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For Immediate Release
Legislative package would provide municipal
purchasing flexibility Brubaker takes active role in 16-bill package HARRISBURG – State Senator Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster) has joined with several of his colleagues to introduce a 16-bill package designed to provide local governments with more flexibility when purchasing products or contracting for services. Senate Bills 1071 through 1086 would amend the various local government codes, including those for counties, cities, townships, boroughs and school districts, to raise the bid limit thresholds for these purchases. The bills were recently introduced in the state Senate. Under current law, a municipality seeking to purchase an item above $10,000 must go through the formal bidding process by advertising twice in a daily newspaper, receiving sealed bids by vendors, and voting at a public meeting on the lowest bid. Written or telephonic quotes are required for purchases between $4,000 and $10,000. "These bills will increase the bid limit for the formal bidding process to $25,000, and increase the range requiring written or telephonic quotes to $7,000 to $25,000," Brubaker said. The bid limit thresholds were last changed in 1990, but due to inflation, very few items government units purchase can be acquired for less than $10,000, Brubaker pointed out. "Because of the effects that inflation has on purchasing power over the years, the thresholds established in this package will also be adjusted annually by the Department of Labor and Industry based on the Consumer Price Index," Brubaker said, "thus negating the need to revisit this issue on a regular basis." Brubaker said that officials from several of the local governments in the 36th District are supportive of increasing the bid limits because it would be helpful to their daily operations. "This will enable local governments to make relatively small purchases without the time and expense of advertising, thus making bidding more efficient and ultimately saving municipalities and taxpayers money," Brubaker said. "This will also provide greater flexibility and speed up the process while still maintaining public accountability." Brubaker is the prime sponsor on Senate Bill 1080, which amends the Political Subdivision Joint Purchases Law, and Senate Bill 1083, which amends the State Public School Building Authority Act. He has also cosponsored the remaining bills in the package. The Senate Local Government Committee, of which Brubaker is a member, intends to meet on September 26 to take up the legislation.
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