An online auction of state surplus property starts Saturday and runs through Sunday, May 26.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs holds periodic auctions of surplus state property, sometimes live and sometimes online.
The next online auction will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and run through 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 26.
The auction will offer a variety of items, including electronics, bicycles, agricultural equipment, cars and more.
In addition to property no longer needed by state and federal agencies, ADECA acquires items abandoned voluntarily at several airports in the Southeast.
Public viewing and inspections of the inventory will be available at the Surplus Property Division’s Montgomery Distribution Center at 4590 Mobile Highway from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, to Friday, May 24.
To find out how to become a qualified bidder, visit here. Starting on Saturday, all auction items will be listed here.
Photos of some of the items being listed are available here.
For more information about the online auction, click here or call (334) 284-0577.
ADECA explained the online sale process:
“ADECA holds online public auctions periodically each year, but surplus items are available at any time to municipal and county governments, state agencies and qualified nonprofit organizations. All items are sold as is without guarantees. All sales are final upon pickup and removal of the property.
In addition to the surplus property auctions, ADECA administers a variety of grant programs for law enforcement, victim services, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management, broadband expansion and recreation development.”
The State of Alabama has over $50 million of surplus property on hand at any given time.
The process of buying surplus property from the State of Alabama is a bit more complicated than you might think. First, many of those items are not auctioned individually. Instead of bidding on a single used item, you may have to bid on a whole pallet of used widgets. The process lends itself to people who deal in reselling things.
What do you bid for this pallet of used cell phones in various states of disrepair?
Secondly, the information on surplus items is limited and tedious to obtain. Many bidders bid on "lots" of used items sight unseen. Some information is available online. There are limited times (listed above) to actually go to the ADECA warehouse and inspect the items.
Here is information from ADECA on viewing the surplus property:
Surplus property may be used, salvaged, parts only, etc. Property may have unknown issues, such as missing parts and defects.
ADECA and the Surplus Property Program do not test or diagnose used items. All known information is included in the lot photos and descriptions. Let the buyer beware that all items are sold as is, where is, without any warranty or guarantees. All sales are final upon pickup and removal.
You have to go through a process of registering as a bidder, evaluating the items as best you can, submitting your bid and paying your successful bid.
Nevertheless, bargain-hunting Alabamians are taking advantage of online auctions right now.
Some of the surplus property was originally purchased with your state tax dollars, and the rest with your federal tax dollars.
This Surplus Property Program also saves Alabama taxpayers millions of dollars annually by selling this property for a fraction of its value to public entities and eligible nonprofit organizations.
The Surplus Property division has two warehouses, one in Montgomery and one in Eva in northern Alabama. Both warehouses are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Payment: Purchases will only be released upon receipt of payment.
Live auctions will be held later.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler’s beat is the colorful and positive about Alabama. He writes about Alabama people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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