Private Acts of 1951 Chapter 313

SECTION 1.  That in Bradley County, Tennessee, the County Executive is hereby designated as "County Purchasing Agent" and it shall be his duty as such County Purchasing Agent to purchase any and all supplies and equipment for use by the said County and the officials, employees and departments of said County.  Said County Executive as County Purchasing Agent is hereby expressly authorized to enter into contracts for the purchase of such supplies and equipment upon requisition for the various county officials and departments and is hereby charged with full responsibility to carry out the provisions of this Act.

The said County Executive as County Purchasing Agent is hereby given exclusive power and authority to purchase materials, supplies and equipment of any kind whatsoever, including insurance, for the use of all officials, agents, servants, and departments under the control of the County government or for which the county may be chargeable.  He shall likewise have exclusive power and authority to arrange for the purchase or rental of any and all real estate, machinery and other equipment whenever the price thereof is to be paid out of any funds belonging to the County or any department or agency thereof.

Provided however, that nothing in this Act shall apply to the purchasing of any material, supplies, equipment, real estate, insurance or machinery for the public schools of said County or for the Highway Department thereof.

SECTION 2.  That in carrying out the provisions of this Act the County Executive, as County Purchasing Agent, shall make such purchases only after he or she has received competitive bids from two (2) or more suppliers of such items, and in every case the purchase shall be made from the lowest and best bidder. Public advertisement and competitive bids shall not be required for:

(1) General fund, board of education, and road department purchases with a monetary value being less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000); and

(2) Any purchases that must be made in emergencies. 

The County Executive, as County Purchasing Agent, shall in every case reserve the right to reject any bids submitted to him or her either in whole or in part, and whenever two (2) or more low bids are submitted to him or her for an item at the same
price for the same character, kind, and quantity of supplies, he or she may in his or her discretion award the contract to either of such bidders or may apportion the requirements between or among the representative bidders.

 SECTION 3.  That the County Executive as County Purchasing Agent, when in his judgment such would be advantageous and expedient, may advertise for the submission of bids by notices published in one or more newspapers published in said County, or by notices posted on the bulletin board in the Bradley County Court House, in his discretion, and the said County Executive as County Purchasing Agent is hereby expressly authorized to require performance bonds to accompany bids and to fix the amounts thereof; and also to govern the procedure for the delivery and storage of such items as are purchased by him for the County.

 The County Executive of Bradley County as County Purchasing Agent is expressly authorized to establish a system whereby the various county officials, departments and agencies shall requisition the purchase of any supplies, equipment, material or other matter handled through the office of the County Purchasing Agent and may if he deems advisable combine and consolidate requisitions from different county offices in order to procure more advantageous bids for the county, and distribute such items purchased among the various offices requisitioning such items.

 The said County Executive as County Purchasing Agent is expressly authorized to purchase or contract to purchase any items on an annual or term basis instead of individually.

 SECTION 4.  That in carrying out the provisions of this Act the said County Executive as County Purchasing Agent shall keep complete and permanent records of all transactions, purchases, contracts, bids, advertisements, etc., including original copies of all bids submitted in compliance with this Act, all of which records shall at all times be open to public inspection by any interested party.

 SECTION 5.  That for the additional duties imposed upon him in carrying out the provisions of this Act the said County Executive as County Purchasing Agent is hereby authorized to receive additional compensation of One Hundred and Fifty ($150.00) Dollars per month, which amount shall include any additional compensation heretofore authorized and paid by the Quarterly County Court to the County Executive for services as County Purchasing Agent.

 SECTION 6.  That the provisions of this Act shall be deemed severable and if any portion of this Act shall be declared void or invalid, the remaining portions shall not be affected thereby.

 SECTION 7.  That all laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act be and the same are hereby repealed, and this Act shall take effect from and after its passage, the public welfare requiring it.

 Passed:  February 27, 1951.