The county is refurbishing the hoisting winch for its helicopter fleet at a cost of $125,930.
According to sheriff John McMahon, “The department’s aviation division utilizes helicopters for patrol and rescue operations throughout the county. The helicopters are outfitted with hoists to be used during rescue missions allowing for the recovery of victims, regardless of the terrain conditions at the rescue site.”
McMahon asked the board of supervisors to spring $125,930 “to issue a purchase order to Goodrich Corporation – Hoist and Winch Division for overhaul services of the helicopter rescue hoist system used in rescue operations. The recommended purchase order will allow the department to secure the mandatory ten-year overhaul service of an existing rescue hoist in a timely manner. The overhaul will replace most of the moving parts, lift cable, and electrical components of the hoist, extending the useful life of the equipment for another six to eight years. The current hoists are manufactured by Goodrich Corporation SAS; therefore, Goodrich needs to provide this service and required parts for system compatibility.”
The board of supervisors accordingly agreed to contract for the overhaul without a competitive process, based upon McMahon’s assurance that “[The] purchasing [department] concurs with the non-competitive acquisition of these services based on the proprietary nature of the service and parts provided by Goodrich.”