HB234 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Pebblin W. WarrenRepresentative

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

Paul W. LeeBarry MooreEd HenryBecky NordgrenDonnie ChesteenJohn MerrillKen Johnson

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Competitive bids, Internet procedures required under certain conditions, Secs. 39-2-2, 41-16-50 am'd.

Summary

HB234 would require awarding authorities to allow secure electronic bidding for most public works bids and to follow detailed advertising and bidding rules, with several exceptions.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends bidding laws to require electronic bid submissions in a secure environment, with bidders having the option to bid electronically and using an electronic signature that remains confidential until bid opening. It strengthens advertising and bid-opening rules, including newspaper ads (statewide for large projects), mail solicitations, and public bid openings, and it covers various exceptions such as emergencies and certain agencies. It also creates a local resident preference zone for certain purchases, imposes penalties for violations, and outlines specific exclusions and effective date provisions.

Who It Affects

• Bidders, contractors, and suppliers who bid on public works or related procurements; they would be able to submit bids electronically, must use electronic signatures, and could be eligible for local resident preferences in some cases.
• Awarding authorities and government agencies (state, county, city/municipal, and instrumentalities) responsible for public works; they must implement secure electronic bidding, adhere to newspaper and statewide advertising rules, manage local preference zones, and enforce penalties for noncompliance.

Key Provisions

• Require awarding authorities to accept bids submitted electronically through a secure, interactive environment, with electronic signatures and bids not viewable until the bid opening date/time (bidders may choose electronic bidding).
• Maintain traditional bid advertising and opening requirements, including newspaper notices (with statewide ads for contracts over $500,000, except DOT), plans/specs availability, and public bid openings.
• Set thresholds and exceptions: bids for public works over $50,000 require sealed bids; contracts $50,000 or less may be let with or without advertising; penalties apply for violations; some agencies and situations have specific exemptions (e.g., emergency declarations).
• Allow local resident preference within a defined local zone for certain personal property purchases, permitting award to a resident bidder if within 3% of the lowest bid and other conditions are met.
• Include emergency and confidentiality provisions permitting non-public advertisement and confidential bidding in certain security-related projects, with restricted disclosure of bidding records.
• Impose penalties for violations (contracts void; willful violations can be Class C felonies) and set an effective date of October 1, 2011, with certain exemptions and definitions related to sole-source and other special cases.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Competitive Bids