OAR 137-049-0160: Intermediate Procurements; Competitive Quotes and Amendments

(1) General. Public Improvement Contracts estimated by the Contracting Agency not to exceed $100,000 may be Awarded in accordance with intermediate level procurement procedures for competitive quotes established by this rule. (2) Selection Criteria. The selection criteria may be limited to price or some combination of price, experience, specific expertise, availability, project understanding, contractor capacity, responsibility and similar factors. (3) Request for Quotes. Contracting Agencies shall utilize Written requests for quotes whenever reasonably practicable. Written Request for Quotes shall include the selection criteria to be utilized in selecting a Contractor and, if the criteria are not of equal value, their relative value or ranking. When requesting quotations orally, prior to requesting the price quote the Contracting Agency shall state any additional selection criteria and, if the criteria are not of equal value, their relative value. For Public Works Contracts, oral quotations may be utilized only in the event that Written copies of the prevailing wage rates are not required by the Bureau of Labor and Industries. (4) Number of Quotes; Record Required. Contracting Agencies shall seek at least three competitive quotes, and keep a Written record of the sources and amounts of the quotes received. If three quotes are not reasonably available the Contracting Agency shall make a Written record of the effort made to obtain those quotes. (5) Award. If Awarded, the Contracting Agency shall Award the Contract to the prospective contractor whose quote will best serve the interests of the Contracting Agency, taking into account the announced selection criteria. If Award is not made to the Offeror offering the lowest price, the Contracting Agency shall make a Written record of the basis for Award. (6) Price Increases. Intermediate level Public Improvement Contracts obtained by competitive quotes may be increased above the original amount of Award by Contracting Agency issuance of a Change to the Work or Amendment, pursuant to OAR 137-049-0910, within the following limitations: (a) Up to an aggregate Contract Price increase of 25% over the original Contract amount when a Contracting Agency's contracting officer determines that a price increase is warranted for additional reasonably related Work, and; (b) Up to an aggregate Contract Price increase of 50% over the original Contract amount, when a Contracting Agency's contracting officer determines that a price increase is warranted for additional reasonably related Work and a Contracting Agency official, board or governing body with administrative or review authority over the contracting officer approves the increase. (7) Amendments. Amendments of intermediate level Public Improvement Contracts that exceed the thresholds stated in section (1) are specifically authorized by the Code, when made in accordance with this rule. Accordingly, such amendments are not considered new procurements and do not require an exemption from competitive bidding.