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December 21, 2009 (Regular Meeting) <br />II. INFORMAL BIDS <br />Page 172 7 <br />Informal Bids are required for any purchase of apparatus, <br />supplies, materials, or equipment that requires an expenditure of <br />more than $1,000 but less than $90,000 and Construction and <br />Repair projects less than $500,000. North Carolina statutes do <br />not specify any particular method for securing informal bids; <br />therefore, any otherwise legal method is acceptable. There are a <br />number of ways to obtain informal bids: <br />Quotations <br />Informal purchases are accomplished by written quotations via <br />fax, email or verbal means. <br />1. Legal Requirements/Policies <br />a. While the law does not specify a minimum number of informal <br />quotes, the general policy of Cabarrus County has been to obtain <br />at least two (2) informal quotes. <br />b. NCGS ~ 143-131 does require that contracts in the informal <br />bidding category be awarded to the "lowest responsible bidder, <br />taking into consideration quality, performance, and the. time <br />specified in the bids for performance of the contract." It is the <br />duty of the person or department entering into the contract to <br />keep a record of all quotes submitted, provided that such records <br />shall not be subject to public inspection until the contract has <br />been awarded. If the department obtains the quote, the quotations <br />must be submitted with the requisition. <br />c. It is the policy of Cabarrus County that expenditures for <br />commodities totaling $1,000 or more are issues on a Purchase <br />Order. <br />2. Purchasing Procedure <br />a. To initiate the purchasing process, the department enters a <br />Requisition through the MUMS system requesting the purchase of <br />identified commodities. <br />b. To facilitate the purchase, a using department may provide <br />Purchasing with written quotations from at least two (2) vendors; <br />or, an explanation of a verifiable reason competition is not <br />available. <br />c. Purchasing will approve the ultimate selection or may obtain <br />other competitive bids when it deems necessary. <br />III. DECENTRALIZED PURCHASING <br />This is a County policy only when the expenditure is less than <br />$1,000. The department may make the purchase after seeking <br />appropriate competitive quotes without the involvement of the <br />Purchasing Office. All purchases $1,000 or more must have a <br />purchase order issued through the Purchasing Office (centralized <br />purchasing). <br />IV. DIRECT PURCHASES <br />Certain supplies, materials and equipment or services may be <br />secured directly by County departments including the following: <br />1) Advertising <br />2) Dues <br />3) Food Purchases <br />4) Governmental Publications <br />5) License Renewals <br />6) Subscriptions <br />7) Travel & Training <br />V. PURCHASE OR LEASE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GOODS AND SERVICES <br />Any purchase, lease or contract services related to Information <br />Technology must be approved by Cabarrus County Technology <br />Services (ITS). <br />VI. PIGGYBACKING <br />