§ 18A:18A-3 — Bid threshold.

18A:18A-3. a. (1) When the cost or price of a contract, in the aggregate, does not exceed in a contract year the total sum of $17,500, a board of education may authorize a purchasing agent to award the contract without public advertising for bids and bidding therefor. The board of education may adopt a resolution to set a lower threshold for the receipt of public bids or the solicitation of competitive quotations. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a contract having an anticipated value in excess of $17,500, but below the applicable public bidding threshold, is not required to be awarded by a board of education and may be awarded by a purchasing agent if the purchasing agent possesses a qualified purchasing agent certificate pursuant to subsection b. of section 9 of P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-9). (3) If the purchasing agent possesses a qualified purchasing agent certificate pursuant to subsection b. of section 9 of P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-9), the board of education may establish that the bid threshold may be up to $25,000, or the amount determined by the Governor pursuant to subsection b. of this section. (4) The authorization may be granted for each contract or by a general delegation of the power to negotiate and award the contracts pursuant to this section. b. Commencing in the fifth year after the year in which P.L.1999, c.440 takes effect, and every five years thereafter, the Governor, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, shall adjust the threshold amount and the higher threshold amount which the board of education is permitted to establish as set forth in subsection a. of this section or the threshold amount resulting from any adjustment under this subsection, in direct proportion to the rise of the index rate as that term is defined in N.J.S.18A:18A-2, and shall round the adjustment to the nearest $1,000. The Governor shall notify all local school districts of the adjustment no later than June 1 of every fifth year. The adjustment shall become effective on July 1 of the year in which it is made. Any contract made pursuant to this section may be awarded for a period of up to 24 consecutive months, except that contracts for professional services pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of N.J.S.18A:18A-5 may be awarded for a period not exceeding 12 consecutive months. Amended 1980, c.144, s.1; 1983, c.171, s.1; 1999, c.440, s.51; 2009, c.166, s.6; 2023, c.252, s.5.