Pittsburgh parking bidding enters second round

The bidding process for Pittsburgh’s parking garages and meters will enter a second, “best and final offer” round, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced Wednesday.

“The competitive process puts the City in a very good position to make sure that we receive the highest number possible,” Ravenstahl said in a statement.

Pittsbugh parking auction: two rounds of bidding

The “best and final offer” round was triggered because the values of at least two bids submitted yesterday for Pittsburgh’s parking garages and meters were within 10 percent of each other. Pittsburgh had explained to bidders in its request for proposals that if this situation were to arise, it would solicit a second round of bids in a “best and final offer” round.

The “best and final offer” round puts Pittsburgh on par with Chicago, which also sought second-round bids in 2008 when it auctioned off its parking meter system.

The city did not announce how many bids it received yesterday, or how many will enter the “best and final round”. No offer figures were disclosed, either.

Pittsburgh said it was not disclosing such information because it wanted to keep the process as competitive as possible while the bidders craft their second-round bids.

The second round bids will be due at 4pm on Monday, 20 September, Pittsburgh said.