AGENCY ONLINE SALES TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Contract. An award of sale is a contract between the winning bidder and City of Great Falls upon the terms and conditions set forth herein. City of Great Falls may pursue all legal remedies allowed by law against any bidder who fails to make payment for a winning bid.
Guarantee Waiver. All property is offered for sale as-is, where-is. City of Great Falls makes no warranty, guaranty or representation of any kind, expressed or implied, as to the condition, usability, value, merchantability, authenticity, or fitness for any purpose of the property offered for sale. Some or all items may have been declared unsafe in their present condition by a federal or state safety standard. Buyers should inspect and, if necessary, repair/test all items prior to any use. Buyer is not entitled to any payment for loss of profit or any other money damages, including but not limited to special, direct, indirect, or consequential damages.
No Description Warranty. City of Great Falls is not responsible for any omissions or errors in description of items being offered for sale. It shall be the bidder's responsibility to inspect and satisfy him or herself as to the details and conditions of the item offered before entering a bid. The Agency does not attest to the authenticity of any item.
Inspection. Most items offered for sale are used and may contain defects not immediately detectable. Bidders may inspect the property prior to bidding. Bidders must adhere to the inspection dates and times indicated in the item description or contact the person listed to schedule an inspection.
Consideration of Bid. City of Great Falls reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to withdraw from sale any of the items listed before a notice of award is delivered.
Reserve Requirement. If there is a reserve requirement and the reserve price is not met by the close of bidding, City of Great Falls reserves the right to sell the auction item to the next highest bidder, relist the item for auction, or otherwise dispose of the item at City of Great Falls' discretion.
Notice of Award. Successful bidders will receive a Notice of Award by email from PublicSurplus.com
Payment. Payment for an awarded item must be received within five (5) business days after the date of the Notice of Award of the successful bid. Payment must be made in one of the following ways:
Cash
Money Order
Cashier's Check
Certified Check
Checks or money orders must be made out to City of Great Falls. Payment must be made at the location listed in the Notice of Award.
Pick-Up and Third Party Pick-Up Procedures.
Upon receipt of payment, You will be notified by email sent to the address You provided at registration with Publicsurplus.com. You may then contact City of Great Falls and arrange for a mutually convenient pick-up time. You must bring to the pick-up location (1) the Notice of Award, (2) the Paid Receipt and (3) personal picture identification (such as a Driver License). You must present all three identification items at the scheduled pick-up, or the auction item(s) will not be released to you.
2. If you are picking up an item for someone else, you will need to bring the Notice of Award and the Paid Receipt (photo copies are acceptable), plus a note from the designated winning bidder specifically naming you as authorized representative, along with your own personal picture identification. In addition, you must arrange for the winning bidder to send an e-mail from the winning bidder e-mail address used for the auction, stating that you are authorized to pick-up the item.
Shipping. We cannot ship any item(s). However, you may contact a local carrier of your choice to pick-up, package, and ship your item(s) for you. It will be your responsibility to follow the Third-Party Pick-Up Procedures above to ensure that your item is released.
Bid Deposits. City of Great Falls may require bid deposits in order to ensure fairness to all bidders. The deposit will be reversed if no default occurs or the bidder does not win the auction. The deposit will be retained if the winning bidder defaults.
Buyer Premium. A Buyer Premium of 7% will be added to the final sale price with a $1 minimum charge per auction to collect payment. The premium will be visible during the bidding process and will be included in the payment required.
State/Local Sales and/or Use Tax. City of Great Falls may collect sales tax, unless the Buyer has provided a valid tax-exempt certificate to City of Great Falls prior to payment. If applicable, the sales tax will be visible during the bidding process and will be included in the payment specified.
Removal. Buyer must remove auction item(s) from the agency premises within ten (10) business days after the time and date of issuance of the Notice of Award. If the Buyer, after making payment for an item, fails to remove the item within the specified time, the agency reserves the right (1) to retain all payments; and (2) to dispose of the item through another auction or otherwise. Successful bidders are responsible for packing, loading, removing and transporting all property awarded to them from the place where the property is located as indicated on the website and in the Notice of Award. The Buyer must make all arrangements and perform all work necessary, including packing, loading and transportation of the property. Under no circumstances will City of Great Falls assume responsibility for packing, loading or transporting auction item(s). Buyer shall be liable to and reimburse City of Great Falls for any damage to City of Great Falls's property caused by Buyer's or Buyer Agent's removal of auction item(s) from the premises. No maintenance may be performed on City of Great Falls property.
Abandonment of Item. Auction items paid for but not picked up within the specified time will be stored for 15 days from the last date of available pickup. City of Great Falls will charge a storage fee of $10 per day during this time, which must be paid by Buyer before the item will be released. At the expiration of the 15 day period, the item will be deemed abandoned and may be auctioned again to pay the storage fee. Any amount received in excess of the storage fee will be retained by City of Great Falls as payment for additional efforts to dispose of the item.
Risk of Loss. In the event an auction item is lost or destroyed after a notice of award has been sent but prior to removal, and to the extent such loss or destruction is not caused by the buyer, or buyer's agent or employee, City of Great Falls will refund any money paid. The liability of City of Great Falls shall not exceed the actual purchase price of the property.
Vehicle Titles. City of Great Falls will issue a title or certificate upon receipt of payment. Titles may be subject to any restrictions as indicated in the item description on the website. Open titles cannot be issued. City of Great Falls will not issue replacement titles.
Default. Default shall include (1) failure to observe these terms and conditions; (2) failure to make good and timely payment; or (3) failure to remove all items within the specified time. Default may result in termination of the bid contract and suspension from participation in all future sales until the default has been cured. If the Buyer fails in the performance of their obligations, City of Great Falls may exercise such rights and pursue such remedies as are provided by law.
Acceptance of Terms and Conditions. By submitting a bid, the bidder agrees that the bidder has read, fully understood, and accepted these Terms and Conditions of Online Sales, and agrees to pay for and remove the property, if the bid is accepted, by the dates and times specified.