the City.
The City reserves the right to accept or reject all or any part of the proposal, to waive
technicalities and to accept the offer considered to be the most advantageous to the city, as
determined under the Evaluation Criteria set out in this Request for Proposal.
Electronic copies of the Request for Proposal bid packets may be submitted to Joseph Seastrom
at jseastrom@fergusoncity.com. The bidder shall submit a proposal that includes the "Bid Form"
below. One copy must be received no later than 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 23, 2026 and should
be sent to the City Clerk, 110 Church Street, Ferguson, MO 63135 at which time they will be
publicly opened. Each proposal shall be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope:
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL-TOWING SERVICES. Proposals will become a part of the City
files and will not be returned.

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
POLICE TOWING CONTRACT
PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL: The City of Ferguson intends to secure a source
of supply for the above service(s). Any failure on the part of the supplier or contractor to comply
with the ensuing conditions and specifications shall be reason for termination of the contract.
CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS:
Services may include, but are not limited to: police-ordered towing; accident-related towing;
abandoned or disabled vehicle towing; impounded vehicle transportation; towing vehicles
involved in criminal investigations; transportation of vehicles to designated storage or impound
facilities; recovery and towing following accidents or other incidents; after-hours, weekend, and
holiday towing; emergency towing and recovery; heavy-duty and specialty towing; and other
towing-related services requested by the Ferguson Police Department.
1. Equipment: The towing firm shall have a minimum of three (3) light-duty tow trucks, owned
or leased by the towing firm, consisting of the following:
* Minimum of One (1) flatbed (rollback) truck
* Two (2) other standard light-duty tow trucks
The equipment shall be either owned or leased by the towing company. Agreements or
arrangements made with other towing companies for assistance or towing referrals shall not be
considered in meeting the requirements for equipment that shall be owned or leased at the time
the bid is submitted. Proposals that rely on equipment to be acquired after award will not be
considered.
The following equipment shall be obtainable on an emergency basis and billed through the
contractor whether owned by the contracted towing firm or obtained through an agreement or
arrangement with another towing firm. The secondary towing company shall adhere to all
licensing, insurance and fee structure contained in this agreement.
* One (1) truck capable of lifting at least thirty (30) tons
* Minimum of two (2) air cushions
The bidder shall have, or have access through a written agreement to, equipment and trained
personnel for the safe recovery, transport, and storage of electric and hybrid vehicles, including a
designated storage area for fire-damaged or collision-damaged electric vehicles that is separated
from other stored vehicles and structures.
2. Office and Storage:
The towing office and vehicle storage shall be kept at the same location. The bidder shall be able
to provide an accurate report of vehicles in storage and vehicles towed. These records shall be
retained for not less than three (3) years from the date of each tow, as required by RSMo
304.155, and shall be made available to the City upon request during and after the contract term.
Records of City-ordered tows are City records for purposes of the Missouri Sunshine Law.
The storage lot shall be fenced with a minimum six (6) foot high fence and secure. Storage and
office cannot be more than five (5) miles from the Ferguson Police Department Headquarters.
The storage facilities shall include secure inside storage for at least three (3) vehicles. Inside

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
storage shall include a designated evidence area with controlled access and a written access log.
Vehicles on a Police Department hold order shall be stored inside, and no person other than
Ferguson Police Department personnel shall enter, search, or remove items from a hold-order
vehicle. The outside storage facilities shall have secure storage for at least thirty-five (35)
vehicles.
The bidder shall describe its hours of operation; after-hours procedures; security measures;
facility capacity; lighting and surveillance; procedures for releasing vehicles; and procedures for
handling personal property located inside impounded vehicles.
