[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of Branford
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Accounts and bills — See Ch. 4.
[Adopted by the Town Meeting12-23-1933]
No individual holding a public office in the
Town or who is employed by said Town shall be permitted to furnish
trucks, equipment or supplies to the Town unless such trucks, equipment
or supplies cannot be secured elsewhere in said Town.
[Adopted by the Representative Town Meeting 2-21-1975; amended in
its entirety 4-7-2009]
[Amended 6-11-2014]
A.
All
goods and services purchased by the Town, including but not limited
to the Board of Education, Sewer Authority and capital project funds
established for the benefit of the James Blackstone Memorial Library
(collectively referred to hereinafter as the "Town"), when the amount
of the purchase exceeds $12,500, shall be awarded through a sealed
bid process, including public opening of such bids, to the lowest
responsible bidder after posting a bid notice on the Town website
and either advertising the same in a newspaper with general circulation
or posting on the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services
website.
B.
In
lieu of bid specifications, a request for proposal may be issued.
A request for proposal may be issued when a desired outcome is sought,
but the method for achieving that outcome is not defined in a detailed
specification, or allows for presenting different options for achieving
the desired outcome beyond proposed specifications. Services or goods
purchased by request for proposal shall be awarded based on a variety
of factors, including project approach, experience, price, and such
other criteria as shall be defined and specifically set forth in the
request for proposal. Requests for proposal shall be posted in the
same manner as bid specifications, and responses shall be sealed in
the same manner as bids.
C.
The requirement of advertising and sealed bidding shall not apply
to:
(1)
Purchases less than $12,500, provided the price is consistent with
the price offered to the general public for the same goods and/or
services and that procedures as may be defined by the First Selectman
are followed.
(2)
Emergency situations, where the First Selectman or his designee authorizes
the emergency purchase and the department head or his or her designee,
as soon as reasonably possible, provides a report on the nature of
the emergency and the reason for such emergency purchase to the Board
of Selectmen, to be included in such Board's minutes.
(3)
Contracts in the amount of $75,000 or less for legal services, accounting,
actuarial and auditing services, medical and dental services, architectural
services, engineering services and labor negotiators.
(4)
Any purchases made through the State of Connecticut or other public
sector purchasing cooperative.
(5)
Sole source purchases, such as utilities or legal notices, and including
purchases where the purchase of an item or service is required to
match an existing installation or equipment, and there are no competitive
products available that would function equally well, or if the maintenance
costs would be unduly increased by having different makes installed.
Sole source purchases for reasons other than a true lack of second
possible vendor shall be approved by the First Selectman.
(6)
Work on bridges, sidewalks, roads, curbing or other pavement, when
the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation has obtained
bids for such work and the Town is able to pay the state price for
such work, or the Town solicits no fewer than three price quotations
for such work from qualified contractors, businesses or persons, as
such qualifications are set forth in a request for qualifications
prepared by the Town and the Town awards such work to the qualified
contractor, business or person submitting the lowest price quote,
provided that the cost of work, material and supplies does not exceed
the sum of $400,000.
A.
The requirement of advertising and bidding may be waived by a unanimous
vote of the Board of Selectmen that such waiver is in the best interests
of the Town.
B.
The Board of Selectmen may by majority vote accept such bid or proposal
as it determines to be the lowest responsible bid or the best proposal.
It may, by unanimous vote, reject any or all bids or proposals, or
waive any informalities in bids or proposals, if such rejection or
waiver of informality is in the best interest of the Town.
Purchases involving projects approved or anticipated to be eligible
for federal or state grants will conform to the specific requirements
associated with the type of funding or grant.
Any person violating this chapter shall be personally liable
and responsible to the Town. No contract or purchase shall be subdivided
to avoid the requirements of this article.