Automakers show interest in multistate proposal after meeting in Oklahoma

Last month, Fallin and Hickenlooper met with executives from Chrysler, General Motors and Ford. Now, carmakers have visited Oklahoma to show their interest in the venture. “It’s absolutely awesome. The opportunity for us to expand the CNG (vehicle) beyond the borders of Oklahoma, Texas and this area here is a huge positive effort,” said Alan Rosner, director of commercial, government and municipal fleet services for Sam Pack’s Five Star Ford in Carrollton, who is confident Ford will increase its line of NGVs as a result of this action. He also remarked that as states increase their purchases of vehicles, cities, counties and school boards will start buying them too, while more consumers will follow suit.

Solicitation responses from manufacturers and dealers are due September 7, and purchasing officials expect award a contract by October 5. The contract specifically details a potential purchase of as many as 60 compact sedans, 850 mid- to full-size sedans, 400 half-ton trucks and 480 three-quarter ton trucks, although it notes that the final number of vehicles purchased could fluctuate. Fallin has asked Oklahoma agency heads to suspend buying any new vehicles until after the bids for NGVs come in and to review those.

While 14 Governors have signed a MOU in support of the initiative, in total 22 states have shown an interest in the RFP including Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.