3. Insurance:
The bidding company shall have the following minimum insurance coverage: (a) Commercial
General Liability of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate; (b)
Automobile Liability of not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit covering every tow truck
used under this contract; (c) Umbrella or Excess Liability of not less than $2,000,000 over the
general and automobile liability coverage; (d) Garagekeepers Legal Liability, on a direct primary
basis, of not less than $1,000,000 covering vehicles in the contractor's care, custody, or control;
(e) On-Hook or Cargo coverage of not less than $100,000 per vehicle for light-duty tows and
$250,000 per vehicle for heavy-duty tows; and (f) Workers' Compensation as required by
Missouri law. Proof of insurance coverage shall be submitted to the Ferguson Police Department
every six (6) months or annually (if the insurance term is annual). The insurance carrier, policy
conditions and coverage limitations shall be subject to the approval of the City and considered at
the time of bid review. All insurance carriers shall be licensed to do business in Missouri,
policies shall be primary and not require contribution from other policies; policies shall be
occurrence based and not claims made, shall require at least 30 days written notice to the City
prior to cancellation and shall name the City as additional insured if the bidder is awarded the
contract. Certificates of insurance naming the City as additional insured shall be delivered before
the contract is signed and at each renewal. The contractor shall notify the Police Department
immediately upon the cancellation, lapse, or non-renewal of any required policy, and no City-
ordered tows will be dispatched to the contractor while any required coverage is not in force.
4. Telephone Service and Dispatching:
The bidder company shall have twenty-four (24) hour a day telephone answering service. This
service is to be done by an employee of the towing company who is assigned to this task. The
bidder company shall also have direct radio/phone communications with each tow truck.
Contract arrangements with an answering service do not meet this requirement. The bidder shall
provide the Police Department Communications Unit with a direct dispatch number that is
answered by a live employee twenty-four (24) hours a day, and shall notify the Communications
Unit in writing of any change.
5. The following services will be provided at no cost to the City of Ferguson:
* Secure storage of all vehicles held and stored at the request of the police department.
* Waivers or reductions of towing or storage fees on City-ordered tows, which shall be
made only under written criteria adopted by the Chief of Police, documented on a
City-approved form, approved by a supervisor, and logged. A copy of each approved
waiver shall be provided to the contractor and retained by the Police Department for

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
not less than three (3) years. Cancelled tows (the truck is released before the vehicle
is hooked) shall be at no charge.
6. Administrative Requirements:
The bidder will be responsible for the following administrative requirements:
1. The processing and completion of all junk title certificates/salvage certificates in
accordance with RSMo 304.156.
2. Provide no later than the tenth (10th) day of each month, in an electronic format
acceptable to the Police Department, a monthly report listing the following information
for the preceding month:
a. Total number of vehicles towed.
b. Itemized listing of all vehicles towed including dates, locations and vehicle
descriptions, license plate numbers and VIN numbers.
c. Status and disposition report indicating whether the vehicle was returned to the owner,
held in storage, sold or junked.
d. Response time for each call, measured from dispatch to arrival.
e. Every vehicle on a Police Department hold order and the number of days held.
f. Every fee waiver or reduction applied, with the name of the approving supervisor.
g. Every vehicle sold, scrapped, or titled to the contractor under RSMo 304.156, with the
date of the certified notice.
3. Maintain a log or record of all vehicles towed indicating who authorized the tow and
the name of the driver who towed the vehicle.
4. Comply with all local, state and federal laws regarding the operation of tow trucks and
a towing business and all U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration regulations regarding towing operations.
5. Shall provide customer information cards (i.e. 3x5 cards) with the towing firm name,
location of storage yard, hours of operation and fees, the approved fee schedule, accepted
payment methods, release hours, and a one-page "Towed Vehicle Owner's Rights"
statement (including that prescribed medication will be released without payment, that
the owner may inspect the vehicle and retrieve personal items without charge during
business hours, and how to file a complaint with the Police Department), for officers to
handout to vehicle owners. Format to be pre-approved by the Chief of Police. Cards shall
be provided in English and Spanish.
