2006 Minnesota Statutes

16C.26 COMPETITIVE BIDS.
    Subdivision 1. Application. Except as otherwise provided by sections 16C.26 and 16C.27,
all contracts for building and construction or repairs must be based on competitive bids.
    Subd. 2. Requirement contracts. Standard requirement price contracts for building and
construction must be established by competitive bids as provided in subdivision 1. The standard
requirement price contracts may contain escalation clauses and may provide for a negotiated
price increase or decrease based upon a demonstrable industrywide or regional increase or
decrease in the vendor's costs or for the addition of similar products or replacement items not
significant to the total value of existing contracts. The term of these contracts may not exceed
five years including all extensions.
    Subd. 3. Publication of notice; expenditures over $25,000. If the amount of an expenditure
is estimated to exceed $25,000, bids must be solicited by public notice in a manner designated
by the commissioner. To the extent practical, this must include posting on a state Web site. For
expenditures over $50,000, the commissioner shall solicit sealed bids by providing notices to
all prospective bidders known to the commissioner by posting notice on a state Web site at least
seven days before the final date of submitting bids. All bids over $50,000 must be sealed when
they are received and must be opened in public at the hour stated in the notice. All original bids
and all documents pertaining to the award of a contract must be retained and made a part of a
permanent file or record and remain open to public inspection.
    Subd. 4. Building and construction contracts; $50,000 or less. An informal bid may be
used for building, construction, and repair contracts that are estimated at less than $50,000.
Informal bids must be authenticated by the bidder in a manner specified by the commissioner.
    Subd. 5. Standard specifications, security. Contracts must be based on the standard
specifications prescribed and enforced by the commissioner under this chapter, unless
otherwise expressly provided. Each bidder for a contract must furnish security approved by the
commissioner to ensure the making of the contract being bid for.
    Subd. 6. Noncompetitive bids. Agencies are encouraged to contract with small targeted
group businesses designated under section 16C.16 when entering into contracts that are not
subject to competitive bidding procedures.
History: 2002 c 254 s 2; 2005 c 78 s 3,4; 2005 c 156 art 2 s 27,28