Public Contracting News From Around the Country

County to make bidding requirements consistent with California law:  Humboldt County, California will consider revising their procurement code to bring it in line with state law.  Currently, the County allows public projects estimated to cost more than $175,000 but less than $187,000 to be awarded through informal bidding with approval of the County's Board of Supervisors.  The California Public Contract Code permits informal bidding only for projects costing $175,000 or less.  Click here for more information.

Florida public works employee accepts bribes:  In exchange for influencing purchasing decisions by Miami-Dade County, Florida to favor a particular supplier's lighting products, a former County supervisor accepted $13,000 of bribes in the form of household appliances.  The employee was convicted of accepting the bribes on the federally funded programs, and will be sentenced in federal court on March 28, 2014.  Click here for more information.

Contractors face jail time for bribes:  Two New Jersey executives of a power washing and snow removal contracting firm paid $20,000 in bribes for a New Jersey Transit employee in exchange for helping obtain a snow removal contract at the Trenton train station.  Both executives have pleaded guilty.  One faces ten years in prison when he is sentenced at the end of March, and the other may get up to five years when sentenced in April.  The employee who accepted the bribes cooperated as a witness against the two men.  Click here for more information.

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