Jones County postpones local‑preference bidding policy to revise scoring language

Jones County commissioners on Sept. 2 revisited a draft local‑preference bidding policy intended to give county businesses preference in awarding county contracts. Staff presented a 2017 draft that used percentage thresholds (for example, a bid must be within 5% of lowest responsible bidder for contracts under $25,000) and noted the draft excluded state or federally funded projects.

Jason Martin, a county staff member, told the board the draft had been discussed in 2017 and that the intent was to give local contractors a fair opportunity. Several commissioners said they supported local preference but preferred using an evaluation matrix that awards points for local firms rather than a strict percentage threshold, to avoid restricting competition.

Commissioners directed staff to rewrite the draft so the local preference is applied through a points‑based scoring system and postponed formal action to the next meeting so the language can be revised. The board noted that any local preference would not apply to state‑ or federally funded projects and that legal review would be needed before final adoption.