Exception to competitive bidding.

Ann Arbor City Code § 1:316

in effect

1:316. - Exception to competitive bidding. Competitive bidding shall not be required in the following situations: (1) The city may redeploy or transfer goods between service areas/units. (2) The city may join in cooperative purchasing arrangements with the State of Michigan and/or other government units or public agencies by combining purchasing requirements in order to obtain the benefits of volume purchases or a reduction in administrative expenses. The city may accept extended government pricing with appropriate documentation, if it is determined by the City Administrator or City Council to be cost-effective and in the city's best interest. The city may participate in cooperative (i.e., joint) bidding in which 2 or more public agencies agree on specifications and contract terms for a given item and combine their requirements for this item in a single ITB if it is determined by the City Administrator or City Council to be cost-effective and in the city's best interest. Subsequent to the award of a cooperative bid, each public agency will issue and administer its own purchase order or contract. (3) Procurement of professional services may be through quality-based selection, as deemed practical and reasonable, subject to approval of the contract by the City Attorney and the City Administrator or City Council as required by this chapter. Award shall be made to the professional services provider determined to be best qualified based on the evaluation factors set forth in the selection process and negotiation of fair and reasonable compensation. (4) For procurement of services over the Council approval threshold and procurement of goods over $25,000.00, where competitive bidding is not required by law or City Charter and either clearly is not practical or no advantage would result to the city by requiring competitive bidding, City Council, upon the written recommendation of the City Administrator, may authorize the execution of a contract for the purchase of said services or goods without competitive bidding. Where a contract is let without competitive bidding, the proposed contract shall be approved by the City Attorney as to form and content. (5) For procurement of services at or below the Council approval threshold and procurement of goods at or below $25,000.00, where it is clearly not practical or no advantage would result to the city by requiring competitive bidding, except to the extent limited by other law, the City Administrator shall have the authority to waive the requirement for competitive bidding and may authorize the execution of a contract for the purchase of said services or goods without competitive bidding. The City Administrator shall provide a written report to City Council every month of all purchases approved pursuant to the authority in this subsection. (6) Emergency purchases as permitted by the City Charter, City Code, and other applicable law. (Ord. No. 07-61, § 2, 1-22-08; Ord. No. 19-23, § 2, 7-15-19; Ord. No. 21-41, § 1, 1-3-22; Ord. No. 25-28, § 1, 10-6-25)

Source: City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mi/ann_arbor/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIAD_CH14PUCOSEPR_1_316EXCOBIFetched: 11/8/2026