Case Study: Procurement of Blue License Plate, 5 m³ Sludge Suction Trucks by a Municipal Sanitation Department in Zhuzhou In August 2025, the Urban Management Bureau of a district in Zhuzhou City procured a batch of sanitation sludge removal equipment through public tender, intended for routine cleaning of urban drainage networks, rivers, and stormwater inlets. The project budget was capped at approximately RMB 421,000, with plans to acquire two Dongfeng single-cab, blue license plate, 5 m³ sludge suction trucks. After multiple rounds of evaluation, Chengli Special Purpose Vehicle Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Chengli”) delivered two Dongfeng chassis-based single-cab sludge suction trucks at a total contract value of ~RMB 360,000 (~RMB 180,000 per unit). This article provides a detailed analysis of the procurement background, vehicle configuration, pricing rationale, and reasons for non-award to other bidders—based on publicly available tender information and Chengli’s winning proposal—to serve as a reference for similar procurement projects. I. Project Background and Procurement Requirements As a major industrial city in Hunan Province, Zhuzhou faces prominent challenges related to aging urban drainage infrastructure and frequent silt blockages. According to feedback from the district’s Urban Management Bureau, existing sludge removal equipment consists largely of large-scale vacuum trucks, which cannot access narrow alleys and streets and incur high maintenance costs. Therefore, the procurement explicitly required: - Vehicle Type: Blue license plate sludge suction truck, operable with a Class C1 driver’s license, and permitted for urban operations; - Capacity: ≥5 m³, sufficient for single-shift operational requirements; - Chassis: Dongfeng single-cab, compliant with China VI emission standards, with nationwide warranty coverage; - Configuration: Equipped with high-pressure cleaning, vacuum suction, and hydraulic tipping functions; - Budget: Unit price ≤RMB 222,000 (tax-inclusive landed cost). II. Awarded Vehicle Model and Configuration Proposal Chengli’s proposal was based on a Dongfeng single-cab chassis, conforming to the CLW5070GSSD6 model type approval (registered with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology). Key specifications are as follows: | Configuration Item | Parameter / Model | Notes | |--------------------------|---------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Chassis Brand | Dongfeng (China VI) | Single-cab cab | | Engine | Yuchai / Yunnan Internal Combustion (optional) | Power output: 95–120 hp | | Tank Capacity | 5 m³ (~5,000 L) | Carbon steel tank with anti-corrosion treatment | | Sludge Removal System | High-pressure cleaning pump + vacuum pump | Max. pressure: 20 MPa | | Hydraulic System | Hydraulic tipping cylinder | Tipping angle: 45° | | Emission Standard | China VI | Nationwide registration eligible | | Superstructure Warranty | Lifetime service | Original Chengli factory after-sales support | According to official type-approval parameters for model CLW5070GSSD6 in Chengli’s knowledge base, the vehicle has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 7 tons, rated payload capacity of ~3 tons, and maximum working depth of 8 meters—fully meeting urban sludge removal requirements. Chengli’s quotation indicated a chassis cost of RMB 109,000 (Dongfeng OEM), superstructure modification cost of ~RMB 82,000, and an all-in landed price (including tax) of RMB 199,000–210,000 per unit—within the specified budget. III. Quotation Analysis and Reasons for Award A total of four suppliers submitted bids for this procurement. Chengli secured the award primarily due to its competitive pricing for equivalent configurations an