Tenn. Code Ann. § 12-3-1212 allows counties having centralized purchasing and a full-time purchasing agent, by resolution of the governing body, to increase the threshold amount over which public advertisement and sealed competitive bids or proposals are required to $50,000 for nonemergency, nonproprietary purchases.  The law provides that a full-time purchasing agent is someone that devotes 100% of the person’s working time to purchasing.

In addition, counties with non-centralized purchasing or counties without a full-time purchasing agent, by resolution of the governing body, may increase the threshold over which public advertisement and sealed competitive bids or proposals are required to $25,000 for nonemergency, nonproprietary purchases.

The law requires local governments to get at least three written quotes, when possible, for purchases costing less than the bid threshold but more than 40% of such bid threshold or a lower amount as may be established by the governing body in a resolution.