7. Towing Fees and Costs Requirements:
The fees and costs agreed to under the terms of the contract for services will not be increased
during the term of the contract unless authorized by the Mayor and the City Council of the City
of Ferguson. No charge of any kind shall be imposed on a City-ordered tow that does not appear
on the fee schedule approved by the City.
8. Termination of Towing Contract Requirements:

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
The bidder agrees to provide the City with at least one hundred twenty (120) days notice prior to
terminating the contract for towing services. The City shall retain the option of terminating the
provisions of the contract for towing services with or without cause by providing written notice
to the bidder ten (10) days prior to the effective date of termination. If the contractor fails to meet
the response-time requirement on three (3) or more calls in any calendar month, or fails to
release a vehicle as required, the Police Department may suspend dispatch to the contractor
pending a written corrective action plan, and repeated failures shall be grounds for termination
for cause.
9. Use of other Towing Service by the City:
The City of Ferguson and the Ferguson Police Department shall retain the right to use any other
towing service during any emergency situation or whenever the bidder is unable to provide the
services agreed to under the terms of the service contract, when the bidder lacks the equipment
necessary for a particular incident, or when circumstances otherwise require an alternative
towing or recovery provider. The use of another provider under these circumstances shall not
constitute a breach of the contract by the City.
10. Continuation of Service Contract:
The terms and provisions of the contract for towing services will continue to remain in effect in
the event the contract expires and the new contract has not yet been awarded, until the new
contract takes effect.
11. Disputed Storage Fees/Dues:
No storage charge shall be assessed to the vehicle owner for any day on which the vehicle is held
by the Police Department on a hold order (evidence, pending search warrant, or forfeiture).
Storage charges to the owner begin the day after the Police Department gives written notice of
release. Storage for hold-order vehicles shall be borne by the contractor for the first thirty (30)
days of the hold; thereafter the City shall pay the hold-order storage rate stated in the Bid Form.
Disputes over charges shall be resolved under the written fee schedule and the dispute procedure
in the contract.
12. Administrative Fees for Releasing Vehicles:
Bidders will not be allowed to charge a separate administrative fee for releasing a vehicle, which
has been towed. No administrative, release, gate, paperwork, after-hours, or other fee not listed
on the City-approved fee schedule shall be charged on any City-ordered tow.
13. Statutory and Regulatory Compliance:
Bidders shall be in compliance with all applicable State Statutes (including RSMo 304.153
through 304.158), local ordinances (permits, zoning and business licenses), and U.S. Department
of Transportation and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations regarding towing
services and towing companies.
14. Fuel Surcharge:
Bidders shall be permitted to charge a fuel surcharge in addition to the contractual fees approved
in the contract. The fuel surcharge shall be permitted if the U.S. Energy Information
Administration weekly average retail diesel price for the Midwest (PADD 2) region exceeds
$5.25 per gallon. The fuel surcharge shall be based on a simple formula based on the cost

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
increase of fuel. When the published average price rises over the established fuel rate of $5.25
per gallon, the bidder shall be permitted to charge $5.00 additional as a fuel surcharge to the
towing fees. For each additional whole dollar the published average exceeds $5.25, the surcharge
increases by an additional $5.00, in whole-dollar bands: $5.26 to $6.25 = $5.00; $6.26 to $7.25 =
$10.00; $7.26 to $8.25 = $15.00; and so on. The contractor shall post the current surcharge at its
office and provide the published figure on request. Whenever the fuel surcharge fees are in effect
for police tows, all customers shall be provided with an itemized explanation of the fees
involved.
The fuel surcharge, if implemented, shall apply only to the actual towing fees and shall not apply
towards storage or manpower fees. No fuel surcharge fees shall be permitted if the published
average price remains below $5.25 per gallon. The City of Ferguson shall not be responsible for
any fuel surcharge fees.
