Question: What are the Bid/Quote guidelines?

Response: Let us first clarify the difference between a bid and a quote. Bids are a formal purchasing process where the district asks interested vendors to submit bids for goods or services in a prescribed manner; bids are required by law under certain circumstances.  A quote is much like a bid but it's a far less formal process and not subject to bid law (but possibly subject to other criteria per board policy).

In accordance with requirements of the Public Contract Code, the bid limit is $76,700 effective January 1, 2009. This bid limit only applies to: (1) the purchase of equipment, materials, and supplies; (2) certain services, except construction services; and, (3) repairs, including maintenance, as defined in Public Contract Code Section 20115, that are not public projects as defined in Section 22002(c). The limit is increased each January 1 by a cost-of-living adjustment factor.

The threshold for bids required for construction contracts under Section 20111(b) is $15,000 and has not changed for many years. Many other requirements exist in the Public Contract Code, far too many to list here.  We recommend reviewing the Code, as well as contacting your district's legal counsel, for guidance regarding these additional topics:

Bid process

Definition of items/projects subject to bidding requirements

Bid bonds

Acceptance criteria

Rejection criteria

You should also review your district's board policies and regulations for more guidance.

7/23/09