(A) Scope. All purchases and/or contracts, whether by sealed bid, quotation or negotiation, shall be made on a competitive basis to the maximum practical extent.
(B) Purchases exceeding $5,000.
(1) Except as otherwise provided within this chapter, all purchase orders and contracts in an amount more than $5,000 shall be bid in a manner calculated to promote the best interest of the public. All bids or quotations in excess of $5,000 shall be in writing, and the purchasing agent shall attempt to obtain at least three competitive bids or quotations.
(2) Except as otherwise provided within this chapter, all purchase orders and other contracts of every kind involving amounts in excess of $5,000 for personal service or for the purchase, lease, rental or sale of personal property, materials, equipment or supplies, shall be awarded by competitive bidding, after public advertising, to the lowest responsible bidder, or in the case of the county being the seller, to the highest responsible bidder.
(C) Rejection of bids. After advertising once for competitive bids for professional services, the purchasing agent, upon review of the completed bids and upon the advice of the appropriate technical department personnel, can declare the bids unacceptable. The reasons for rejections of the completed bids may relate to all or some part of the bid requirements or because the bids exceed the estimated construction costs by an amount that is unacceptable to the county. No negotiated purchase or contract may be entered into under this division (C) after rejection of all bids received unless notification of the intention to negotiate and reasonable opportunity to negotiate shall have been given by the purchasing agent to each responsible bidder whose bid conformed to the invitation for bids. The purchasing agent may also, at his or her discretion, elect to readvertise for bids.
(Prior Code, § 1-8A-2) (Ord. 179, passed 6-17-2008)