(A) Following the bid opening, the Purchasing Manager, the department head of the procuring department, and others as may be designated by the Fiscal Court, shall review all bids for compliance with the specifications, terms and conditions.
(B) If required, bidders may be asked to clarify or explain, in writing, any matter contained in the bids for which the Judge/Executive, or his or her designee, feels the need for clarification or explanation. Any bidder who fails to provide such written clarification or explanation, upon request within a reasonable amount of time, shall not be considered for award. The written clarification or explanation of a bid shall be incorporated in, and become a part of, any contract awarded on the basis of that bid.
(C) When compliance is determined, the Purchasing Manager shall submit his or her recommendation concerning the final disposition of the bids (i.e., award the lowest or best bid and reject all others, reject all bids and rebid, and the like) to the Fiscal Court at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
(D) The Judge/Executive, upon advice to the Fiscal Court in open session, may waive formalities of the procurement methods provided herein, and establish conditions under which incomplete bids, or bids not necessarily the lowest bid, may be considered if it is determined that the waiver is in the best interest of the Fiscal Court.
(E) Efforts will be made to solicit participation of locally-owned, minority-owned, female-owned and small businesses, where feasible. The county, at its discretion, may provide a 5% price advantage to vendors owned and operated within the county, meaning that county vendors submitting prices 5% higher than that of their non-local competition may be considered as providing low bids. Vendors located outside of the county, but owned and operated in Northern Kentucky (those counties associated with the Northern Kentucky Area Development District), may receive a 2% advantage over other non-local bidders.
(Ord. 120.9, passed 8-24-99; Am. Ord. 121.42, passed 10-27-20)