(A) The City Manager may cause public projects of $175,000 or less to be performed or let to contract by informal procedures as set forth in this chapter and the Act.
(B) Except as adjusted in division (F) of this section, the following limits and procedures apply to contracting for public projects in the city:
(1) Public projects of $45,000 or less may be performed by the employees of the city, by force account, by negotiated contract, or by purchase order;
(2) Public projects of greater than $45,000 but less than $175,000 may be let to contract through informal procedures as set forth in this chapter and the Act, and
(3) Public projects of more than $175,000 shall, except as otherwise provided in this chapter or in the Public Contract Code, be let to contract by the formal bidding procedure set forth in this chapter and the Public Contract Code.
(C) The dollar thresholds in this section refer to the City Engineer’s written estimate of the cost of any public project.
(D) It shall be unlawful to split or separate into smaller work orders or projects any public project for the purpose of evading the provisions of this chapter requiring work to be done by contract after informal or formal competitive bidding.
(E) The term “public project” shall have the definition set forth in Public Contracts Code § 22002.
(F) The dollar thresholds set forth in divisions (A) and (B) of this section shall increase or decrease automatically as necessary to comply with any adjustment mandated by the State Controller pursuant to the authority granted by Public Contract Code § 22020.
(Ord. 2015-02 § 2 (part), 2015)