Sponsored by:
Assemblyman TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman CHRISTOPHER J. BROWN
District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)
Assemblyman GARY S. SCHAER
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Clarifies law regarding local public contract specifications and leases of public land for agricultural or horticultural use.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning local public contracts, and amending P.L.1971, c.198 and P.L.2006, c.52.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 13 of P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-13) is amended to read as follows:
13. Specifications. Any specifications for the provision or performance of goods or services under this act shall be drafted in a manner to encourage free, open and competitive bidding. In particular, no specifications under this act may:
(a) Require any standard, restriction, condition or limitation not directly related to the purpose, function or activity for which the contract is awarded; or
(b) Require that any bidder be a resident of, or that the bidder's place of business be located in, the county or municipality in which the contract will be awarded or performed, unless the physical proximity of the bidder is [requisite] important to the efficient and economical performance of the contract; except that no specification for a contract for the collection and disposal of municipal solid waste shall require any bidder to be a resident of, or that the bidder's place of business be located in, the county or municipality in which the contract will be performed; or
(c) Discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin , creed, color, ancestry, age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, familial status, liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, or nationality; or
(d) Require, with regard to any contract, the furnishing of any "brand name," but may in all cases require "brand name or equivalent," except that if the goods or services to be provided or performed are proprietary, such goods or services may be purchased by stipulating the proprietary goods or services in the bid specification in any case in which the resolution authorizing the contract so indicates, and the special need for such proprietary goods or services is directly related to the performance, completion or undertaking of the purpose for which the contract is awarded; or
(e) Fail to include any option for renewal, extension, or release which the contracting unit may intend to exercise or require; or any terms and conditions necessary for the performance of any extra work; or fail to disclose any matter necessary to the substantial performance of the contract.
Any specification which knowingly excludes prospective bidders by reason of the impossibility of performance, bidding or qualification by any but one bidder, except as provided herein, shall be null and void and of no effect and shall be readvertised for receipt of new bids, and the original contract shall be set aside by the governing body.
Any specification for a contract for the collection and disposal of municipal solid waste shall conform to the uniform bid specifications for municipal solid waste collection contracts established pursuant to section 22 of P.L.1991, c.381 (C.48:13A-7.22).
Any specification may include an item for the cost, which shall be paid by the contractor, of creating a file to maintain the notices of the delivery of labor or materials required by N.J.S.2A:44-128.
Any prospective bidder who wishes to challenge a bid specification shall file such challenges in writing with the contracting agent no less than three business days prior to the opening of the bids. Challenges filed after that time shall be considered void and having no impact on the contracting unit or the award of a contract.
(cf: P.L.1999, c.440, s.19)
2. Section 2 of P.L.2006, c.52 (C.40A:12-14.1) is amended to read as follows:
2. Whenever a county or municipality acquires real property that, immediately prior to acquisition, was leased from the prior owner by a private person for agricultural or horticultural use, and the county or municipality determines that, until such time as the real property is needed for public use, the [temporary] continuance of the private agricultural or horticultural use would not compromise that public use, it may lease the real property to the prior lessee for agricultural or horticultural use for such time period, consideration, and other terms and conditions as shall be mutually agreed upon.
(cf: P.L.2006, c.52, s.2)
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would provide additional discretion to counties and municipalities that lease publicly owned property. First, the bill would authorize a county or municipality to specify that a bidder be located in the county or municipality if the proximity is "important" (rather than "requisite") to the efficient and economical performance of the contract. Second, the bill would amend existing law to clarify that in cases when a county or municipality acquires real property that, immediately prior to acquisition, was leased from the prior owner by a private person for agricultural or horticultural use, and the county or municipality leases the real property to the prior lessee for agricultural or horticultural use, the lease need not be "temporary." The existing law authorizes that the lease may be for such time period, consideration, and other terms and conditions as shall be mutually agreed upon.