Pottstown online auction reels in big fish: Philadelphia

What do a crack-sealing tar wagon, 12-inch diamond-cut saw blades, and a 1999 Dodge Intrepid with very low mileage have in common?  They’re all up for sale on municibid.com–where the city of Philadelphia will soon sell its no-longer-needed stuff through a Pottstown-based online auction website.Municibid founder and CEO Greg Berry said putting government merchandise just a click away from a huge online audience results in more bids and more money.

“After a competitive process, the city selected us to be their provider for online auctions of surplus, which includes: vehicles, heavy equipment, tools, and really any other items they no longer need,” Berry said.  “It kicks off April 1.”

Philadelphia’s Procurement Commissioner Hugh Ortman said in 2009, the city sold a lot of things it didn’t need on a similar online auction site called govdeals.”There were $600 worth of tires, brass shelves from the police department, a farm tractor for $360–I’m sure that wasn’t in very good shape–aluminum poles from the streets department, water meters, plus all kinds of vehicles,” said Ortman.

Municibid is also working with Boston, and a number of Pennsylvania communities including Hatboro, East Lansdowne, and Upper Providence Township.