Purchases of supplies and equipment of an estimated value of fifteen thousand dollars or less may be made by the purchasing officer in the open market pursuant to the procedure prescribed in this section in lieu of the procedure prescribed in § 3.16.160:
A. Minimum Number of Bids: Open market purchases shall, in the discretion of the purchasing officer, be based on at least three bids. However, the obtaining of three informal bids shall only apply on purchases in excess of seven hundred fifty dollars, and even then the failure of three parties to bid shall not render the purchase voidable.
B. Notice Inviting Bids. The purchasing officer, or his authorized agent, shall solicit bids from prospective vendors by written request, by telephone or by public notice posted on the public bulletin board in city hall.
C. Written Bids. If requested by the purchasing agent, sealed written bids shall be submitted to the purchasing officer who shall keep a record of all open market orders and bids for a period of one year after the submission of bids or the placing of orders. This record, while so kept, shall be open to public inspection.
(Ord. 556 (part), 1989).