Tennessee § 5-21-120 - Bidding.

§ 5-21-120. Bidding.

The committee shall authorize the dollar limitation when formal competitive bids are required but not to exceed the amount as authorized by state law for the highway and education departments or other such amounts as established by law. Subject to the policies and regulations of the committee, “biddable items” means any need of the county where more than one (1) bidder or contractor in the county's trade area can provide the material or service. Specifications shall not be written to exclude vendors and contractors or limit the bidding to a specific vendor or contractor. The county shall be liable for the payment of all purchases of supplies, materials, equipment and contractual service made in accordance with this chapter, but shall not be liable for the payment of such purchases made contrary to its provisions unless such item is specifically approved by the committee. Acts 1981, ch. 325, § 20. Cross-References. County purchasing laws, title 5, ch. 14. Attorney General Opinions. A county could not award a road design and construction contract on a “design-build” basis, without competitive bidding, to an engineering firm that had partnered with a road construction firm for that purpose, even though the county's governing body believed such an award to be in the best interest of the taxpayers, as the county was required to advertise the proposed letting of such a contract and to receive sealed bids for the proposed road project, OAG 00-086, 2000 Tenn. AG LEXIS 88 (5/5/00).