§ 10A-115. Small purchases.

(a)

Any contract not expected by the Purchasing Agent at the time price quotations are solicited to exceed an aggregate amount of Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000) for goods and services or construction, may be entered into according to a simplified small purchase procedure set forth in regulations. Such regulations shall include appropriate requirements for obtaining competition and minority participation.

(b)

The Purchasing Agent may delegate the authority to enter into small purchase contracts to using agencies pursuant to the regulations authorized in Subsection (a).

(c)

The Purchasing Agent shall consolidate similar requirements of using agencies for purposes of achieving maximum volume discounts, whenever practicable.

(d)

For contracts that use a simplified purchase procedure prescribed in Subsection (a), the Purchasing Agent or the Purchasing Agent's designee shall reserve such contracts for County-based small businesses, provided, however, the Purchasing Agent or the Purchasing Agent's designee shall not be required to reserve the contract if the Purchasing Agent or the Purchasing Agent's designee determines in writing that

(1)

there are not at least two (2) County-based small businesses that are responsive bidders to the procurement or

(2)

a County-based small business cannot offer a reasonable price for the contract with the inclusion of any bonus authorized under this Subtitle. In this Section, "reasonable price" means within twelve percent (12%) above the best price on the open market.

(e)

Prior to making a written determination required under Subsection (d), above, the Purchasing Agent or the Purchasing Agent's designee shall review the database of County-based small businesses designated and maintained by the Supplier Development and Diversity Division to contact or otherwise gather information about the availability and pricing of County-based small businesses for the contract.

(f)

The Purchasing Agent or the Purchasing Agent's designee may concurrently request prices on the open market and among County-based small businesses for procurements subject to this Section in order to expedite pricing determinations.

(g)

Purchases that do not exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2500) shall not be subject to Subsections (d), (e) and (f) of this Section.

(CB-1-1992; CB-23-2005; CB-25-2013; CB-67-2014; CB-74-2016; CB-115-2017)