In 2024, a municipal sanitation department in Nanchang launched an urban sewage pipeline remediation project and initially procured five National VI Dongfeng 3308 mm wheelbase sewage treatment vehicles to address emergency sewage discharge needs in aging residential communities and industrial parks. However, during actual operation, these vehicles revealed shortcomings including insufficient treatment efficiency and poor chassis compatibility. After a six-month evaluation, the department reissued a tender in 2025 and ultimately selected Chengli Special Purpose Vehicle’s upgraded solution. This article details the procurement journey—from evolving requirements to performance comparison—to provide reference for similar procurement decisions. First Procurement Experience: From Requirement Definition to Deployment In early 2024, the Urban Management Bureau of a district in Nanchang, responding to frequent urban sewage pipeline blockages, planned to procure a batch of sewage treatment vehicles. The initial procurement budget was capped at approximately RMB 2.065 million (based on publicly available tender information), targeting five National VI Dongfeng 3308 mm wheelbase chassis-based units. With numerous suppliers competing in the market, a local upfitting manufacturer won the bid and delivered five sewage treatment vehicles built on the Dongfeng 3308 mm wheelbase chassis, each priced at around RMB 360,000. Following delivery, the vehicles operated normally during the initial phase. However, within six months, three major issues emerged: 1. Insufficient Treatment Efficiency: Each vehicle achieved only ~15 m³/hour processing capacity—insufficient to meet peak-period emergency demands, especially during rainy seasons, resulting in frequent queuing. 2. Poor Chassis Compatibility: Although the Dongfeng 3308 mm wheelbase chassis is a general-purpose platform, post-upfitting center-of-gravity elevation compromised stability during turns on narrow streets, leading to two minor rollover incidents. 3. Lagging After-Sales Support: Following failures of upper-structure components (e.g., sewage pumps and filtration systems), after-sales response times averaged 3–5 days, disrupting daily operations. In its year-end 2024 summary report, the department explicitly revised procurement standards: requiring treatment efficiency of ≥20 m³/hour, optimized chassis integration, and nationwide warranty coverage for after-sales service—setting the stage for the second procurement round. Identifying Shortcomings and Upgrading Requirements Based on lessons learned from the first batch, the department launched a second tender in early 2025 with stringent technical and supplier qualification criteria: • Treatment Efficiency: Minimum 20 m³/hour per vehicle, supporting continuous 8-hour operation. • Chassis Specification: Continued use of National VI Dongfeng 3308 mm wheelbase chassis—but mandating integrated upper-structure/chassis design and full compliance with official announcements (e.g., MIIT model numbers such as CLW5070GSSD6). • After-Sales Service: Lifetime support for upper-structure components; nationwide warranty for chassis; spare parts shipped within 24 hours. • Budget Control: Total budget capped at approximately RMB 2.294 million (per local procurement practice), covering five units at ~RMB 400,000/unit. Additionally, referencing successful cases elsewhere—including Wuhan Municipal Urban Management Bureau’s procurement of 15 street sweepers and Guangdong industrial park’s acquisition of five water-sprinklers plus mist cannons—the department noted Chengli Special Purpose Vehicle’s extensive experience in government procurement of sanitation vehicles. Contacting Chengli sales manager Zhang Yue (), the department learned that Chengli offered customizable solutions with transparent, direct configurations—no intermediaries involved. Re-selecting Chengli’s Upgraded Solution: Proposal