Sec. 10A-112. Competitive sealed bidding
Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 10A-112 (2026)
Sec. 10A-112. Competitive sealed biddingLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Except as provided otherwise by this subtitle, the purchase of supplies or services may be accomplished through competitive sealed bidding when the Purchasing Agent or designee determines that competitive sealed bidding is a reasonable method of awarding a contract, with the contract being awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.
(b)
The Purchasing Agent shall give public notice of procurements conducted by competitive sealed bidding through any means deemed reasonably acceptable by the Purchasing Agent, which may include, but not be limited to, advertising in a County newspaper or posting on a website, for a sufficient time prior to the date set forth therein for the public opening of bids or the procurement shall be rendered void.
(1)
As a courtesy, the Purchasing Agent or responsible Procurement Officer shall also give electronic public notice of any procurement conducted by competitive sealed bidding to
(A)
All County-based businesses and County-located businesses, as defined by this Subtitle, who provide services or supplies that would be responsive to the procurement; and
(B)
A designated representative of the Prince George's Chamber of Commerce, Greater Prince George's Business Roundtable, and the Prince George's Community College.
(2)
The Purchasing Agent shall set forth procedures for public notices in regulations.
(c)
Nothing in this Subtitle shall preclude the County from accepting a voluntary reduction in price from the successful bidder; in such an instance, terms, conditions, specifications, or quantities from the solicitation shall remain binding upon the bidder.
(d)
In the event that all bids exceed the funds available for the purchase or if the Purchasing Agent or the Procurement Officer determines that all bids are unreasonable, the scope, specifications, or conditions of the purchase may be reduced or modified, and revised bids may be solicited from all responsive and responsible bidders that responded to the initial solicitation. In such instance, the revised solicitation is not subject to the public notice requirement of paragraph (b) of this Section. If either no bid or only one bid is received from a responsive and responsible bidder in response to solicitation conducted by competitive sealed bidding the scope, specifications, or conditions of the purchase may be modified and new bids may be solicited. In this instance public notice shall be given pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.
(e)
In determining the lowest responsible and responsive bidder for a procurement contract solely for the purchase of a commodity, excluding any procurement of services (including, but not limited to, construction and professional services), the Purchasing Agent shall adjust the bid or proposal price(s) submitted by a County-based minority business enterprise or a minority business enterprise as certified by the Supplier Development and Diversity Division, for the purposes of evaluation and award only, by reducing the bid price(s) of such firm by the application of bonus factors according to the following schedule:
| BID OF LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER | MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE | PRINCE GEORGE'S BASED MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE BONUS FACTOR |
| Factored by: | .05 | .15 |
(f)
Multi-Step Bid.
(1)
Competitive procurements may be awarded using a Multi-Step method consisting of a combination of competitive procedures designed to obtain the benefits of sealed bidding when the Purchasing Agent or designee determines that a Multi-Step method is a reasonable or practical method of awarding a contract.:
(2)
A Multi-Step solicitation shall request separately sealed technical and price proposals.
(3)
The Multi-Step method is conducted in two steps:
(A)
Step one consists of the request for submission, evaluation, and (if necessary) discussion of a technical proposal. No pricing is involved. The objective is to determine the acceptability of the supplies or services offered. As used in this context, the word "technical" has a broad connotation and includes, among other things; the approach and methodology, qualifications and experience, and any special processes or techniques. It is the proper step for clarification of questions relating to technical requirements. Conformity to the technical requirement is resolved in this step.
(B)
Step two involves the evaluation of sealed priced bids by those who submitted acceptable technical proposals in step one. Bids submitted in step two are evaluated and the awards made in accordance with this Section 10A-112.
(g)
When a procurement qualifies under simplified procurement procedures per Section 10A-105(g), the solicitation may:
(1)
Use performance or function-based specifications rather than detailed technical design;
(2)
Allow offerors to propose commercial items that meet functional requirements;
(3)
Include only necessary contract clauses customary in commercial practice; and
(4)
Shorten submission periods, reduce number of required solicitations, as regulation allows, provided fairness and transparency are maintained.