15. Evaluation Criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated and scored on the following criteria: proposed rates (30 points);
response-time capability and fleet (25 points); storage facility, security, and distance from the
Police Department (15 points); experience and law enforcement references (15 points); records
and reporting capability (10 points); and completeness of the proposal (5 points). The evaluation
panel shall include representatives of the Police Department and the City's Finance Department,
and the panel's scoring shall be retained as part of the procurement file.
JUSTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. Equipment Requirements:
The reason for the flatbed trucks is because some vehicles require all wheels be off the ground
for towing. On serious accidents involving major damage the vehicles cannot be moved without
a flatbed truck.
The number of trucks is based on the heavy volume of traffic within the City and the problems of
multiple car, chain reaction crashes. The heavy volume of traffic does not allow for the towing of
vehicles one at a time by one or two trucks. Allowing wrecked vehicles to remain on busy
roadways obstructs the flow of traffic and causes other multiple car crashes. There is also a
heavy volume of large trucks within the City. If a rollover occurs with a loaded truck, it may take
a heavy-duty truck and the air cushions to upright the vehicle.
Multiple car crashes or loaded truck crashes require multiple, special use tow trucks to properly
remove wrecked vehicles. The heavy-duty tow trucks are not always capable of towing small
cars without creating more damage. The police department requires that the towing company be
able to handle multiple car/truck crashes, which require at least three (3) light duty tow trucks
and one (1) heavy-duty tow truck.
2. Office and Storage Requirements:
The reason for the office and storage being at the same place is for the convenience of the person
whose car has been towed. The owner of the vehicle should not have to pay at one office, then
have to drive several miles away to another location where the vehicle is stored. The reason for
the storage facility being within five (5) miles of the police department is to ensure that officers
do not have to travel too far to inspect a vehicle and are within close distance in the event of an
emergency.

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
3. Insurance Requirements:
The insurance is required to protect the City from liability issues associated with awarding a
contract to a bidder with insufficient insurance coverage. The business of towing vehicles has a
very high level of potential liability, especially when towing vehicles from the scene of a multi-
vehicle accident on a busy roadway.
4. Telephone Service and Dispatching Requirements:
If a towing company is allowed to use an answering service instead of an employee who is
assigned as a telephone operator/dispatcher there is a significant delay in responding to calls for
service. The police dispatcher has to call the answering service, the answering service will then
need to page a driver, at which point it could be any amount of time before the driver calls into
the answering service. In the event the situation changes, such as needing an additional tow truck
this process would have to be repeated again. Should the police or a customer call with a
question regarding a towed vehicle, the answering service has no information. The request for
information would have to be delayed until the next business day.
5. Secure Storage:
The Ferguson Police Department requires a location to securely store vehicles in pursuit of its
law enforcement functions. The secure storage of vehicles for the police department by the
towing company awarded the contract is a logical extension.
Fee waivers, reductions, and cancelled tows are governed by the written criteria referenced in
Section 5. The contractor shall honor any waiver documented on the City-approved form, and the
Police Department shall retain a log of every waiver so that the process is transparent to the
contractor, the City, and the public.
6. Administrative Requirements:
Self-Explanatory
7. Towing Fees and Costs Requirements:
Self-Explanatory
8. Termination of Towing Contract Requirements:
The mission of the police department is to serve the needs of the community and protect the
public. In the event the bidder company will no longer be able to continue the contract, the one
hundred twenty (120) day notice is required to ensure a timely transition and a new bidding
process. In the event the bidder is unable or unwilling to provide the services provided for in the
contract, the City retains the right to discontinue the contract and establish a new contract with a
towing service, which will meet the needs of the community.
9. Use of Other Towing Services by the City:
Self-Explanatory
10. Continuation of Service Contract:
Self-Explanatory
11. Disputed Storage Fees/Costs:

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
Long-term storage may be required in some cases related to criminal offenses. The fees and costs
associated with this long-term storage could be substantial if the regular rate is charged. In some
cases this could create financial hardship for the victim's family. For that reason, no storage
charge is assessed to the owner for any day the vehicle is held on a Police Department hold
order, and charges are governed by the written fee schedule rather than case-by-case
determination. Failure to honor the fee schedule or the hold-order rule will be considered non-
compliance with the terms of this contract.
