Purchases where the estimated cost is over $30,001 shall be made by sending out written Invitations for Bids to persons in a position to furnish the supplies, services and major repairs required and by advertising in accordance with R.S. 39:1594. Invitations for Bids shall state the date and time when bids will be received, opened and publicly read. Bidding time should be a minimum of 21 days unless the chief procurement officer or his designee deems that shorter time is necessary for a particular procurement.
All bids shall be subject to rejection by the institution. If awarded, the contract for purchase shall be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, taking into consideration among other factors the apparent ability of the bidder to perform the proposed contract, the conformity of the articles or services to the specifications, or for other reasons, transportation charges, and the date of delivery specified in the invitation for bidders. A bond for the faithful performance of any contract may be required at the discretion of the institution for services over $30,001. A complete written record on all procedures and justifications shall be maintained on each purchasing transaction in order to provide a clear audit trail on the purchase.
The Purchasing Department will continue the policy of not returning bids and quotations to departments for recommendation unless the items quoted are not as specified or they are more than 10% in excess of the estimated total cost. Assuming that funds are available, and the items are as specified and within the estimate as noted above, a Purchase Order will be issued.
Budget Unit Heads are required to review bids or quotations for the following Purchase Order Types: Request for Quote (RQ) and Sealed Bids (SB) before issuance of a Purchase Order.
A Performance and Payment Bond written by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana in a sum not less than 50% of the Contract price may be required on the following contracts for goods and services. Determinations for requirement of bonds shall be subject to the discretion of the Chief Procurement Officer, or Director of Purchasing.