BREAKING NEWS: No Contract For Duck Boat Company
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BREAKING NEWS: No Contract For Duck Boat Company
Mayor Nutter today announced that the city will not award a contract to the amphibious tour company Ride the Ducks to operate on the Schuylkill River.
“The City has fully reviewed Ride the Ducks proposal for the Schuylkill River and does not feel that it meets the City’s standards for operations,” said Nutter in a press release.
Back in October, the city announced that Ride the Ducks would be moving to the Schuylkill in March. The boats, which previously toured the Delaware River, have not been in operation since a July 7 accident in which two tourists were killed.
Not long after that announcement, the city said it was legally required to permit a competitive bidding process. Ride The Ducks was the only bidder for the contract.
The prospect of moving the boats to the Schuylkill has met with substantial opposition in the surrounding neighborhoods. In today's announcement, Managing Director Rich Negrin said the city was concerned about the impact on traffic and how the tours could operate during special events.
On July 7, a duck boat with 37 people on board was hit by a city-owned sludge barge being pushed by a tugboat operated by a private contractor. The duck boat capsized, and two Hungarian tourists were killed.
For more details, here's the press release from the Mayor's Office:
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA DOES NOT AWARD CONTRACT FOR AMPHIBIOUS TOURS ON THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER
Philadelphia, January 25, 2011 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced today that the City of Philadelphia will not award a contract in response to its request for proposal (RFP) for an amphibious tour on the Schuylkill River.
“The City has fully reviewed Ride the Ducks proposal for the Schuylkill River and does not feel that it meets the City’s standards for operations,” said Mayor Nutter.
An RFP was issued on November 19, 2010 for Amphibious Tours on the Schuylkill River. The Managing Director’s Office, Parks and Recreation, the Office of Transportation and the Law Department carefully crafted that RFP to capture many community concerns, including noise, traffic, the on Schuylkill Banks and other potential disruptions of recreational uses on the River. Responses were due on December 22, 2010. Ride the Ducks submitted the only response
Managing Director Richard Negrin said, “We appreciate Ride the Ducks efforts to address community concerns, but when all is said and done the proposal’s potential traffic impact, the number of vessels that could be on the river at one time and the inability for the tours to operate during special events were issues with which the City was uncomfortable.”
A technical review committee consisting of representatives of the Managing Director’s Office, Office of Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Office of Economic Opportunity, Commerce Department and Planning Commission, with input from Finance, Law and Risk Management, unanimously recommended that the contract not be awarded.
Keep them on the Delaware.— jp8899
Wow, a good decision from city government - someone take a picture!— absherlock- True! Cynical/jaded me just things the right palms weren't greased. — PotteryPete
- It's almost surreal to read about such a good decision, especially when it means the city government doesn't grab all the money it can, I guess the voters and environment still matter a little around here.
- THANK GOD— cmccdin
- Thank you for making a sound decision here , Mr. Mayor.— slanted and enchanted
- Hate the Duck Boats...— Russ
- Can't imagine anyone other than the operators being disappointed with this.— spider9
- Finally good news - thank you for Mr. Mayor helping preserve the quality of life of Philadelphia!— Friend of Fily
- I liked the Duck Boat Tour. Several of my out of town guests enjoyed it. I think the tours should be allowed on the Delaware River with updated safety standards.
Comment removed.- Who are you to decide what people should like or not? — mica0406
- Move the DUCK TOURS TO TH E MANAYUNK canal or to SOUTHERN new jersey! GET THOSE CROOKS OUTTA here— FairmountFrank
- Mongo will probably sue them anyway for some invented claim.— Equality 7-2521
- It's the moment to congratulate all those who had a role in letting public opinion prevail. It's the eternal struggle, and it's good to see a victory every now and then.— DonQ
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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