Government procurement case of Ford New Generation V348 service vehicles in Huizhou: A full-process analysis—from competitive bidding to delivery. In 2025, a municipal sanitation department, due to business expansion, planned to procure a batch of Ford New Generation V348 service vehicles for daily equipment inspection, emergency repair, and personnel transportation. The budget was capped at approximately RMB 276,000 per unit, with requirements for high reliability, low fuel consumption, and flexible customization capability. Following project initiation, the procurement team received quotations from multiple suppliers and ultimately selected Chengli Special Purpose Vehicle Co., Ltd. for its superior overall cost-performance ratio, delivering three units. This article analyzes key considerations in the competitive bidding and vehicle selection process, based on the actual procurement workflow. Project Background and Procurement Requirements The department’s existing fleet had aged significantly, resulting in high maintenance costs and an urgent need for replacement. Key requirements included: • Vehicle model: Ford New Generation V348 chassis, diesel-powered, manual transmission; • Customization requirements: Rear compartment to be partitioned into tool storage and passenger areas, equipped with shelving, power outlets, and air conditioning; • Delivery timeline: Within 20 days after contract signing; • After-sales support: Original-chassis nationwide warranty, plus long-term service coverage for the bodywork. Multiple Quotations Received—Significant Price Variance Through public tender announcements and direct inquiries, the procurement team collected preliminary quotations from three suppliers (prices shown are tax-inclusive landed prices): Supplier | Model | Unit Price (approx. RMB 10,000) | Delivery Lead Time (days) | After-Sales Support ---|---|---|---|--- Supplier A (Local 4S Dealer + Customization) | Ford New Generation V348 | 24.8 | 25–30 | Chassis covered under original manufacturer’s nationwide warranty; bodywork warranty: 1 year Supplier B (Specialized Bodybuilder) | Ford New Generation V348 | 23.5 | 15–20 | Chassis covered under original manufacturer’s nationwide warranty; bodywork warranty: 2 years Supplier C (Chengli Special Purpose Vehicle) | Ford New Generation V348 (Chengli-customized) | 22.0 | 15–18 | Chassis covered under original manufacturer’s nationwide warranty; lifetime bodywork service As shown in the table, Chengli offered the lowest quotation—approximately RMB 242,000 per unit—saving about RMB 28,000 versus Supplier A and RMB 15,000 versus Supplier B. However, price alone was not the decisive factor; configuration differences proved critical. Configuration Comparison Analysis: How Chengli Stood Out The procurement team conducted a detailed comparative evaluation of the three quotations and identified the following key distinctions: 1. Chassis and Bodywork Quality Suppliers A and B both used standard Ford New Generation V348 chassis but adopted relatively basic customization solutions—for example, ordinary steel shelving without anti-corrosion treatment; power outlets limited to 12V cigarette-lighter sockets, insufficient for high-power equipment. By contrast, Chengli—building upon the same chassis (referencing Chengli’s official model CLW5040XDYJ6; although not an exact match, the customization logic is consistent)—delivered a tailored solution: aluminum-alloy shelving in the rear compartment, corrosion-resistant and load-rated; 220V power outlets plus inverters, enabling operation of power tools such as electric drills. 2. After-Sales Support Supplier A offered only a 1-year warranty on the bodywork; Supplier B extended this to 2 years. Chengli committed to “original-chassis nationwide warranty plus lifetime bodywork service.” According to Chengli’s internal knowledge base, its after-sales network covers chassis from Dongfeng, Sinotruk, and other major OEMs—and for Ford chassis, it likewise pro