2025 7 1 Procurement Policies and Procedures signed

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3.0 Procurement Methods when Competitive Bidding  and Public 
Advertising are Required 
 
Below are the various methods to purchase goods and services when the cost is expected to exceed $25,000 
and competitive bidding and public advertising are required. When using these purchasing methods, written 
bid or proposal specifications and invitation to bid documents shall be prepared and publicly advertised in 
a newspaper of general circulation not less than 14 days prior to the opening of the bids. Other advertisement 
locations include the city’s website, direct solicitations to known vendors, Vendor Registry website, and 
Demand Star website. All responses shall be opened in a public bid opening.   
 
3.01 Competitive Sealed Bids 
 
Competitive sealed bids are used when needed goods and services are standard, routine, and common, their 
quantities can be specified exactly such as vehicle s, equipment, office equipment, and materials like salt, 
paving materials, or computer equipment. In this method, price is the most important criteria. The bid shall 
be awarded to the lowest, responsive, and responsible bidder whose bid meets the specifications and 
requirements as established in the bid  document and is determined to be in the best interest of the city. 
Negotiations are not allowed with  this method of procurement . The bids and a ny resulting contract or 
agreement with the selected vendor shall be reviewed by the City Attorney and then considered for approval 
by the City Council in a public meeting. However, in accordance with the City Charter, Article IX, (City 
Manager) Section 2(h), if any contract is not awarded to the lowest bidder, the reason for such action shall 
be given in writing to the City Council. 
 
3.02 Competitive Sealed Proposal 
 
When competitive sealed bids are determined not practical nor advantageous to the city, TCA 12-3-1207 
authorized cities to use competitive sealed proposals to purchase goods and services  when qualifications, 
experience, and competence are more important than price alone. Competitive sealed proposals are used 
when there is more than one solution to a purchasing issue or when there is no readily identifiable solution 
to a purchasing problem and this method of purchasing will assist in choosing the best solution.  
 
Competitive sealed proposal documents must state the relative importance of price and all other evaluation 
factors and provide information regarding interviews, presentations, demonstrations, and discussions, either 
oral or in writing or both, that may be conducted to clarify and fully understand the proposal with one or 
more responsible respondents who submitted proposals. All respondents must be accorded fair and equal 
treatment with respect to an opportunity for an interview, presentation, demonstration, discussion, or 
revisions. The Purchasing Assistant and any other city personnel shall not disclose any information derived 
from proposals submitted by the respondents.  
 
Submitted competitive sealed proposals must be publicly opened in a manner that avoids disclosure of the 
contents to competing respondents dur ing later negotiations. The submitted proposals and all related 
materials must be available for public inspection after the intent to award a contract to a particular 
respondent is announced. Revisions may be permitted after submission and before the intent to award to a 
particular respondent is announced to obtain the best and final offers. The award shall be made to the 
responsible respondent whose proposal the City Council determines is the most advantageous to the city, 
taking into consideration price and all evaluation factors contained in the competitive sealed proposal  
document. No other factors may be used in the evaluation. The Purchasing A ssistant shall place in the 
contract file a statement containing the basis on which the award was made. The resulting contract or 
agreement with the selected vendor shall be reviewed by the City Attorney and then considered for approval 
by the City Council in a public meeting.  
 
 
 
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