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23 | Page <br /> <br />Alternative to Publishing of Bids and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) <br />As an alternative to publishing bids in a newspaper, a city or other political subdivision may post <br />solicitations of bids, requests for information or requests for proposals by using its Web site or <br />recognized industry trade journals. The political subdivision must simultaneously publish, either in <br />minutes or separately in a notice published in the official newspaper, a description of all <br />solicitations or requests so distributed, along with the means by which the publications occurred. <br />Publication by alternative means must be in substantially the same format and for the same <br />period of time as a publication in a qualified newspaper. <br /> <br />For the first six months after the political subdivision designates an alternative means of <br />publication, it must continue to publish solicitations of bids, requests for information, and requests <br />for proposals in the official newspaper in addition to the alternative method. The publication in the <br />official newspaper must indicate where to find the designated alternative methods. <br /> <br />If, in the normal course of its business, a qualified newspaper maintains a Web site then, as a <br />condition of accepting and publishing public notices, the newspaper must agree to post all the <br />notices on its Web site during the notice’s full publication period.11 <br />10 Minn. Stat. §§ 412.311, subd. 1 (published notice); 331A.03, subd. 3 (alternative methods). <br />11 Minn. Stat. § 331A.02, subd. 5. <br /> <br />Exceptions to Competitive Bidding <br />The following are some of the more common exceptions to the competitive bidding <br />requirements: <br />• Contracts less than the State Statute (MSS 471.345) <br />• Cooperative purchasing organizations <br />• Intergovernmental Contracts <br />• Noncompetitive supplies and equipment <br />• Real estate purchases <br />• Professional services including: <br />o Architectural <br />o Auditing <br />o Engineering <br />o Legal <br />o Group Insurance <br />o Banking Services <br />o Investment Services <br />o Financial Service Providers <br />o Construction Management <br />o Surveying <br />• Emergency Purchases <br />• Some fuel contracts <br />• Guaranteed energy-saving contracts <br />• Professional services including: <br />• Reverse auctions for purchase of supplies, materials and equipment <br />• Electronic sale of surplus supplies, materials and equipment <br />• Non-competitive supplies and equipment