3.20.010 Formal bid procedures – General requirement. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter and Chapters 3.08 through 3.16, purchases and contracts for supplies, services, and equipment, as well as the sale of personal property of an estimated value of $10,000.00 or over, and public works projects of an estimated value of $5,000.00 or over, or such other sum as may be authorized by Section 1110 of the city Charter, shall be by written contract with the lowest or highest responsible bidder, as the case may be, pursuant to the formal bid procedures prescribed in this chapter. Provided, however, that in the event that the city council has, by resolution, elected to become subject to the uniform public construction cost accounting procedures, pursuant to the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act set forth at Section 22000 et seq. of the Public Contract Code, then the alternative procedures set forth in this chapter for public works projects of $25,000.00 or less and public works projects of $75,000.00 or less, may also be used. (Prior code §2.104, Ord. 669, Ord. 1063, Ord. 1825 §4, Ord. 1979 §2)

3.20.012 Public works projects of $25,000.00 or less. At the city manager’s discretion, public works projects of $25,000.00, or less, may be performed by city employees by force account, by negotiated contract, by purchase order or pursuant to such other bidding procedure as the city manager may determine. (Ord. 1979 §3)

3.20.015 Informal bidding procedure – Public works projects of $75,000.00 or less. In the event that the city manager determines it to be in the city’s best interest, a public works project of $75,000.00 or less may be let to contract by the informal bidding procedures as set forth in Public Contracts Code Section 22032 et seq., and below: A. The purchasing officer shall maintain a list of qualified contractors identified according to category of work. B. At the time informal bids are solicited, a notice inviting informal bids shall be mailed to all Chico Municipal Code FORMAL CONTRACT PROCEDURE 3.20-2 (7/1/03) qualified contractors on the list. If no such list exists, or at the purchasing officer’s discretion, a notice inviting informal bids shall also be sent to all construction trade journals specified in California Public Contract Code Section 22036. Additional contractors and trade journals may also be notified, at the discretion of the purchasing officer. C. The notice inviting formal bids shall describe the project in general terms, state how to obtain more detailed information about the project and state the time and place for the submission of bids. D. All mailing of notices to contractors and construction trade journals pursuant to this section shall be completed not less than 10 calendar days before bids are due. E. If all bids received are in excess of $75,000.00, the city council, by a 4/5 vote may award the contract at $80,000.00 or less to the lowest responsible bidder if it determines that the city’s cost estimate for the project was reasonable. (Ord. 1979 §4)

3.20.020 Formal bids – Notice of invitation. For all purchases and contracts for supplies, services and equipment as well as for all sales of personal property of an estimated value of $10,000.00 or over and for all public works contracts of an estimated value of over $75,000.00, or of an estimated value of over $10,000.00 for which the city manager has not made a determination to use the alternative procedures set forth in this chapter, bids shall be invited by notices in the form and published as follows: A. Notices inviting bids shall include, among other things, the following statements: 1. A general description of the supplies, services or equipment to be purchased, or the public works projects to be constructed, or the services to be performed or the personal property to be sold; 2. Location where bid blanks and specifications may be secured; 3. The time and place for opening bids; and 4. The type and character of bidder’s security required, if any. B. Notice inviting bids shall be published once in the official newspaper of the city at least 2 weeks before the date set for the opening of bids. C. For public works projects for which this formal bid procedure is used, the notice inviting bids shall also be mailed to all construction trade journals specified in Public Contract Code Section 22036 at least 30 calendar days before the date of opening the bids. This paragraph shall only apply if the city council has elected to become subject to the uniform public construction cost accounting