(A) PROFESSIONAL SERVICES are defined as services provided by any specially trained and experienced person or firm, including, but not limited to, persons or firms in the areas of accounting, administration, architecture, construction management, economics, environmental analysis, engineering, finance, landscape architecture, law, planning, surveying or other matters involving specialized expertise or unique skills.
(B) Contracts awarded for the performance of services in the above-listed areas shall be awarded by the City Council on the basis of the demonstrated competence of the contractors, and on the contractor’s professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the services required, and on the fairness and reasonableness of the cost of the services to the city, and shall not be awarded solely on the basis of cost. The competitive formal bidding requirements set forth in § 3.12.060 are not applicable to the procurement of professional services.
(C) Subject to compliance with the procedures set forth in this section, the Purchasing Officer may enter into and execute contracts or purchase orders for professional services when the cost of the services is less than $25,000. City Council approval is required for all contracts for professional services when the cost of the services is $25,000 or more. The City Council may authorize that the contracts be executed by the City Manager.
(D) Notwithstanding the above provisions of this section, all contracts for the performance of the annual audit of the city’s financial statements shall be competitively bid by obtaining at least three proposals for providing the required services, evaluating the proposals pursuant to criteria set forth in division (B) above, and awarding the contract based on the best proposal. Further, the award of all contracts regardless of cost shall be approved by the City Council.
(Ord. 2008-02, passed 10-1-2008)