posted on November 12, 2009

Hand sanitizer costs Toronto $645,000

Single Source Deal; Nearly twice the going rate to give workers four each

By: Allison Hanes
Published: November 11, 2009
Source: National Post

The city paid nearly double the normal rate for hand sanitizer when it bought multiple bottles for all staff in a rush purchase during the first wave of the H1N1 epidemic, outraged councillors said yesterday.

Councillor Cesar Palacio (Davenport) questioned whether the city got the best price by placing a $645,645 (including tax) single-source order at the height of the crisis when it didn't even need the bottles immediately. Summoned to explain the order, city purchasing staff told a council committee they spent $539,000 on 208,320 bottles of sanitizer, enough to give 50,000 workers up to four bottles each.

http://www.nationalpost.com/