All purchases of supplies, contractual services, or sales of personal property which is unsuitable for continued use, which has an estimated value of less than three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500.00), may be made in the open market, without proper advertisement and without observing the procedure prescribed in § 18-21.5 for the award of formal contracts.
(a) Minimum number of bids. All open market purchases shall, whenever feasible, be based on at least three (3) competitive bids, and shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with the standards set forth in § 18-21.5(e)(2).
(b) Notice inviting bids. The Director shall solicit bids by:
(1) Direct mail request to prospective vendors; or
(2) By telephone; or
(3) By public notice posted on the bulletin boards of the City Hall.
(c) Recording. The Director shall keep a record of all open market orders and the bids submitted in competition thereon, and such records shall also be open to public inspection.
(Ord. 2553, passed 4-12-1976; Ord. 3178, passed 7-8-1991)