Purchasing Procedure.
Omaha City Charter, art. V, § 5.16
in effectSection 5.16. - Purchasing Procedure.
The Purchasing Division, in making any purchase in the amount of $50,000.00 or more, shall advertise for formal sealed competitive bids to be opened in public and to be the basis for awards. Purchases in amounts less than this amount may be made without calling for formal sealed bids, but at least three informal bids shall be secured, if practicable. All bids shall be recorded. When a situation exists requiring an immediate purchase, the Mayor may give written approval, with advice to the Council, to the Purchasing Division to make the necessary purchases. When the Purchasing Division has advertised for formal sealed competitive bids to be opened in public and no bids are received, the Council may, by resolution, authorize the Purchasing Division to make purchases in amounts or quantities and for periods specified in the resolution. Competitive bidding shall not be required in purchasing unique or non-competitive articles, including library books and publications, or in contracting for professional services. The Purchasing Division may upon its own authority award orders for amounts of less than $50,000.00 each, except any award to be made to one other than the lowest bidder shall be approved by Council resolution, but no award for $50,000.00 or more shall be made until approved by resolution of Council. All awards shall be made to the bidder submitting the lowest and best bid; provided, however, a resident bidder shall be allowed a preference over a nonresident bidder from a state or city which gives or requires a preference to bidders from that state or city. The preference shall be equal to the preference given or required by the state or city of the nonresident bidder. Resident bidder as used in this section shall mean any person, partnership, association, or foreign or domestic corporation who has a bona fide establishment for doing business within the corporate limits of this city for the length of time established by the state or city of the nonresident bidder necessary to receive the benefit of that state's or city's preference law on the date when any advertisement for formal sealed competitive bids was first advertised. Any contract entered into without compliance with the resident bidder preference provisions of this section shall be null and void.
(Adopted by special election 5-14-74; amended by special election 11-6-84; Ord. No. 33171, § 1, 2-8-94, ref. of 5-10-94; Ord. No. 33172, § 1, 2-8-94, ref. of 5-10-94; Ord. No. 33353, § 1, 8-23-94, ref. of 11-8-94; Ord. No. 36620, § 1, special election of 4-5-05; Ord. No. 43931, § 1, 8-6-24)
Source: City of Omaha, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ne/omaha/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTICH_ARTVFI_S5.16PUPRFetched: 10/28/2026