Laserfiche WebLink
32 | Page <br /> <br />Solicitation <br /> <br />Policy <br />If the City uses a consultant to prepare or assist in the preparation of a Statement of Work or a <br />Request for Proposals, that consultant shall not be permitted to submit a proposal. Deviations from <br />this policy require the approval of the City Manager. <br /> <br />Notice of Solicitation of Bids <br />A formal sealed bid procedure is required for all purchases that are estimated to exceed the State <br />Statute MSS 471.345, except for purchase through a cooperative purchasing contract (see below). A <br />published (412.311) notice of the bid is required in the official city newspaper at least ten (10) days in <br />advance of the bid opening, or in advance of the City Council meeting. This allows for a thorough <br />review and retabulation of the bids and to allow for reference checks as appropriate. All bid openings <br />are to be administered by the originating department. The preparation of all specifications and <br />required authorization is to be the responsibility of the originating department. <br />The published notice must contain the following: <br />• A description of the project or the purchase <br />• The availability of specifications including the location, for example, Office of the City Clerk, <br />etc. <br />• The last day for submission of bids and the place where they are due <br />• The time and place for opening bids <br />• A statement reserving the right of the City to reject all bids <br /> <br />A recommendation can then be made to the City Council and the City Council will award or deny the <br />contract. Bids rejected by council must be kept on file for 6 years. <br /> <br />Government Purchasing Organizations <br />Certain governmental units form purchasing organizations to obtain group-pricing discounts. The City <br />may be eligible for participation in some of these programs and individuals are encouraged to obtain <br />quotes from suppliers in these programs. <br /> <br /> <br />Following is a list of purchasing cooperatives of which the City is a member: <br /> <br />State, County and Other Cooperative Purchasing Contracts <br />1. The Cooperative Purchasing Venture (“State Contract” or “CPV”) <br />Cooperative purchasing contracts provide an opportunity for the City to purchase supplies, materials, <br />or equipment (but not services) at reduced costs. This enables the City to buy goods and services <br />under the terms of contracts already negotiated by the State of Minnesota. The Cooperative <br />Purchasing Contracts operate without regard to the competitive bidding requirements of the Uniform <br />Municipal Contracting Law if the purchase is through a national municipal association’s purchasing <br />alliance or cooperative created by a joint powers agreement that purchases items from more than one <br />source on the basis of competitive bids or competitive quotations that complies with State Statute.14 <br /> <br />The Cooperative Purchasing It is a members-only joint powers program operated by the Minnesota <br />Department of Administration, Materials Management Division.13 The CPV allows There is currently <br />no fee to join. For those contracts, a municipality must “consider the availability, price and quantity of <br />supplies, materials, or equipment available through the state’s cooperative purchasing venture before <br />purchasing through another source.”12