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Commission adopts updated procurement and grant-administration policy to align with federal rules
Summary
Grand Forks County commissioners repealed the county's prior purchasing policy and adopted an updated procurement and grant-administration policy to clarify federal procurement requirements and remove an inapplicable electronic-timekeeping provision.
The Grand Forks County Commission voted to repeal an existing purchasing/leasing policy and adopt a revised procurement and grant-administration policy intended to align county practice with federal grant rules.
Staff said the new policy clarifies that micro-purchases, small purchases and formal procurements apply specifically to procurements using federal funds and that county purchases not using federal funds will continue to follow North Dakota law. The revised policy also removed an inapplicable requirement that hourly employees record time in an electronic timekeeping system the county does not yet have.
Commissioners asked whether the county should require departments to document contractor performance so prior poor work could be considered when evaluating future bids. County staff and counsel noted that "lowest responsive and responsible bidder" is a term established in law and that a finding of non-responsibility typically requires documented evidence; commissioners discussed best practices such as reference checks and documentation of contractor performance, and staff indicated they could add document-retention guidance if the board wanted it.
A motion to repeal the old policy and adopt the updated procurement and grant-administration policy passed by voice vote.
