Los Alamitos Municipal Code Ch. 2.62 Informal Bidding—public Works

A. For purposes of this chapter, the term "public work" shall have the same meaning as "public project" set forth in the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act ("Act") (Public Contract Code § 22030 et seq.), as may be amended from time to time, which is defined in relevant part as follows:

1. Construction, reconstruction, erection, alteration, renovation, improvement, demolition, and repair work involving any publicly owned, leased, or operated facility; and

2. Painting or repainting of any publicly owned, leased, or operated facility.

B. The term "public work" does not include maintenance work. "Maintenance work" includes all of the following:

1. Routine, recurring, and usual work for the preservation or protection of any publicly owned or publicly operated facility for its intended purposes;

2. Minor repainting;

3. Resurfacing of streets and highways at less than one inch; and

4. Landscape, maintenance, including mowing, watering, trimming, pruning, planting, replacement of plants, and servicing of irrigation and sprinkler systems.

(Ord. 2025-02, 2/18/2025)

A. A public work of $75,000 or less (or the then current amount specified in Section 22032(a) of the Public Contract Code, if different) may be performed by the employees of the city by force account, by negotiated contract, or by purchase order.

B. A public work of $125,000 or less (or the then current bidding threshold amount adjusted in accordance with Section 1206 of the Los Alamitos City Charter, if different) may be let to contract by informal bidding procedures in accordance with Public Contract Code § 22030 et seq., and as set forth in this chapter. A public work of more than $125,000 (or the then current bidding threshold amount adjusted in accordance with Section 1206 of the Los Alamitos City Charter, if different) shall be let to contract by formal bidding procedures in accordance with the City Charter.

C. The city manager is authorized to award and execute contracts for public works of $125,000 or less (or the then current bidding threshold amount adjusted in accordance with Section 1206 of the Los Alamitos City Charter, if different) pursuant to the informal bidding procedures set forth in this chapter, provided there exists an unencumbered appropriation in the approved budget against which such procurement may be charged.

(Ord. 2025-02, 2/18/2025)

The city manager or the city manager's designee may develop and maintain a list of qualified contractors, identified according to categories of work in accordance with the minimum criteria determined by the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission ("Commission").

(Ord. 2025-02, 2/18/2025)

A. Where a public work is subject to the informal bidding procedures of this chapter, a notice inviting informal bids shall be provided to contractors in accordance with either Subsection (A)(1) and/or (2) below. If the city does not maintain a list of qualified contractors pursuant to Section 2.62.030, the notice inviting informal bids shall only be provided to contractors in accordance with Subsection (A)(2) below.

1. A notice inviting informal bids may be mailed, faxed, or emailed not less than 10 calendar days before bids are due to all contractors for the category of work to be bid, as shown on the list developed in accordance with Section 2.62.030.

2. A notice inviting informal bids may be mailed, faxed, or emailed not less than 10 calendar days before bids are due to all appropriate construction trade journals as specified by the Commission. Additional contractors and/or construction trade journals may be notified at the discretion of the city manager or the city manager's designee.

B. The notice inviting informal bids shall: (1) describe the project in general terms; (2) explain how to obtain more detailed information about the proposed public work; and (3) state the time, date and location for the submission of bids.

C. If the product or service required to be performed is, at the discretion of the city manager, determined to be proprietary in nature such that it can be obtained only from a certain contractor or contractors, the notice inviting informal bids may be sent exclusively to such contractor or contractors (Public Contract Code § 22034(a)(1)).

(Ord. 2025-02, 2/18/2025)

A. In cases of emergency when repair or replacements are necessary, the city council may proceed at once to replace or repair any public facility without adopting plans, specifications, strain sheets, or working details, or giving notice for bids to let contracts. The work may be done by day labor under the direction of the city council, by contractor, or by a combination of the two (Public Contract Code § 22035).

B. In case of an emergency, if notice for bids to let contracts will not be given, the city shall comply with Chapter 2.5, Part 3, Division 2 of the Public Contract Code (commencing with § 22050), as may be amended from time to time.

(Ord. 2025-02, 2/18/2025)

If all informal bids received exceed the $125,000 bidding threshold by up to five percent (or five percent above the then current bidding threshold amount adjusted in accordance with Section 1206 of the Los Alamitos City Charter, if different), the city council may, by adoption of a resolution by a 4/5ths vote, award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, if the city council determines that the city's cost estimate was reasonable.

(Ord. 2025-02, 2/18/2025)