(a)

(1) All purchases of and contracts for purchases of supplies, materials, equipment and contractual services, and all contracts for the lease or rental of equipment, and all sales of county-owned property that has become surplus, obsolete or unusable, shall be based wherever possible on competitive bids.

(2) Contracts for legal services, auditing services by certified public accountants, and similar services by professional persons or groups of high ethical standards shall not be based upon competitive bids but shall be awarded on the basis of recognized competence and integrity.

(3) Bids need not be required for services for which the rate or price is fixed by a public authority authorized by law to fix such rates or prices.

(4) The prohibition in this subsection (a) against competitive bidding shall not prohibit the county from interviewing eligible persons or groups to determine the capabilities of such persons or groups.

(b) The county may purchase materials, supplies, commodities and equipment from any federal, state or local governmental unit or agency, without conforming to the competitive bidding requirements of this part.

(c)

(1) If the amount of the expenditure or sale is estimated to exceed five hundred dollars ($500), sealed bids shall be solicited, unless the county legislative body by resolution establishes a higher amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

(2) The county legislative body by resolution may exempt perishable commodities from the requirements of sealed or competitive bidding when such items are purchased in the open market.

(3) The county purchasing agent shall solicit sealed bids by public notice inserted at least once in a newspaper of county-wide circulation, five (5) days prior to the final date for submitting bids or by posting notices on a public bulletin board in the county courthouse.

(4) The county purchasing agent shall also, when deemed necessary or desirable, solicit sealed bids by sending requests by mail to prospective suppliers.

(5) All such notices shall include a general description of the commodities or contractual services to be purchased or property to be sold, and shall state where bid blanks and specifications may be obtained and the time and place of opening bids.

(d)

(1) All purchases or sales in amounts that do not require bid solicitation pursuant to subsection (c) may be made by the county purchasing agent in the open market without newspaper notice, but shall whenever possible be based upon at least three (3) competitive bids.

(2) Requisitions for items estimated to cost an amount such as to require public newspaper notice shall not be subdivided in order to circumvent the requirement for public newspaper notice as herein provided.

(3) All sales by the purchasing agent shall be made to the highest responsible bidder.

(e) Bids on purchases shall in all cases be based on such standards as may be adopted and promulgated by the county purchasing agent and approved by the county purchasing commission.

(f) All open market purchase orders or contracts made by the county purchasing agent or in extreme emergencies by any county department or agency shall be awarded to the lowest and best bidder, taking into consideration the qualities of the articles to be supplied, their conformity with specifications, their suitability to the requirements of the county government, and the delivery terms. Any or all bids may be rejected for good cause.

(g) All bids taken under the requirements of this part, and all other documents, including purchase orders, pertaining to the award of contracts on such bids, shall be preserved for a period of five (5) years.

(h) If all bids received on a pending contract are for the same unit price or total amount, the county purchasing agent shall have authority to reject all bids and to purchase the required supplies, materials, equipment or contractual services in the open market; provided, that the price paid in the open market does not exceed the bid price.

(i) All sealed bids received shall be opened publicly at the time and place fixed in the advertisement. Each bid, with the name and address of the bidder, shall be entered on a record, and each record with the names of the bidders, the amounts of their bids, and the name of the successful bidder indicated thereon, shall, after the award or contract or order, be open to public inspection.

(j) All contracts shall be approved as to form by the county attorney, and the original copy of each long-term contract shall be filed with the county clerk.

(k) No purchase shall be made or purchase order or contract of purchase issued but in consequence of a written requisition for the supplies, materials, equipment or contractual services required, which requisition shall be signed by the head of the department, office or agency of the county requiring such articles or services. Original copies of all such requisitions shall be kept on file in the office of the county purchasing agent.

(l) No purchase shall be made or purchase order or contract of purchase issued for tangible personal property or services by county officials or employees, acting in their official capacity, from any firm or individual whose business tax or license is delinquent.

(m)

(1) The county purchasing agent is authorized to purchase and contract to purchase materials, supplies, equipment and contractual services on a fiscal year basis, but no commitment shall be made that extends beyond the end of the current fiscal year for which appropriations have been made by the county legislative body, except such commitments as are authorized by resolution of the county legislative body.

(2) In the determination of the county's annual needs of certain commodities or services, or both, the county purchasing agent may request the various departments, offices and agencies of the county government to anticipate their needs for the remainder of the fiscal year and to issue their requisitions based upon such estimates.

(n)

(1) Perishable commodities, at the election of the local governing body, may be exempted from the requirements of public advertisements and competitive bidding when such items are purchased in the open market.

(2) A record of all such purchases shall be made by the purchasing agent and shall specify the amount paid, the items purchased, and from whom the purchase was made.

(3) A report of such purchases shall be made to the county mayor and the governing body of the county at frequencies specified by the governing body.

(4) Fuel and fuel products may be purchased in the open market without public newspaper notice, but shall whenever possible be based on at least three (3) competitive bids. Fuel and fuel products may be purchased from the department of general services' contract where available.

(5) This subsection (n) shall apply to any county having a population of not less than seventy-seven thousand seven hundred (77,700) nor more than seventy-seven thousand eight hundred (77,800), according to the 1980 federal census or any subsequent census, if it is approved by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the county legislative body of any county to which it may apply.

(o)

(1) All sales of county-owned property, real or personal in nature, that has become surplus, obsolete or unusable shall be made by public auction or by sealed bid under this section, in the discretion of the purchasing agent or responsible official. “Public auction” includes sale by Internet auction.

(2) The county purchasing agent shall give public notice of such auction by inserting at least once in a newspaper of county-wide circulation or by posting on a public bulletin board in the county courthouse at least five (5) days prior to the date of such auction, a notice specifying the auction date, time, place, property to be sold and terms of such auction.

(3) This subsection (o) does not apply to any books, recordings, or other material previously in general circulation at a county public library; provided, however, that the county public library shall conduct a public sale of surplus, obsolete or otherwise unusable books, recordings or other materials previously in general circulation at the county public library and shall give public notice of such sale by inserting at least once in a newspaper of county-wide circulation, by posting such sale on a web site maintained by the county, or by posting on a public bulletin board in the county courthouse and at the county public library at least five (5) days prior to the date of such sale, a notice specifying generally that such a sale shall occur, including the dates, times, places, and terms of such sale.

(4) Notwithstanding any other law, a procedure may be established upon approval by resolution or ordinance, by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of the county legislative body, to provide the purchasing agent, upon request of the county mayor, the authority to declare county owned personal property with an accumulative estimated value of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or less surplus, obsolete, or unusable personal property and to dispose of the personal property, at the purchasing agent's discretion, by selling the personal property on the open market or by gift, trade, or barter to a nonprofit or charitable organization properly incorporated under the laws of this state and in which no part of the net earnings of the organization inures or may lawfully inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual and that it provides services benefiting the general welfare of the residents of the county. Items having an accumulative estimated value that exceeds one thousand dollars ($1,000) shall not be subdivided in order to circumvent the requirement for public notice or receipt of sealed bids or selling the property through public or Internet auction. The purchasing agent shall keep all records of transactions of the disposal of personal property under this subdivision (o)(4) for a minimum of five (5) years.

(p) In any county having a population of not less than one hundred seven thousand one hundred (107,100) nor more than one hundred seven thousand two hundred (107,200), according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, the county may purchase and enter into contracts for group health insurance for county employees and officials without conforming to the competitive bidding requirements of this part. This subsection (p) shall only be implemented in any county to which this subsection (p) applies upon the adoption of a resolution by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the county legislative body of such county.