(a) Competitive bids.--Except in the purchase of unique articles or articles which, for any other reason, cannot be obtained in the open market and except as provided in section 1741 (relating to general powers) and as provided in this chapter, competitive bids shall be secured before any purchase or sale, by contract or otherwise, is made or before any contract is awarded for construction, alterations, supplies, equipment, repairs or maintenance or for rendering any services to the authority other than professional services. Purchases shall be made from or the contract shall be awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. Sales shall be made to the highest responsive, responsible bidder. No purchase of any unique article or other articles which cannot be obtained in the open market shall be made without express approval of the board where the amount involved is in excess of $25,000. The authority shall not be subject to 62 Pa.C.S. Ch. 39 (relating to contracts for public works). Nothing in this section or any other law of this Commonwealth shall require the authority to competitively bid architectural design, engineering, construction management or other professional services required by the authority.
(b) Procedure.--All purchases and sales in excess of $25,000 shall be awarded after advertising in a local newspaper of general circulation in the metropolitan area at least two weeks prior to the bid opening. Bids shall be publicly opened and read aloud at a date, time and place designated in the invitation to bid. Invitations to bid shall be sent at least one week prior to the bid opening to at least three potential bidders who are qualified technically and financially to submit bids, or, in lieu thereof, a memorandum shall be kept on file showing that less than three potential bidders so qualified exist in the market area within which it is practicable to obtain bids.
(c) Qualified vendors.--(Deleted by amendment).
(d) Small purchases.--Except as set forth in 62 Pa.C.S. § 3742 (relating to procurement limits for mass transportation authorities), purchases or sales with a base price under $18,500, subject to adjustment under subsection (l), may be negotiated with or without competitive bidding under sound procurement procedures as promulgated and established by the general manager.
(e) Waiver.--Competitive bidding requirements may be waived if it is determined by the general manager, or in such other manner as the board may provide, that an emergency directly and immediately affecting customer service or public health, safety or welfare requires immediate delivery of supplies, materials, equipment or services. A record of circumstances explaining the emergency shall be submitted to the board at its next regular meeting and thereafter kept on file.
(f) Sale or lease of real property.--Contracts for the sale or lease of real property owned by the authority shall be awarded after competitive bidding as shown in subsection (b), except as provided in section 1741(a)(22) where the contract is entered into with the Commonwealth or any government agency or with the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof or as provided in section 1741(a)(24).
(g) Property management contracts.--Contracts for the management of authority-owned property, such as bus routes or subway systems, may be negotiated and awarded by an affirmative vote of one more than a majority of all members of the board.
(h) Avoidance prohibited.--Requirements shall not be split into parts for the purpose of avoiding the provisions of this section.
(i) Rejection of bids.--The authority shall have the right to reject any or all bids or parts of any or all bids, whenever, in the opinion of the board, rejection is necessary for the protection of the interests of the authority. In every case, a record shall be made setting forth the reason for the rejection, which record shall thereafter be kept on file.
(j) Rules and regulations.--The board may by resolution adopt policies to effectuate the provisions of this section.
(k) Concessions.--All concessions granted by the authority for the sale of products or the rendition of services for a consideration on authority property shall be awarded only under written specifications after competitive bidding and to the highest responsive, responsible bidder in a manner similar to that required by subsection (b). This requirement for competitive bidding shall not apply to any concession which has been granted by a transportation system acquired by the authority and which by the terms of the agreement granting it will terminate within one year from date of the acquisition of the transportation system by the authority nor to any concession involving the estimated receipt by the authority of less than the base amount of $18,500, subject to adjustment under subsection (l), over the period for which the concession is granted.
(l) Adjustments.--Adjustments to the base amounts specified under subsections (b), (d) and (k) shall be made as follows:
(1) The Department of Labor and Industry shall determine the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items (CPI-U) for the United States City Average as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2012, and for each successive 12-month period thereafter.
(2) If the department determines that there is no positive percentage change, then no adjustment to the base amounts shall occur for the relevant time period provided for in this subsection.
(3) (i) If the department determines that there is a positive percentage change in the first year that the determination is made under paragraph (1), the positive percentage change shall be multiplied by each base amount, and the products shall be added to the base amounts, respectively, and the sums shall be preliminary adjusted amounts.
(ii) The preliminary adjusted amounts shall be rounded to the nearest $100 to determine the final adjusted base amounts for purposes of subsections (b), (d) and (k).
(4) In each successive year in which there is a positive percentage change in the CPI-U for the United States City Average, the positive percentage change shall be multiplied by the most recent preliminary adjusted amounts, and the products shall be added to the preliminary adjusted amount of the prior year to calculate the preliminary adjusted amounts for the current year. The sums thereof shall be rounded to the nearest $100 to determine the new final adjusted base amounts for purposes of subsections (b), (d) and (k).
(5) The determinations and adjustments required under this subsection shall be made in the period between October 1 and November 15 of the year following the effective date of this subsection and annually between October 1 and November 15 of each year thereafter.
(6) The final adjusted base amounts and new final adjusted base amounts obtained under paragraphs (3) and (4) shall become effective January 1 for the calendar year following the year in which the determination required under paragraph (1) is made.
(7) The department shall publish notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin prior to January 1 of each calendar year of the annual percentage change determined under paragraph (1) and the unadjusted or final adjusted base amounts determined under paragraphs (3) and (4) at which competitive bidding is required under subsection (b) or (k) and the amount at which competitive bidding may apply to purchase sales under subsection (d), for the calendar year beginning the first day of January after publication of the notice. The notice shall include a written and illustrative explanation of the calculations performed by the department in establishing the unadjusted or final adjusted base amounts under this subsection for the ensuing calendar year.
(8) The annual increase in the preliminary adjusted base amounts obtained under paragraphs (3) and (4) shall not exceed 3%.