HB411 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

John Merrill

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Competitive bids, counties and municipalities, personal property, local preference zones, percent over low bid increased to award to resident bidder, Sec. 41-16-50 am'd

Summary

HB411 would raise the local preference threshold for awarding a contract to a resident bidder from 3% to 5% over the lowest bid for personal property purchases by counties and municipalities in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

It allows the awarding authority to give preference to a resident bidder within a local preference zone if their bid is within 5% of the lowest bid (instead of within 3%). The local preference zone can be defined by the authority's boundaries, the county, or the CBSA; if not defined, the zone uses the authority's boundaries. Competitive bidding and sealed bids remain required for purchases of $15,000 or more, and the authority may still negotiate a lower price if only one bid is received.

Who It Affects

• Counties and municipalities that use competitive bidding for personal property purchases in Alabama (they gain the ability to award to a resident bidder within a 5% limit).
• Resident bidders located within the local preference zone (they may have a better chance to win contracts if their bid is within 5% of the lowest bid).

Key Provisions

• Increases the local preference threshold from 3% to 5% for awarding to a resident bidder within the local preference zone.
• Local preference zone can be defined by the awarding authority's boundaries, the county's boundaries, or the CBSA; if not defined, the zone equals the authority's boundaries.
• Applies to purchases of personal property (and related expenditures) of $15,000 or more, under sealed bids and competitive bidding rules.
• If only one bidder responds, the awarding authority may reject that bid and negotiate a lower price.

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

Subjects

Counties