Washington § 39.04.280 - Competitive bidding requirements — Exemptions.

This section provides uniform exemptions to competitive bidding requirements utilized by municipalities when awarding contracts for public works and contracts for purchases. The statutes governing a specific type of municipality may also include other exemptions from competitive bidding requirements. The purpose of this section is to supplement and not to limit the current powers of any municipality to provide exemptions from competitive bidding requirements.

(1) Competitive bidding requirements may be waived by the governing body of the municipality for:

(a) Purchases that are clearly and legitimately limited to a single source of supply;

(b) Purchases involving special facilities or market conditions;

(c) Purchases in the event of an emergency;

(d) Purchases of insurance or bonds;

(e) Until January 1, 2045, purchases involving projects that are common facilities as described in RCW 54.44.020;

(f) Until January 1, 2045, purchases relating to energy generation, storage, transmission, or distribution facilities if the governing body determines that the expedited procurement action is for proprietary or specialized technologies with no comparable alternatives, is necessary to ensure compliance with electrical reliability standards, or prevent threats to grid reliability; and

(g) Public works in the event of an emergency.

(2)(a) The waiver of competitive bidding requirements under subsection (1) of this section may be by resolution or by the terms of written policies adopted by the municipality, at the option of the governing body of the municipality. If the governing body elects to waive competitive bidding requirements by the terms of written policies adopted by the municipality, immediately after the award of any contract, the contract and the factual basis for the exception must be recorded and open to public inspection.

If a resolution is adopted by a governing body to waive competitive bidding requirements under (b) of this subsection, the resolution must recite the factual basis for the exception. This subsection (2)(a) does not apply in the event of an emergency.

(b) If an emergency exists, the person or persons designated by the governing body of the municipality to act in the event of an emergency may declare an emergency situation exists, waive competitive bidding requirements, and award all necessary contracts on behalf of the municipality to address the emergency situation. If a contract is awarded without competitive bidding due to an emergency, a written finding of the existence of an emergency must be made by the governing body or its designee and duly entered of record no later than two weeks following the award of the contract.

(3) For purposes of this section "emergency" means unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the municipality that either: (a) Present a real, immediate threat to the proper performance of essential functions; or (b) will likely result in material loss or damage to property, bodily injury, or loss of life if immediate action is not taken.

Intent—Findings—2026 c 183: See note following RCW 54.04.070.