[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Chosen Freeholders of Mercer County as Ch. 3.03 of the 2003 Mercer County Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Pursuant to P.L. 2020, c. 67, effective 1-1-2021, the Code of Mercer County has been amended to delete the term “Board of Chosen Freeholders” and replace it with the term “Board of County Commissioners.” In addition, the terms “Freeholder” and “Chosen Freeholder” have been deleted and replaced by the term “County Commissioner.”]
[Amended by Ord. No. 76-5]
Within the limits of available appropriations, the County Executive may negotiate contracts and other legally binding obligations of the County for approval of the Board. Such documents when approved shall be signed by the County Executive, attested by the Clerk to the Board, and approved by the County Counsel for legal form and efficiency.
[Amended by Ord. No. 76-5]
The County Executive shall designate a Purchasing Agent to be the contracting agent of the County for purchase of materials and supplies, subject to such review and approval as the County Executive may require.
[Amended by Ord. No. 76-5]
The County Executive shall maintain a complete system for centralized purchasing of materials, supplies and contractual services on behalf of all agencies of the County, unless excepted there from by Board resolution or recommendation of the County Executive. The system shall be designed to assure proper quality at least cost, encourage competitive bidding on open specifications, provide for awards to the lowest responsible bidder, and maintain ethical and financial integrity in dealings between vendors and the County.
[Amended by Res. No. 76-434]
A. 
Bids will be requested and received by the Purchasing Agent.
B. 
Bids will be opened at a public meeting by the Purchasing Agent with counsel present.
C. 
The Purchasing Agent will act as Secretary for the bid procedure. He will assume the responsibilities for the agenda of the bid opening and the tabulation summary formerly handled by the Clerk of the Board.
D. 
At the discretion of the Purchasing Agent, a Bid Review Committee will be convened. This Committee will consist of the following representatives and others that the Purchasing Agent so designates or requests: County Engineer, or his designee; County Counsel, or his designee. The Purchasing Agent shall act as Chairman and Secretary of the Bid Review Committee. This Review Committee or the Purchasing Agent will make recommendations for awards through the County Administrator for Board action at a public meeting of the Board of County Commissioners.
E. 
Bids will be taken on the second and fourth Monday at 2:00 p.m. When the day fixed for the receipt of such public bids and proposals by the Bid Review Committee falls upon a day designated by law as a legal or national holiday, such meeting shall be held on a day designated by resolution of the Board of County Commissioners.
F. 
The Clerk of the Board shall be furnished with a formal tabulation of bids received for official receipt and inclusion in the permanent minutes of the County.
[Amended by Ord. No. 89-17]
A. 
Unless otherwise provided by law, the County Board of Taxation, the County Board of Elections, the County Clerk, the Surrogate and the Sheriff shall ensure that every effort has been made to include bona fide vendors of the County in all contract negotiations for goods and services where public bidding is not required.
B. 
A "bona fide vendor" for the purpose of this section is a vendor having a permanent place of business within the County.
C. 
Notwithstanding this section, a contract shall be awarded to a qualified vendor whose proposal provides the best economical benefit to the residents of the County.
D. 
The County Board of Taxation, the County Board of Elections, the County Clerk, the Surrogate and the Sheriff of the County shall submit a formal report to the Board of County Commissioners concerning vendors who participated in contract negotiations for goods and services.
E. 
The provisions of this section is hereby limited in scope to those agencies identified in N.J.S.A. 40:41A-125 and the authority set forth in N.J.S.A. 40:41A-125 does not extend to autonomous agencies but is limited to those five agencies identified in said statute for budgetary concerns and procedures, specifically the County Board of Taxation, the County Board of Elections, the County Clerk, the Surrogate, the County Superintendent of Elections and the Sheriff.
[Amended 10-22-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-5]