§ 2.04.010. Informal bids procedures for public projects and maintenance work

The following shall be the procedures shall be followed in the solicitation and award of informal bids for public projects, maintenance work, and the purchase of equipment, materials and supplies. This section implements the informal bid procedure for the award of contracts for public projects set forth in the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code), and specifically, Article 3 thereof (commencing with Section 22030), and also applies to maintenance work as well as the district's purchase of equipment, materials and supplies. As used in this section, the terms "public project" and "maintenance work" shall have the definitions set forth in Section 22002 of the Public Contract Code.

1. The board of trustees may in its discretion award contracts for public projects, maintenance work, and the purchase of equipment, materials and supplies, by this informal bid procedure when the cost of the public project, maintenance work, or the purchase of equipment, materials or supplies as determined by the estimate of the engineer in the case of public projects, maintenance work, or by the appropriate department head in the case of purchases of equipment, materials or supplies, falls within the range set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 22032 of the Public Contract Code, as that section may be amended from time to time.

2. Each department of operation of the district shall develop a list of qualified contractors, vendors, or suppliers, identified according to categories of work, who can perform work, and/or provide materials or equipment to the district necessary for it to carry out its function. The minimum criteria for development and maintenance of the contractor list shall conform to that determined by the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission. The list shall be reviewed and updated annually and shall be forwarded to the finance director. The finance director shall make a composite list of all contractors, vendors, and suppliers to be utilized in the informal bidding procedure.

3. Whenever work, supplies, or equipment or materials qualify to be purchased through the informal bid procedure, and the district manager in his or her discretion determines to use the informal bid procedure, a notice inviting informal bids shall be prepared. The notice shall describe in general the nature of the work to be performed, the materials to be supplied, or the equipment to be purchased, and how to obtain more detailed information about the project or requirements.

4. The notice inviting informal bids shall be mailed to all the appropriate contractors, suppliers, or vendors on the established composite informal bid list maintained by the finance director, and in the case of public projects, shall be forwarded for publication in all the appropriate trade journals as specified by the California Uniform Cost Accounting Commission in accordance with Section 22036 of the Public Contract Code. The notice shall be mailed at a minimum ten (10) calendar days before the date prior to the date specified in the notice as the last date bids will be accepted by the district.

5. If the work, equipment, materials or supplies are proprietary, a purchase contract will be negotiated. No notice requesting informal bids is required.

6. On the date specified, and at the time indicated in the notice, all informal bids shall be opened. After appropriate review by the district, the informal bid will be awarded by the board of trustees to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.

7. If all bids received are in excess of the amount specified in subdivision (b) of Section 22032 of the Public Contract code, as that section may be amended from time to time, the board of trustees may, by passage of a resolution by four-fifths (4/5) vote, award the contract at no more than the amount set forth in subdivision (f) of Section 22034 of the Public Contract Code, as that section may be amended from time to time, to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, if the board determines the cost estimate of the district was reasonable.

(Ord. 94-72 § A)

(Ord. No. 2010-72, § A, 2-23-2010)