PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3022                      PRINTER'S NO. 3342

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2276 Session of 1988


        INTRODUCED BY TRELLO, MAYERNIK, VAN HORNE, KENNEY, CORRIGAN,
           BURD, DALEY, DISTLER, R. C. WRIGHT, HOWLETT AND OLASZ,
           MARCH 21, 1988

        AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
           REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MAY 24, 1988

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
     2     act relating to the public school system, including certain
     3     provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
     4     schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
     5     laws relating thereto," increasing the amount of work of any
     6     nature which can be performed on property owned by a school
     7     district without advertising and without competitive bids;     <--
     8     AND INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF FURNITURE, EQUIPMENT AND
     9     SUPPLIES THAT CAN BE PURCHASED WITHOUT ADVERTISEMENT.

    10     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    11  hereby enacts as follows:
    12     Section 1.  Section 751(a) and (b) of the act of March 10,
    13  1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
    14  amended February 4, 1982 (P.L.1, No.1) and June 29, 1984
    15  (P.L.438, No.93), are amended to read:
    16     Section 751.  Work to be Done Under Contract Let on Bids;
    17  Exception.--(a)  All construction, reconstruction, repairs,
    18  maintenance or work of any nature, including the introduction of
    19  plumbing, heating and ventilating, or lighting systems, upon any
    20  school building or upon any school property, or upon any


     1  building or portion of a building leased under the provisions of
     2  section 703.1, made by any school district, where the entire
     3  cost, value, or amount of such construction, reconstruction,
     4  repairs, maintenance or work, including labor and material,
     5  shall exceed [four thousand dollars ($4,000)] ten thousand
     6  dollars ($10,000), shall be done under separate contracts to be
     7  entered into by such school district with the lowest responsible
     8  bidder, upon proper terms, after due public notice has been
     9  given asking for competitive bids. Whenever a board of school
    10  directors shall approve the use of a prefabricated unit,
    11  complete in itself, for a school building or other proper
    12  structure to be erected upon school property, the board of
    13  school directors may have prepared appropriate specifications
    14  detailing the size and material desired in a particular
    15  prefabricated unit, including all utilities such as plumbing,
    16  heating and ventilating, and electrical work, and may advertise
    17  for a single bid on all the work and award the contract therefor
    18  to the lowest responsible bidder: Provided, That if due to an
    19  emergency a school plant or any part thereof becomes unusable
    20  competitive bids for repairs or replacement may be solicited
    21  from at least three responsible bidders, and upon the approval
    22  of any of these bids by the Secretary of Education, the board of
    23  school directors may proceed at once to make the necessary
    24  repairs or replacements in accordance with the terms of said
    25  approved bid or bids.
    26     (b)  The board of school directors in any school district may
    27  perform any construction, reconstruction, repairs, or work of
    28  any nature, where the entire cost or value, including labor and
    29  material, is less than five thousand dollars ($5000), by its own
    30  maintenance personnel. [The board may have any such
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     1  construction, reconstruction, repairs, or work up to ten
     2  thousand dollars ($10,000) performed by contract after
     3  soliciting bids from at least three responsible bidders:
     4  Provided, That the] The board of school directors in any school
     5  district may authorize the secretary of the board or other
     6  executive to award contracts for construction, reconstruction,
     7  repairs, or work of any nature, where the entire cost or value,
     8  including labor and material, is [four thousand dollars
     9  ($4,000)] ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or less, without
    10  soliciting competitive bids.
    11     * * *
    12     Section 2.  Section 807.1 of the act, amended February 4,
    13  1982 (P.L.1, No.1), is amended to read:
    14     Section 807.1.  Purchase of Supplies.--All furniture,
    15  equipment, textbooks, school supplies and other appliances for
    16  the use of the public schools, costing [four thousand dollars
    17  ($4,000)] ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more shall be
    18  purchased by the board of school directors only after due
    19  advertisement as hereinafter provided. Supplies costing [four
    20  thousand dollars ($4,000)] ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or
    21  more shall be purchased by the board of school directors only
    22  after public notice has been given by advertisement once a week
    23  for three (3) weeks in not less than two (2) newspapers of
    24  general circulation. In any district where no newspaper is
    25  published, said notice may, in lieu of such publication, be
    26  posted in at least five (5) public places.
    27     The board of school directors shall accept the bid of the
    28  lowest responsible bidder, kind, quality, and material being
    29  equal, but shall have the right to reject any and all bids, or
    30  select a single item from any bid. The board of school directors
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     1  in any district may authorize or appoint the secretary of the
     2  board or other executive as purchasing agent for the district,
     3  with authority to purchase supplies costing less than [four
     4  thousand dollars ($4,000)] ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
     5     The following shall be exempt from the above provisions:
     6  maps, music, globes, charts, educational films, filmstrips,
     7  prepared transparencies and slides, pre-recorded magnetic tapes
     8  and disc recordings, textbooks, games, toys, prepared kits,
     9  flannel board materials, flash cards, models, projectuals and
    10  teacher demonstration devices necessary for school use.
    11     Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.













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