The following procedures shall apply to informal bids for public projects:
(a) Notice inviting informal bids.
(1) Required noticing. When a public project is permitted to be let to contract by informal bidding pursuant to this chapter, a notice inviting informal bids shall be mailed and/or emailed to all contractors on the list created pursuant to Section 2.21.030 for the category of work being bid, and to all the construction trade journals specified by the Commission in accordance with Public Contract Code Section 22036.
(2) Optional noticing. Notice may be also provided to any additional contractors, publications and/or construction trade journals identified by the city manager or the city manager’s designee.
(b) Exception. If the product or service to be procured for a public project is proprietary in nature such that it can be obtained only from a certain contractor or contractors, the notice inviting informal bids may be sent exclusively to such contractor or contractors.
(c) Time of giving notice. All mailing of notices to contractors and construction trade journals pursuant to this Section shall be completed not less than ten calendar days before bids are due.
(d) Description of project. The notice inviting informal bids shall describe the project in general terms and how to obtain more detailed information about the project, and state the time and place for the submission of bids.
(e) Authority to award contracts. The city manager is authorized to award a contract for a public project pursuant to the process set forth in this Section if the lowest bid received is twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) or less. Contracts valued at more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) require City Council approval.
(f) Bids exceeding one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($175,000). If all bids received pursuant to the informal process are in excess of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($175,000), the City Council may adopt a resolution by a four-fifths vote to award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder at one hundred eighty-seven thousand five hundred dollars ($187,500) or less, if it determines the city’s cost estimate was reasonable.
(g) Award of contract. Any contract awarded pursuant to this section shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. If two or more bids received are for the same total amount or unit price, quality and service being equal, the approving entity may accept either bid.
(h) No bids. If no bids are received, the project may be performed by city employees by force account, or negotiated contract without further complying with this chapter.
(Ord. 18-954 § 3 (part), 2018)