SEC. 2.160 PURCHASES EXCEEDING $75,000.00

Except as otherwise provided in this Article XV, purchases and contracts for supplies, services, and equipment of a value greater than seventy-five thousand ($75,000.00) dollars shall be entered into after a Competitive Bidding Process by formal solicitation, and awarded to the lowest responsive, qualified responsible bidder, pursuant to the procedure prescribed in Sections 2.160 through 2.166 hereof. (Ord. No. 482, N.S., 2/87, Ord. 727 N.S., 4/17)

SEC. 2.161 NOTICE INVITING BIDS – FORMAL SOLICITATION

(a) For any Public Works Project, the estimated cost of which is more than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000), the City Administrator or City Administrator’s designee may solicit from prospective Bidders Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) in a manner consistent with the procedures in the Purchasing Policy and in conformance with this Article. Prospective Bidders shall complete fully the SOQ, which when completed, shall be submitted as a declaration under penalty of perjury. Advertisement of the SOQ to prospective Bidders shall be made in the manner of advertising public notice inviting Bids. Said responses shall be submitted in sealed envelopes as provided in the SOQ and shall be identified as responses to the SOQ for the designated project. Whenever prequalification is required of any Bidder for a Contract, it shall be required for all prospective Bidders for that Contract.

(b) Notices inviting bids shall include a general description of the services, supplies, or equipment to be purchased, shall state where bid blanks and specifications may be secured, and the time and place for opening bids.

(1) Publication. Notice inviting bids shall be published at least ten working days before the date of opening of the bids. Notice shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City;

(2) Prospective Bidders List. The purchasing officer shall also solicit sealed bids from responsible prospective suppliers, prequalified Bidders, and/or those Bidders who have requested their names to be added to a bidders list; and

(3) Bulletin Board. The purchasing officer shall also advertise pending purchases by a notice posted on a public bulletin board in City Hall. (Ord. No. 482 N.S., 2/87, Ord. 727 N.S., 4/17)

SEC. 2.162 BIDDER’S SECURITY

When deemed necessary by the purchasing officer, bidder’s security may be prescribed in the notices inviting bids. Bidders shall be entitled to return of bid security, provided that the successful bidder shall forfeit his bid security upon refusal or failure to execute the contract within ten days after the notice of the award of contract has been mailed unless the City is responsible for the delay. The City Council may, on refusal or failure of the successful bidder to execute the contract, award it to the next lowest responsible bidder; the amount of the lowest bidder’s security shall be applied by the City to the difference between the low bid and the second lowest bid, and the surplus, if any, shall be returned to the lowest bidder. (Ord. No. 482 N.S., 2/87, Ord. 727 N.S., 4/17)

SEC. 2.163 BID OPENING PROCEDURE

Sealed bids shall be submitted to the purchasing officer in accordance with procedures provided in the notice inviting bids, and shall be identified as bids on the envelope. Bids shall be opened in public at the time and place stated in the notice inviting bids. Unless provided otherwise in the notice inviting bids, a tabulation of all bids received shall be open for public inspection during regular business hours for a period of not less than thirty calendar days after the bid opening. (Ord. No. 482 N.S., 2/87, Ord. 727 N.S., 4/17)

SEC. 2.164 REJECTION OF BIDS

In its discretion, the Council may reject any and all bids presented and proceed with a new notice of inviting bids. In the alternative, the City Council may authorize negotiations with one or more bidders for purchase of services, supplies and equipment at a price lower than the original bid without making substantial changes in specifications. This provision shall apply to all purchases for supplies, equipment, or services. (Ord. No. 482 N.S., 2/87, Ord. 727 N.S., 4/17)