Carpinteria Municipal Code Ch. 3.31 Public Project Bidding

This chapter is enacted for the purpose of implementing the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act ("Act") (Public Contract Code Section 22000 et seq.) and the policies and procedures of the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission ("commission"). The city elected, via Resolution No. 4603, to become subject to the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Procedures on May 22, 2000.

(Ord. No. 784, § 5, 7-22-2024)

The cost limitations and circumstances for determining whether a public project may be performed by force account, negotiated contract, purchase order, informal bidding, or formal bidding are those set forth in the Act.

(Ord. No. 784, § 5, 7-22-2024)

Public projects in amounts established by Public Contract Code Section 22032, as it may be amended from time to time, that are subject to informal bid procedures may be let to contract as follows:

A. Contractors list. The city will develop and maintain a list of contractors in accordance with Section 22034 of the Act and the criteria established by the commission.

B. Notice to Contractors. The city will solicit bids by written request to contractors licensed and experienced for the type of public work to be performed from the city's list of qualified contractors established pursuant to this section. Qualified contractors on the list for the category of work to be performed and all construction trade journals specified by the commission pursuant to Section 22036 of the Act will be mailed a notice inviting informal bids unless the product or service is proprietary.

C. Form of notice. The notice inviting informal bids must describe: (1) the project in general terms, (2) how to obtain more detailed information concerning the project, and (3) state the time and place for the submission of bids.

D. The mailing of notices to such qualified contractors and construction trade journals shall be completed not less than ten calendar days before bids are due.

E. Award of contract. The award of the contract may be made to the lowest responsible bidder. If two or more bids are the same and the lowest, the city may accept the one it chooses. If all bids received are in excess of the amounts permitted for informal contracts, an award may be made pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 22034.

F. Rejection or absence of bids. The city reserves the right to reject any and all bids presented. If the city rejects all bids received and after reevaluating its cost estimate of the project, it may either abandon the project, readvertise for bids, or by passage of a resolution by 4/5 vote of the council declare the project may be more economically performed by city employees and have the project done by force account. If no bids are received, the public project may be performed by city employees by force account or by negotiated contract.

(Ord. No. 784, § 5, 7-22-2024)

Public projects that exceed the maximum permitted amount under the Act for informal bidding and are not otherwise exempt must be let to contract by formal bidding procedures in accordance with the Act and other applicable provisions of the Public Contract Code. Notice inviting formal bids shall be in accordance with Public Contract Code Section 22037.

(Ord. No. 784, § 5, 7-22-2024)

The city manager is authorized, without city council approval, to award contracts pursuant to this chapter for a public project to be performed by force account, negotiated contract, purchase order, or informal bidding. Contracts to be awarded based upon formal bidding procedures must be approved by the city council.

(Ord. No. 784, § 5, 7-22-2024)