Sec. 262.024.  DISCRETIONARY EXEMPTIONS.  (a)  A contract for the purchase of any of the following items is exempt from the requirement established by Section 262.023 if the commissioners court by order grants the exemption:
(1)  an item that must be purchased in a case of public calamity if it is necessary to make the purchase promptly to relieve the necessity of the citizens or to preserve the property of the county;
(2)  an item necessary to preserve or protect the public health or safety of the residents of the county;
(3)  an item necessary because of unforeseen damage to public property;
(4)  a personal or professional service;
(5)  any individual work performed and paid for by the day, as the work progresses, provided that no individual is compensated under this subsection for more than 20 working days in any three month period;
(6)  any land or right-of-way;
(7)  an item that can be obtained from only one source, including:
(A)  items for which competition is precluded because of the existence of patents, copyrights, secret processes, or monopolies;
(B)  films, manuscripts, or books;
(C)  electric power, gas, water, and other utility services;  and
(D)  captive replacement parts or components for equipment;
(8)  an item of food;
(9)  personal property sold:
(A)  at an auction by a state licensed auctioneer;
(B)  at a going out of business sale held in compliance with Subchapter F, Chapter 17, Business & Commerce Code;  or
(C)  by a political subdivision of this state, a state agency of this state, or an entity of the federal government;
(10)  any work performed under a contract for community and economic development made by a county under Section 381.004; or
(11)  vehicle and equipment repairs.
(b)  The renewal or extension of a lease or of an equipment maintenance agreement is exempt from the requirement established by Section 262.023 if the commissioners court by order grants the exemption and if:
(1)  the lease or agreement has gone through the competitive bidding procedure within the preceding year;
(2)  the renewal or extension does not exceed one year; and
(3)  the renewal or extension is the first renewal or extension of the lease or agreement.
(c)  If an item exempted under Subsection (a)(7) is purchased, the commissioners court, after accepting a signed statement from the county official who makes purchases for the county as to the existence of only one source, must enter in its minutes a statement to that effect.
(d)  The exemption granted under Subsection (a)(8) of this section shall apply only to the sealed competitive bidding requirements on food purchases.  Counties shall solicit at least three bids for purchases of food items by telephone or written quotation at intervals specified by the commissioners court.  Counties shall award food purchase contracts to the responsible bidder who submits the lowest and best bid or shall reject all bids and repeat the bidding process, as provided by this subsection.  The purchasing officer taking telephone or written bids under this subsection shall maintain, on a form approved by the commissioners court, a record of all bids solicited and the vendors contacted.  This record shall be kept in the purchasing office for a period of at least one year or until audited by the county auditor.
Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.  Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1, Sec. 59(c), eff. Aug. 28, 1989;  Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 962, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989;  Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1001, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 28, 1989;  Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1060, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 28, 1989;  Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 16, Sec. 13.03, eff. Aug. 26, 1991;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 442, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1065, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2001.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1272 (H.B. 3517), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007.