State to host its first webcast vehicle auction to expand access for people to purchase government surplus cars and trucks

SPRINGFIELD - The State of Illinois will auction 160 vehicles from its fleet including cars, pick-up trucks and police cruisers on Saturday, Dec. 16, as part of the Department of Central Management Services' (CMS) ongoing efforts to raise revenues by selling surplus state property.  Among this auction's highlights are three late-90s model Cameros, two late-90s model Grand Prix, and SUVs and 4x4s.  This will be the first vehicle auction that will simultaneously accept bids both from the Surplus Property Warehouse in Springfield and online at www.proxibid.com.

The auction will take place at the warehouse located at 1924 South 10 ½ Street in Springfield, with registration of bidders beginning at 7 a.m. and auction beginning at 9 a.m.  Interested bidders are encouraged to inspect the vehicles prior to sale, either between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14, or 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15; ignition keys will be available.  Prospective buyers can also preview and pre-bid on the vehicles available by visiting the auction website.

"As state agencies upgrade and replace their cars and trucks, Illinois government sells them at public auction, which gives people the opportunity to acquire a vehicle at an extremely low price," said CMS Director Paul Campbell.  "By holding the auction at the warehouse and also online, we expect to increase the number of bidders and the prices paid for these cars."

Additional vehicles being auctioned include many police cruisers, as well as agency cars, mid-size cars, vans, minivans and station wagons.  For more information and a list of specific vehicles, please contact 1-217-782-7786 or visit www.cms.illinois.gov.

Earlier this fall, Illinois became the first state in the nation to auction its surplus property simultaneously in the warehouse and via webcast that allowed real-time bidding on the Internet.  The September auction resulted in an increased number of bidders and higher sales results.

Successful bidders can pay for their vehicles by credit card (MasterCard or Visa), cashiers check, money order, traveler's checks, or even business or personal checks provided they are supported by a letter of credit from a financial institution.  To register, bidders must provide valid driver's license or state identification card.  All sales are final and as/is; there are no refunds or exchanges.

About Central Management Services (CMS)
In 2003, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich instructed CMS to streamline the state's operations, share resources and save taxpayer money while improving the business services of state government.  By bringing private-sector discipline to its public-sector mission, the department leads the cost-effective administration of purchasing, property management, information technology, telecommunications, internal audit and outside legal services for the state's executive agencies, personnel and benefits for all state employees and retirees, and the state's employee and vendor diversity programs. 

Deloitte Consulting validated that CMS achieved $529 million in savings through its efforts in FY04 and FY05 alone as the agency implemented new technologies, reduced waste and rethought many of the administrative operations of the state.

List of Vehicles to be Sold [PDF, 258KB]