FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1386

                                  C 244 L 89

BYHouse Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Phillips, Ferguson, Horn and Haugen)

Permitting counties to use a small works roster to award contacts, and increasing the value of leases and purchases that can be awarded without using a formal competitive bidding process.

House Committe on Local Government

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

Many local governments are required to award contracts for public works projects above a specified cost to the lowest responsible bidder.  The award is made after a formal public bidding process that involves publishing notices, requesting bids on the project, obtaining sealed bids, and opening the sealed bids at a public meeting.

Some local governments are permitted to award small scale public works projects under the less formal small works roster process.  This process involves soliciting bids from contractors who have registered with the local government and had their names placed on the local government's small works roster.  Cities and towns can award public works projects of a value of up to $100,000 using a small works roster process.  Counties have not been authorized to use a small works roster process to award public works contracts.

A county with a purchasing department must award or make non-road related contracts, leases, and purchases by using a formal competitive bidding process if the value of the contract, lease, or purchase is $3500 or more.  A less formal telephone or written solicitation process can be used by a county with a purchasing department for non-road related contracts, leases and purchases, if the value is from $1000 to less than $3500.

SUMMARY:

Counties are permitted to use a small works roster to award contracts for any project the estimated cost of which is less than $100,000.  Whenever possible, the county shall solicit participation by women and minority contractors.

Whenever a county uses a small works roster, it must invite proposals from appropriate contractors on the roster and if possible request at least five contractors to submit proposals.  Whenever a contractor has been offered an opportunity to submit a bid under this process, that contractor shall not be offered another opportunity to submit a proposal until all other appropriate contractors, including women and minority contractors, have been afforded an opportunity to submit a proposal.  The contract shall be awarded to the contractor submitting the lowest responsible proposal.

The minimum value of a non-road related contract, lease, or purchase that a county with a purchasing department may award or make, without using a formal competitive bidding process, is increased from $3500 to $10,000.  The maximum value of a non-road related contract, lease, or purchase that a county with a purchasing department may award or make, using a less formal telephone or written solicitation process, is increased from less than $3500 to less than $10,000.  Annually, such a county must establish an array of categories for such contracts, leases, and purchases.  A roster may be developed for each category.  A county using a roster process must invite proposals from all vendors listed on the roster.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 95   0

      Senate    45     0 (Senate amended)

      House 91   0 (House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 23, 1989