Tow Contract Award FY2026-FY2028City of Dubuque
City Council
CONSENT ITEMS # 14.
Copyrighted
June 16, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Tow Contract Award FY2026-FY2028
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval of the FY
2026-FY2028 City of Dubuque Tow Contract being awarded
to Wenzel Towing, 3197 Hughes Ct., Dubuque, Iowa, as
recommended by the City of Dubuque Tow Contract Awards
Committee.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MVM Memo
2. Staff Memo Tow Contract Award 061025
3. Committee Recommendation
Page 200 of 1053
THE CITY OF
DUBE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Tow Contract Award FY2026-FY2028
DATE: June 10, 2025
Dubuque
AI WIN av
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
Chief of Police Jeremy Jensen is recommending City Council approval of the FY 2026-
FY2028 City of Dubuque Tow Contract being awarded to Wenzel Towing, 3197 Hughes
Ct., Dubuque, Iowa, as recommended by the City of Dubuque Tow Contract Awards
Committee.
A committee consisting of City staff members was assembled to review the submitted
request for proposals and recommend the awarding of the contract. The committee
members included Travis Kramer and Brandon Bauer from the Dubuque Police
Department; Travis Schrobilgen from Planning & Zoning; Brian Wulfekuhle from
Operations & Maintenance; Tony Breitbach from Finance; and Kevin Esser from the
Fire Department. The committee was tasked with evaluating the RFP's, pricing,
facilities, and equipment of the tow companies and to make a recommendation.
As part of the bid process for the FY2026-FY2028 City of Dubuque Towing contract,
Requests for Proposals (RFP) were placed on the City website on April 28, 2025, with a
bid submittal deadline May 22, 2025. Contract proposals were received from Biedler's
Towing of Dubuque and Wenzel Towing of Dubuque.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
k�4 S4-zn�
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Jeremy Jensen, Chief of Police
Page 201 of 1053
Dubuque
THE CITY OF
AII•Americ� city
UB E 1 11111.1
2007.2012.2013
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2017*2019
TO: Mike Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Jeremy Jensen, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: Tow Contract Award FY2026-FY2028
DATE: June 10, 2025
INTRODUCTION
The City of Dubuque Towing Contract Awards Committee has completed its review of
the submitted request for proposals (RFP) for the FY2026-FY2028 City of Dubuque
Towing Contract. Based upon their findings, the committee is recommending the
contract to be awarded to Wenzel Towing, 3197 Hughes Ct., Dubuque, Iowa.
BACKGROUND
As part of the bid process for the FY2026-FY2028 City of Dubuque Towing contract,
Requests for Proposals (RFP) were placed on the City website on April 28, 2025, with a
bid submittal deadline May 22, 2025. Contract proposals were received from Biedler's
Towing of Dubuque and Wenzel Towing of Dubuque.
A committee consisting of City staff members was assembled to review the submitted
request for proposals and recommend the awarding of the contract. The committee
members included Travis Kramer and Brandon Bauer from the Dubuque Police
Department; Travis Schrobilgen from Planning & Zoning; Brian Wulfekuhle from
Operations & Maintenance; Tony Breitbach from Finance; and Kevin Esser from the
Fire Department. The committee was tasked with evaluating the RFP's, pricing,
facilities, and equipment of the tow companies and to make a recommendation.
Attached is that recommendation.
Wenzel's Towing currently holds the current tow contract for the City of Dubuque.
There have been no complaints from City staff. Additionally, there have been no
complaints from the public or companies (not counting competitors). The only
complaints have come from competitors as to the fairness of receiving tows (request
that we move away from the contract), excessive pricing (I have not received any
1
Page 202 of 1053
evidence of this), stealing of gas from vehicles (again no evidence), and general civility
between competitors (complaints about confrontations with each other and videoing
each other).
RECOMMENDATION
After consideration and review, the Towing Awards Committee recommended Wenzel
Towing, 3197 Hughes Ct., Dubuque for the FY 2026-FY2028 City of Dubuque Towing
Contract. I concur with their recommendation.
ACTION REQUESTED
City Manager review and approval; and City Council consideration and approval of the
FY 2026-FY2028 City of Dubuque Tow Contract being awarded to Wenzel Towing,
3197 Hughes Ct., Dubuque, Iowa, as recommended by the City of Dubuque Tow
Contract Awards Committee.
2
Page 203 of 1053
THE C
Dubuque
Police Department
Dubuque Law Enforcement Center
DtU�B�
All-Amenea Cily
770 Iowa Street
P.O. Box 875
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
pp
"" ° "`°� "'
1 I I I I r
Dubuque, IA 52004-0875
Office (563) 589-4410
Fax (563) 589-4497
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
TTY (563) 583-1711
E-mail: police@cityofdubuque.org
www.cityofdubuque.org
Date: June 10, 2025
To: Chief Jeremy Jensen
From: Cpl. Travis Kramer
Re: Tow Contract Recommendation
In accordance with the "Vehicle Towing Services" Request For Proposal, dated April 28,
2025, an evaluation committee was established to review and evaluate the proposals
received. The committee members were Brandon Bauer (DPD Patrol Captain), Tony
Breitbach (Finance Dept.), Kevin Esser (Fire Dept.), Travis Kramer (DPD Property &
Evidence Coordinator), Travis Schrobilgen (Planning Dept.), and Brian Wulfekuhle
(Public Works Dept.).
On June 5, 2025, the committee conducted on -site reviews at Wenzel Towing and
Beidler Towing, the two submissions received. Each bidder was evaluated according to
the evaluation criteria outlined in the RFP. Beidler Towing received 251 points and
Wenzel Towing received 274 points out of a maximum of 300 points. However, not all
criteria were scored by each committee member, so the adjusted maximum was 275
points.
Both businesses met the RFP minimum in many areas, but other aspects of the on -site
reviews were hard to quantify within the terms of the RFP. The first visit was scheduled
at Wenzel Towing, where the committee saw a full display of not only the vehicles
available, but other equipment needed for complex situations and scene management,
including air bags to help upright flipped vehicles, a digital message board, and even
something as simple as extra fuel and oil dry. Wenzel Towing representative talked
about EV storage concerns and presented a photo of EV bunkers that are planned for
construction and a special storge container that is on order. These forward -thinking
concepts far exceed the minimums set forth in the RFP, as does the proposal by
Wenzel Towing to collect fees for the City of Dubuque, even offering the suggestion of
installing a kiosk in their lobby to allow customers to pay outstanding parking tickets
online.
The second visit was to Beidler Towing, where the company's vehicles and buildings
were also available for viewing. However, the committee didn't get to see everything.
The representative pointed to a trailer and noted it contained equipment for
miscellaneous situations, such as a variety of cables and straps, etc. The trailer was
backed in against a building and contents not available for review and full consideration.
When asked about EV fires by Kevin Esser, the representative of Beidler questioned the
validity of electric vehicles starting on fire in storage, stating he's never had that happen.
Page 204 of 1053
Overall, rather than taking the opportunity to present Beidler Towing in the most positive
light, the committee heard several comments that were simply directed against the
competition.
After both on -site visits, the committee met at the DLEC to discuss the proposals and
site visits. The committee's unanimous consensus was to recommend Wenzel Towing
be selected for the Towing Services contract.
Page 205 of 1053