The usual method of evaluating bids
shall be to determine among those meeting the City’s
specifications the bid which best suits the City’s
requirements.
Unless otherwise specified, this will be the lowest
responsible bid that meets the City’s
specifications.
Bid specifications may be based upon
the specific performance of a product or service or may
specify a range of products or services that will be
acceptable.
Preferences may be specified generically, but not by
manufacturers’ or brand names unless used to describe the
nature of the product/service desired. Preferences will be
stated in bids only when it is determined by the
Purchasing Manager to be in the City’s best
interest.
Consideration may be given to other
factors which may affect the cost of the goods or services to
be purchased only if those factors could not reasonably have
been specified and made a part of the bid under
evaluation.
The bid evaluation procedure must be
objective and shall place primary emphasis on selecting the
goods or services which best meet the City’s stated
needs. The
Purchasing Manager will resolve questions of
interpretation and intent arising from bid language or bidding
procedures.
The
Purchasing Manager may permit minor variations
from the specifications or the bid procedures where the best
interests of the City are served and when such variations do
not materially affect the quality of the product/service. A major variation will
disqualify a bid.
A major variation is defined as a deficiency in
quality, quantity, serviceability or usefulness of a product
or service to the extent that the use of that product or
service will cause lack of service delivery, unnecessary cost
or hardship to the City.
Bidders are cautioned to comply with City
specifications in all regards in order to receive fullest
consideration for a bid award.
In circumstances where bids have been
received and all bids exceed the
Purchasing Manager’s determination of maximum
price for that bid, the
Purchasing Manager may reject all bids and rebid
for the same or amended goods/services. The
Purchasing Manager may also choose to negotiate
with those bidders who responded in order to buy at an
acceptable price.
If negotiations fail with the original bidders,
negotiations on the open market with other vendors will be
permitted.
When bids have been received and no
bid reasonably matches the City’s specifications, the
Purchasing Manager may also use the above
procedure for negotiation.
When bids are equal, bid selection
shall be at the discretion of the
Purchasing Manager.
If bids are equal, preference will
usually be given to vendors within the Greater Lakeland
area.
The
Purchasing Manager may permit a withdrawal of a
bid for valid cause, but under no circumstances may a bid or
bid price be amended after submittal unless so amended during
a legitimate negotiating opportunity as described
above.
Bidders and their representatives are
strongly cautioned to make no “exparte” communications to the
Purchasing Manager or any other City employee
who may be involved in the bid evaluation process. Such communications
made with the intent to influence a decision may lead to
disqualification of that party’s bid. This shall not be
construed to prohibit bidders from making reasonable inquiries
after a bid is submitted.
The
Purchasing Manager may divide a bid between or
among several bidders, if this is determined to be feasible
and economically acceptable.
Bidders are advised that ability to
perform, past performance and any records and information
submitted by them during the course of bidding or during the
bid evaluation process are subject to public
scrutiny.