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25 | Page <br /> <br />Contracts requiring Bids <br />For contracts in excess of the State Statute (MSS 471.345), the City shall advertise for sealed <br />bids in the official newspaper of the City. See City Clerk for the official newspaper of the City. <br /> <br />The following steps need to be taken, the responsibility for which, rests with the originating <br />department: <br />• Ensure that funds have been appropriated for this contract. <br />• Place plans and specifications for local improvements/special assessment projects on the <br />City Council agenda for approval as required by Mn. Stat. 429.041. <br />• Ensure proper publication is made in the official City newspaper. <br />• Distribute specifications and answer any bidder questions. <br />• Open sealed bids at the scheduled time and place, and tabulate. <br />• The contract shall be awarded to the lowest, responsible bidder. <br />• Request for Council Action to approve the awarding of the contract. <br />• Arrange for the contract to be signed by the City Manager and the Mayor. <br /> <br />Other Bidding Requirements <br />• Bidding Requirements shall not be avoided by splitting a contract into two or more contracts, <br />each of which is below the minimum amount requiring bids; in an attempt to circumvent the <br />necessity of obtaining sealed bids and the appropriate approval authority. <br />• Specifications may not be written so as to exclude all but one type or kind of supplies or <br />equipment. <br />• The City may not accept a bid that includes a number of items when the advertisement called <br />for separate bids for each item. <br />• The City must re-bid when they make a material change in the specifications of the contract, <br />even if the change would not affect the rank order of the bids received. <br />• Minnesota Statutes Chapter 429 (local improvement code) applies to all public improvement <br />contracts (i.e., sewer, water and streets) being financed with special assessments. <br /> <br />Sole Source Purchases <br />Sole Source is a vendor or provider of service that offers a unique service or product that no one <br />else offers. Sole source procurements under $50,000 shall be approved by the City Manager and <br />sole source procurements in excess of $50,000 shall be approved by the City Council. Sole source <br />purchases may be made if they comply with at least one of the following: <br /> <br />• Item or service under patent of copyright held by a single vendor and item or service <br />possesses or has capabilities critical to use. <br />• Item or service possesses a unique function or capability critical in the use of the item or <br />service and not available from any other sources. <br />• The purchase is for equipment associated with use of existing equipment where <br />compatibility is essential for integrity of results. <br />• The purchase is for replacement parts needed for repair of existing equipment where <br />compatibility with equipment from the original manufacturer is paramount. <br />• The purchase is for accessories sought for enhancement of existing equipment where <br />compatibility with equipment from the original manufacturer is paramount. <br />• The purchase is for technical services associated with the assembly, installation, or <br />servicing of equipment of a highly technical or specialized nature. <br />• Additional item, service, or work required, but not known to have been needed when the