City Council OKs $5M contract to consolidate Tacoma's parking operations

Tacoma City Council approved a resolution Tuesday that consolidates the management of the City of Tacoma’s on-street and off-street parking facilities.

According to a report prepared by City staff, Tacoma has one contract with Republic Parking Northwest to manage its off-street parking operations, which include 1,700 parking stalls in six garages, and 216 parking stalls in three surface lots, and a separate contract with Xerox for its on-street parking operations, which includes 2,200 parking stalls located within the downtown parking enforcement area. Of that total, 1,800 spots are metered using approximately 160 Parkeon Strada pay stations. The dual management arrangement has been in place for the past five years.

The staff report also notes City-owned parking garages earned approximately $2.2 million in gross revenue for the City of Tacoma in 2013; approximately $1.6 million in gross revenue in 2012; and approximately $1.65 million in gross revenue in 2011. The on-street pay stations earned the City of Tacoma $970,524 in gross revenue in 2013; $962,751 in gross revenue in 2012; and $897,968 in gross revenue in 2011.

In March, the City of Tacoma published a legal notice in the Tacoma Daily Index requesting proposals for an estimated six-year, $12 million contract for one company to manage both on-street and off-street parking operations. The bid deadline expired on Tues., April 8, and three companies submitted proposals: LAZ Parking (Seattle, Wash.), Republic Parking Northwest (Tacoma, Wash.), and Diamond Parking Services (Tacoma, Wash.).

The resolution approved this week awards an 18-month contract worth approximately $5 million to Republic Parking Northwest to manage City-owned on-street and off-street parking facilities, including maintenance, deferred maintenance, daily operations, and customer support. The resolution also allows for the option to renew the contract for two additional two-year terms, for a projected contract total of approximately $11 million.

To read the Tacoma Daily Index’s complete and comprehensive coverage of Tacoma parking operations, click on the following links: