In this subchapter:
(1) “Bond funds” means money in the county treasury received from the sale of bonds, and proceeds of bonds that have been voted but that have not been issued and delivered.
(2) “Component purchases” means purchases of the component parts of an item that in normal purchasing practices would be purchased in one purchase.
(3) “Current funds” means funds in the county treasury that are available in the current tax year, revenue that may be anticipated with reasonable certainty to come into the county treasury during the current tax year, and emergency funds.
(4) “High technology item” means a service, equipment, or good of a highly technical nature, including:
(A) data processing equipment and software and firmware used in conjunction with data processing equipment;
(B) telecommunications, radio, and microwave systems;
(C) electronic distributed control systems, including building energy management systems; and
(D) technical services related to those items.
(5) “Item” means any service, equipment, good, or other tangible or intangible personal property, including insurance and high technology items. The term does not include professional services as defined by Section 2254.002, Government Code.
(5-a) “Lowest and best” means a bid or offer providing the best value considering associated direct and indirect costs, including transport, maintenance, reliability, life cycle, warranties, and customer service after a sale.
(5-b) “Normal purchasing practice” means:
(A) an accepted custom, practice, or standard for government procurement in the state; or
(B) a practice recognized by a national purchasing association regarding the purchase of a particular good or service.
(6) “Purchase” means any kind of acquisition, including by a lease or revenue contract.
(7) “Separate purchases” means purchases, made separately, of items that in normal purchasing practices would be purchased in one purchase.
(8) “Sequential purchases” means purchases, made over a period, of items that in normal purchasing practices would be purchased in one purchase.
(9) “Time warrant” means any warrant issued by a county that is not payable out of current funds.