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Tampa Government Auctions Are Just A Click Away

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2008

TAMPA - With millions of dollars in surplus property gathering dust in warehouses across the city, officials think they have found a faster way to unload their unwanted merchandise.

Working with online auction house GovDeals.com, the city is reaching out to a larger pool of potential buyers to sell surplus vehicles and equipment.

The old way for Tampa was listing goods for sale in newspapers or unloading them at public auctions.

Selling items online is cheaper and less cumbersome, officials say.

"It's just like eBay," said Gregory Spearman, the city's purchasing director, who is overseeing the online surplus auction program. "Except it's for government."

To get your hands on some of the city's surplus items, go to www.govdeals.com.

So Far, So Good

In the past year, the city has sold more than $1.4 million in surplus goods through the online auction program. Here's a list of items the city has sold to date:

$376,000: 1973 Piper Chieftain two-propeller airplane

$20,050: 1997 Champion motor grader

$12,000: 1999 International dump truck

$133,000: Six C-18 turbine engines

$18,000: Fire hydrants

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

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