General purpose, policy and standards
§4-201 General Purpose and Policy
(1) Use of Functional or Performance Descriptions
Specifications shall, to the extent practicable, emphasize functional or performance criteria while limiting design or other detailed physical descriptions to those necessary to meet the needs of the County. To facilitate the use of such criteria, Using Agencies shall endeavor to include as a part of their specifications the principal functional or performance needs to be met.
(2) Preference for Commercially Available Products
It is the general policy of this County to procure standard commercial products whenever practicable. In developing specifications, accepted commercial standards shall be used and unique requirements shall be avoided, to the extent practicable.
§4-202 Duties of the Director of Procurement and Procedures for Specification Preparation
The Director of Procurement shall monitor the use of specifications for supplies, services, and construction required by the County. The Director of Procurement shall promulgate procedures that set standards for the preparation, maintenance, and content of specifications for supplies, services, and construction required by the County.
§4-205 Maximum Practicable Competition
All specifications shall seek to promote overall economy for the purposes intended and encourage competition in satisfying the County’s needs, and shall not be unduly restrictive.
§4-206 Specifications Prepared by Other Than County Personnel
The requirements of this Section regarding the purposes and non-restrictiveness of specifications shall apply to all specifications prepared by other than County personnel, including, but not limited to, those prepared by architects, engineers, designers, and other professionals. If deemed necessary to preserve the integrity of a particular procurement process and avoid a reasonable appearance of advantage, the Director of Procurement may preclude or prohibit such professionals from participating as a competitor in a procurement in which the specifications prepared by the professional are material to the procurement.
§4-207 Standardization
Where standardization is determined to be desirable and advantageous, the Director of Procurement shall have the authority to develop, or cause Using Agencies to develop, standard specifications for the purchase of materials, supplies, and equipment if the Director of Procurement determines standardization is in the County’s best interest. The Director of Procurement shall promulgate procedures for the development and approval of standard specifications. Such procedures shall require the use of Competitive Sealed Bidding (§3-202) or, if the Director of Procurement determines that the use of Competitive Sealed Bidding is either not practicable or not advantageous to the County, Competitive Sealed Proposals (§3-203).