Definitions and procedures noncompetitive, sole, and special procurements
NSS 1 - Introduction
Unless otherwise prohibited by law, a contract may be awarded for a supply, service, or construction item without competition when the Director of Procurement determines in writing that there is only one reasonable source for the required supply, service, or construction item. The Director of Procurement shall conduct or authorize negotiations as to price, quantity, delivery, and other pertinent terms. All negotiations shall be conducted in a manner that favors the public’s best interest and maintains the County’s integrity.
NSS 2 - Noncompetitive procurement
Noncompetitive procurements are situations that are impractical, impartible, and otherwise not in the County’s best interest to solicit for competition for goods or services that are unique.
NSS 3 - Sole source procurement
Sole source procurements are purchases in which the needed commodity or service is only available from one source or when it is determined by the Director of Procurement Services that other methods of procurement are not feasible nor advantageous to the County’s best interest.
NSS 3.1 - Protest for sole source procurement
Please see the Hillsborough County Protest Ordinance.
NSS 4 - Special procurement
Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Director of Procurement may initiate a procurement, without competition, when it is determined that an unusual, unique, and/or exigent (non-emergency) circumstance exists that make the application of all requirements of competitive sealed bidding or competitive sealed proposals impractical, impracticable, not financially or operationally advantageous, or not in the County’s best interest.
NSS 5 - Procedures for submitting noncompetitive, sole source and special procurements
For all Purchases, the Requesting Department Director must document the need for the commodity or service on the Noncompetitive Procurement Questionnaire form and submit it to the County’s electronic procurement system with all required documentation (See checklist of attachments on questionnaire). Required documentation should be uploaded separately and titled in accordance with the checklist on the questionnaire.