(a) Before any purchase of, or contract for, supplies, materials, equipment, or contractual services in excess of thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000.00) is made, an invitation to bid shall be published, a minimum of two (2) times at least two (2) weeks prior to the date bids are due in a newspaper of general circulation within the City. Invitations to bid may also be advertised in other appropriate forums.

(b) The purchase of, or contract for, supplies, materials, equipment, or contractual services subject to subsection (a), shall be awarded to the most responsible bidder pursuant to subsection (f).

(c) When such purchases are to be made from Federal or State grant funds, any and all conditions, provisions, or requirements which may be necessary to comply with the required Federal or State laws, rules, or regulations with respect to such grants may be inserted in the bid and contract documents, and will be complied with in the award of the bid for such purchases.

(d) All bids shall be sealed and shall be opened in public at a designated time and place.

(e) The City may repeatedly reject all bids and again may submit to the same or other persons, firms, or corporations the request for quotations (or invitation to bid) and/or again publish notice of the proposed purchase.

(f) The City shall purchase from the lowest responsible bidder, basing a determination on responsibility of the bidder on the following factors: adherence to the bid specifications, quality, proposed terms of delivery, any additional cost to the City that would be incurred due to location of the bidder, performance record, financial capability, and compliance with conditions imposed in the solicitation for bids. If after consideration of the bids, bidder responsibility, the City determines that two (2) or more bidders are equally competitive, the City may purchase from one (1) such bidder or may divide the purchase among them, but always accepting the bid or bids most advantageous to the City.