12. Obligations of Businesses:
Any person, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of providing any towing service as
provided by these proposals shall have the following obligations:
A. Service shall be available for all City ordered tows on a twenty-four hour basis
including Sundays and holidays.
B. The towing service shall indemnify, defend and hold the City harmless from any and
all claims, demands, liabilities, and suits in law or in equity that may arise from or out of
the towing service's activities while engaged in performance of this contract service.
C. The towing service shall post signs specifying the rates and charges authorized by this
contract in a conspicuous place in the towing service's principal office and the vehicle
storage area(s).
D. The towing service called to provide emergency towing services shall assist in cleanup
work at the scene of the occurrence under the direction of the police department; such
cleanup shall include broom sweeping the street of broken glass and removal of loose
debris, and the towing service shall carry absorbent material for fluid spills and follow
the direction of the on-scene officer for lane closures and traffic control.
E. Upon notification by the police department for the need for towing services, the
towing service shall immediately dispatch a tow truck to the designated location.
Emergency towing service shall arrive at the scene within fifteen (15) minutes of a call
for service. Heavy-duty response shall arrive within forty-five (45) minutes. The towing
service shall advise the Communications Unit at the time of dispatch if it cannot meet the
required response time, in which case the Police Department may use another towing
service for that call at no cost to the City. Response times shall be recorded by the
Communications Unit and reported monthly.
F. The towing service shall bear the sole responsibility for safekeeping of all personal
property, vehicles and vehicle accessories contained in or upon any vehicle that is towed
at the request of the police department. Stored vehicles shall be kept within the fenced,
locked, and lighted storage facility. Vehicles on a Police Department hold order shall be
kept in the secure inside evidence area.
G. The towing service shall conduct all towing services in an orderly and professional
manner, taking all reasonable precautions against damaging vehicles being towed and to
comply with all applicable Missouri State Statutes governing the towing and disposal of
vehicles.
H. The towing service shall maintain logbooks and records of all police tows and such
books shall be opened at all times to inspection by the police department or other

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
representative of the City. The storage facility shall be opened to inspection by the City
or other government officials during regular business hours. Police officers may enter
upon and inspect vehicles stored in the storage facility at any time in performance of their
official duties. Records of City-ordered tows shall be retained for not less than three (3)
years (RSMo 304.155) and shall be provided to the City in electronic form upon request.
The towing service shall cooperate with any records request the City receives under the
Missouri Sunshine Law. The Police Department may inspect the tow trucks, equipment,
and storage facility at least once a year and at any other time without advance notice. The
towing service shall correct any deficiency identified in writing within ten (10) days.
I. No cars shall be released without authorization of the police department. When claimed
by the owner, the towing service shall provide an itemized statement of all charges made
for towing and storage of the vehicle and, upon payment, shall release the vehicle and all
personal property in it. Prescribed medication shall be released to the owner on request
without payment, and the owner shall be permitted to inspect personal property and
receive an itemized receipt for its contents, as required by RSMo 304.155.9. At the
direction of the Police Department, child safety seats, medical devices, and identification
documents shall also be released without payment. Unless the vehicle is on a Police
Department hold order, the owner or the owner's insurance adjuster shall be allowed,
without charge during business hours, to inspect and photograph the vehicle and remove
personal items from it. The towing firm shall maintain these receipts in their towing
records.
J. Payment. The towing service shall accept cash (RSMo 304.158.7) and at least one
major credit or debit card for all towing and storage charges.
K. Release Hours. Vehicles shall be released to owners at the storage facility at a
minimum Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00
p.m., and by appointment within two (2) hours at other times at the after-hours release fee
stated in the Bid Form.
