1998 Minnesota Statutes

     473.705 Contracts for materials, supplies and equipment. 

    No contract for the purchase of materials, supplies, and 
 equipment costing more than $5,000 shall be made by the 
 commission without publishing the notice once in the official 
 newspaper of each of the counties in the district that bids or 
 proposals will be received.  The notice shall be published at 
 least ten days before bids are opened.  Such notice shall state 
 the nature of the work or purchase and the terms and conditions 
 upon which the contract is to be awarded, naming therein a time 
 and place where such bids will be received, opened, and read 
 publicly.  After such bids have been duly received, opened, read 
 publicly, and recorded, the commission shall award such contract 
 to the lowest responsible bidder or it may reject all bids.  
 Each contract shall be duly executed in writing and the party to 
 whom the contract is awarded may be required to give sufficient 
 bond to the commission for the faithful performance of the 
 contract.  If no satisfactory bid is received the commission may 
 readvertise.  The commission shall have the right to set 
 qualifications and specifications and to require bids to meet 
 such qualifications and specifications before bids are accepted. 
 If the commission by an affirmative vote of five-sixths of the 
 voting power of the commission shall declare that an emergency 
 exists requiring the immediate purchase of materials or supplies 
 at a cost in excess of $5,000 but not to exceed $10,000 in 
 amount, or in making emergency repairs, it shall not be 
 necessary to advertise for bids, but such material, equipment, 
 and supplies may be purchased in the open market at the lowest 
 price available without securing formal competitive bids.  An 
 emergency as used in this section shall be an unforeseen 
 circumstance or condition which results in placing life or 
 property in jeopardy.  All contracts involving employment of 
 labor shall stipulate terms thereof and such conditions as the 
 commission deems reasonable as to hours and wages.  

    HIST: 1975 c 13 s 130; 1982 c 579 s 7