Arcata Sells Surplus Vehicles, Equipment in March Online Auction

Arcata launched an online auction of surplus municipal assets on March 3, with bidding open through Wednesday, March 18, giving buyers roughly two more weeks to compete for used city vehicles, equipment, and miscellaneous commercial kitchen supplies.

The City posted the auction at govdeals.com/cityofarcata, where item descriptions and photos are available directly on the bidding platform. Prospective buyers must first register as bidders through GovDeals before placing any bids. Readers who had trouble finding Arcata's listings through the printed link should note that GovDeals does not always display items until an auction is actively running; searching the platform directly for "City of Arcata" may help locate the listings.

The City described the items as assets that "no longer serve function with the City but may be useful for other organizations or individuals." No inventory list or vehicle specifics were released publicly alongside the announcement, but the auction page on GovDeals carries full descriptions for each lot.

Sale terms are straightforward and carry no negotiating room: all items are sold as-is, where-is, and the City reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Winning bidders must submit online payment within five days of a bid award and collect all purchased items within 10 days of payment.

Procurement aggregators estimate the total auction could generate anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000 depending on the number of items, their condition, and how many bidders participate, though that range reflects the inherent uncertainty of a surplus auction rather than any figure published by the City.

Questions about the auction can be directed to Danielle Allred, the City of Arcata's Contracts and Special Projects Manager, at dallred@cityofarcata.org or by phone at (707) 825-2101.