L. Drivers. Every driver operating under this contract shall hold a valid Missouri driver
license of the proper class, shall pass a criminal history check acceptable to the Chief of
Police, and shall carry identification. Within twelve (12) months of the contract start, or
of hire, each driver shall complete the national Traffic Incident Management (TIM)
responder training or an equivalent towing-and-recovery certification course, and the
towing service shall keep proof on file. While working on or near a roadway, drivers
shall wear a uniform shirt showing the company name and a high-visibility vest meeting
ANSI/ISEA 107 (American National Standards Institute) Class 2 or Class 3. The towing
service shall provide a current driver roster to the Police Department and update it within
five (5) days of any change.
M. Conduct. No driver or employee of the towing service shall solicit business at any
scene, shall respond to a scene unless dispatched by the Police Department (RSMo
304.153.5), or shall offer any gift, gratuity, meal, discount, or thing of value to any City
employee or official. Violation is grounds for immediate termination.
N. Lettering. Each tow truck shall display the towing service's name, city, and state in
letters at least three (3) inches high (RSMo 304.158.5).

Ferguson Police Department - 2026-2027 Towing Contract
O. Owner Notice. The towing service shall provide the Police Department, within one (1)
business day of each tow, the information needed for the Department to send the written
owner and lienholder notice required by RSMo 304.158.1, and shall itself send the
certified-mail lien notice required by RSMo 304.156.1 within the statutory time.
P. Storage Charges. Storage charges shall be reasonable, shall not exceed the towing
service's charges for vehicles towed with the consent of the owner, and may be assessed
only for the time in which the towing service complies with the procedural requirements
of RSMo 304.155 to 304.158 (RSMo 304.156.2). No storage charge shall be made for
any calendar day on which the storage facility was not open for vehicle release for at least
four (4) hours, unless the owner declined an available after-hours release appointment.
Q. Crime Victims. When the Police Department tows a recovered stolen vehicle, or a
vehicle towed only because its owner was the victim of a crime (for example, a vehicle
damaged in a shooting), and the owner has reported the crime to a law enforcement
agency, the towing service shall charge no towing fee, and no storage fee shall accrue
until seventy-two (72) hours after the Police Department notifies the owner that the
vehicle may be released. The Police Department will identify these tows at the time of the
request.
R. Condition Photographs and Damage Claims. Before hooking a vehicle and again when
it arrives at the storage facility, the driver shall take date-stamped photographs showing
all sides of the vehicle. Photographs shall be kept with the tow record for three (3) years
and provided free to the owner or the Police Department on request. The towing service
shall respond in writing to any damage claim within ten (10) business days.
S. Confidentiality. The towing service and its employees shall not post, share, or give to
any news outlet or social media any photograph, video, or information about a police
scene, a towed vehicle, its contents, or any person involved, except as required for
billing, insurance, or by law.
T. Complaints. The towing service shall keep a written log of every complaint it receives
about a City-ordered tow and how it was resolved, and shall include the log in its
monthly report. The towing service shall respond in writing within seven (7) days to any
complaint forwarded by the Police Department. The Chief of Police will designate a Tow
Contract Liaison to receive complaints from the public.
13. Authorized Charges:
The towing service shall not charge for towing service performed at the request of the City at any
rate greater than the rate specified in the proposal and accepted by the City. The City shall not be
responsible for payment of charges and there shall be no storage fees charged to the City, except
as provided in Section 11 for hold-order vehicles. Charges are to be paid by others. Collection is
the responsibility of the towing service. City vehicles having a gross vehicle weight up to 8,000
pounds shall be towed at no cost to the City. Vehicles identified as criminal evidence will be
towed at no cost to the City. Upon evidence release, the police department will determine
subsequent towing and storage.
The City will not pay the towing fees for unclaimed vehicles. The towing service's remedy for
unclaimed vehicles is the lien and title process in RSMo 304.156, which the towing service shall
follow at its own expense.