Presenter
Presented by Mr. Cohen
Title
Ordinance directing the Allegheny County Board of Elections to Place before the qualified voters of the City of Pittsburgh a referendum Question which will amend Article Five, Section 512 ("Bidding Procedure") of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Body
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows
Section 1. The Allegheny County Board of Elections is hereby directed to place before the qualified voters of the City of Pittsburgh a referendum Question:
"Shall the Home Rule Charter of the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Article Five, Section 512 ("Bidding Procedure") be amended from the current requirement that "each contract subject to competitive bids exceeding two thousand dollars shall be awarded by" paper sealed bid procedure to allow for the introduction of electronic commerce in City bidding procedures, and increasing the dollar value (Councilmatic amount) of bids that are subject to competitive bidding from two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) to ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00), in accordance with already established Council procedure pursuant to section 161.03 of the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances?, with the specific amendment as follows:
§ 512 BIDDING PROCEDURE
Unless the amount is increased by ordinance, each contract subject to competitive bids exceeding two ten thousand dollars shall be awarded by sealed bid procedure. Invitations for bids shall include reasonable public notice by advertisement in a newspaper circulated generally in the City. All bids shall be filed sealed in the Controller's office and shall be opened for the first time and announced publicly at the time and place designed in the notice. Unless the amount is increased by ordinance, a contract subject to competitive bids involving two ten thousand dollars or less may be awarded on oral or letter bids, or on specific prices set forth in the seller's literature. In the alternative, contracts subject to competitive bids may be awarded through a secure, electronic commerce format. Public notice of the City's procurement needs may include electronic publication, which is accessible to the public, publication in newspapers and trade publications, issuance of invitations for bids to bidders on solicitation mailing lists and notice to pre-qualified contractors. All bids shall be received electronically in the Office of the City Controller and shall be opened for the first time and announced or posted publicly at the time and place designated in the posting of the bid.