HB1421: Public purchasing; increase threshold for bidding and revise provisions related to reverse auctions.

Legislative Summary

An Act To Amend Section 31-7-13, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Public Purchasing Law To Provide That Purchases Which Do Not Involve An Expenditure Of More Than $10,000.00 May Be Made Without Advertising Or Otherwise Requesting Competitive Bids; To Revise The Reverse Auction Method For Receiving Bids To Differentiate Between Agencies And Governing Authorities; To Provide That If An Agency Determines That A Reverse Auction Is Not In The Best Interest Of The Agency, Then That Determination Must Be Approved By The Public Procurement Review Board; To Provide That If A Governing Authority Determines That A Reverse Auction Is Not In The Best Interest Of The Governing Authority, Then That Determination Must Be Approved By The Governing Board Of The Governing Authority; To Provide That The Agency And Governing Authority Must Submit An Explanation As To Why A Reverse Auction Is Not In The Best Interest Of The Agency Or Governing Authority; To Amend Sections 31-3-1, 31-5-37 And 31-5-51, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform; To Amend Section 31-7-103, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Increase The Competitive Purchasing Threshold For Certain County Purchases; To Bring Forward Section 31-7-119, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For The Purpose Of Possible Amendment; And For Related Purposes.