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The Fund Finder News
Public Safety Grants Consulting

This 2.5-ton Kaiser Equipment Truck would make a great Mobile Command Post
Law Enforcement: Got $3,000 and want a Mobile Command Post for your department? This 2.5-ton Kaiser Equipment Truck would be perfect. Air-conditioned and with less than 12,000 miles on it, this vehicle sold for $2,579. (Photo Credit: Government Liquidation, LLC).
The Fund Finder News
A Bi-Weekly Grants News and Information Update By Kurt Bradley
Issue 15, November 19, 2004

"Like eBay for the Government"

Can't find a specific grant for a piece of equipment your department needs? Get creative with an online way to find and obtain government surplus items that meet your needs and budget.

Many of you call and are disappointed when I relate to you that a program does not exist to fund the piece of equipment that you are seeking to augment your missions. Sometimes this is a matter of there not being a specific program to obtain the items. Sometimes your agencies isn't eligible to participate in a certain program. This does not mean you should give up hope! There are other ways to obtain this equipment — if you know where to look.

Quite a few of you have asked about obtaining government surplus items and how to go about finding this equipment. This process, up until a few years ago, was long and complicated. It usually involved going to a GSA site or military base, where you could have a look at what happened to be there at the time. It was an arduous, but not very productive process.

Good news: things have changed.

Want a 5-Ton Diesel Truck for $350?
With the advent of the Internet, you can now conduct such searches and obtain good quality, serviceable equipment at considerable discount — and all from the comfort and security of your desktop. All of us are familiar with the commercial success that has come about as a result of eBay. The government has recognized this success and now conducts its own online version of eBay.

Collapsible Fabric 5000-Gallon Water Tank
Fire Departments can take advantage of equipment such as this Uniroyal Collapsible Fabric 5000-Gallon Water Tank (Photo Credit: Government Liquidation, LLC).

The Government Liquidation website functions very much the same as eBay. You can search for items in 600 different categories by keyword, location, manufacturer or any number of other ways. Listings usually include photographs, specifications, where the item is located, and when the auction will start and end.

This service is open to any US citizen over the age of 18 who possesses a valid credit card. Recent examples of auction items I have seen include a 17' Boston Whaler skiff on a trailer for $90, a 225 HP Evinrude Outboard Motor for $225, and a 1997 5-ton diesel 6x6 truck with 38,000 miles on it — $350. These of course are unbelievable prices for these types of items, and Government Liquidation provides an excellent way to further your budget dollars and better complete your missions.

Look, Bid, Win, Get
So what's the catch? There is none! This is as straight up as it can get, and it works.

I am aware of a city in Florida that obtained a John Deere front-end loader with backhoe and air-conditioned cab. The backhoe had less than 750 hours on it. They paid $400 for the item and simply had to send a truck and pick it up. How much simpler can you get? You look, you bid, you win, you go and get the item. It is really that simple.

While there's not a catch, there are restrictions on some items. For example, the government is not going to sell weapons or bombs to just anyone (thank God). Some items are coded to denote that special buying restrictions may apply.

How about a 1985 Chevy 8-Cylinder Diesel, 4x4, 4-Ton Ambulance?
EMS: How about a 1985 Chevy 8-Cylinder Diesel, 4x4 4-Ton Ambulance — that only has 13,000 miles on it? (Photo Credit: Government Liquidation, LLC).
In general, most items listed on the site are available for purchase by a public safety agency. If you are creative and have some resources available, that tanker truck you need for the fire department, or that new generator to power the station during an emergency, could be yours for pennies on the dollar. How about a complete, air-conditioned mobile command post on a trailer? Or a portable X-ray machine for your forensics laboratory? I have seen radio equipment, aircraft parts, trucks, 4x4s, pontoon boats, fishing boats, ATV's etc. on this site.

Sales are usually conducted several times a month. Just like eBay, you can enter auto-bids, monitor auctions with "Add This Listing to your Watchlist", etc. Government Liquidation also conducts sealed bid sales, where you submit your best offer and then are notified if you are the winner.

You Are the Shipping Method
You have to pay attention to where items are located, as it is your responsibility to go and retrieve your new equipment from where it is stored. These are usually military installations within the US, Guam or Puerto Rico.

You register to the site using a credit card; however, you do have the option of alternative methods of payment once a sale is closed. Just call in to make arrangements (phone numbers are listed along with other contact info). That would facilitate using a government check, cashier's check, etc. Customer service people are friendly and helpful, and their responses to email questions are usually very fast.

This is a great resource for you to take advantage of. It requires some close attention to detail (if you're in Florida, you probably don't want to go to Guam to get a new truck). Expect to spend a good bit of time digging in and drilling down through menus to get to the pertinent information you need. Just remember that it is worth every bit of effort.

Departments would be well advised to continually search this site for opportunities to obtain some of those high-dollar items that you just can't seem to afford. Start up that marine patrol or water rescue service you have always wanted to have. Get that 5-ton diesel truck and put a tank on the back of it. Get that command support pick-up that you have always needed. You can even live it up a little — how about a large air-conditioned tent for use as a field command post for search and rescue or forensic recovery work?

The point is, with a little ingenuity, vision and legwork, the possibilities here are endless.

I encourage you to explore this possibility thoroughly as a continual source of equipment for your departments. Using this resource will save precious budget dollars and extend them further than you ever thought possible.

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