Sec. 271.901. PROCEDURE FOR AWARDING CONTRACT IF MUNICIPALITY OR DISTRICT RECEIVES IDENTICAL BIDS. (a) If a municipality or district is required to accept bids on a contract and receives two or more bids from responsible bidders that are identical, in nature and amount, as the lowest and best bids, the governing body of the municipality or district shall enter into a contract with only one of those bidders and must reject all other bids.

(b) If only one of the bidders submitting identical bids is a resident of the municipality or district, the municipality or district must select that bidder. If two or more of the bidders submitting identical bids are residents of the municipality or district, the municipality or district must select one of those bidders by the casting of lots. In all other cases, the municipality or district must select from the identical bids by the casting of lots.

(c) The casting of lots must be in a manner prescribed by the mayor of the municipality or the governing body of the district and must be conducted in the presence of the governing body of the municipality or district. All qualified bidders or their legal representatives may be present at the casting of lots.

(d) This section does not prohibit a municipality or district from rejecting all bids.

(e) This section applies to all municipalities and districts required by general or special law or by municipal ordinance or charter to accept bids and award contracts on the basis of the lowest and best bid, but does not apply to bidding for contracts to act as a depository for public funds or as a depository for school funds under Subchapter G, Chapter 45, Education Code.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1, Sec. 62(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 6.71, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.