Anything to be purchased, leased, leased with an option or agreement to purchase, or constructed, including, but not limited to, any product, structure, construction, reconstruction, improvement, maintenance, repair, or service, except the services of an accountant, architect, attorney at law, physician, professional engineer, construction project manager, consultant, surveyor, or appraiser, by or on behalf of the county or contracting authority, as defined in section 307.92 of the Revised Code, at a cost in excess of the amount specified in section 9.17 of the Revised Code, except as otherwise provided in division (D) of section 713.23 and in sections 9.48, 125.04, 125.60 to 125.6012, 307.022, 307.041, 307.861, 339.05, 340.036, 4115.31 to 4115.35, 5119.44, 5513.01, 5543.19, 5713.01, and 6137.05 of the Revised Code, shall be obtained through competitive bidding. No purchase, lease, project, or other transaction subject to this section shall be divided into component parts, separate projects, or separate items of work in order to avoid the requirements of this section. However, competitive bidding is not required when any of the following applies:

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(A) The board of county commissioners, by a unanimous vote of its members, makes a determination that a real and present emergency exists, and that determination and the reasons for it are entered in the minutes of the proceedings of the board, when any of the following applies:

(1) The estimated cost is less than one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars.

(2) There is actual physical disaster to structures, radio communications equipment, or computers.

(3) The product to be purchased is personal protective equipment and the purchase is completed during the period of the emergency declared by Executive Order 2020-01D, issued on March 9, 2020.

For purposes of this division:

“Personal protective equipment” means equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause workplace injuries and illnesses.

“Unanimous vote” means all three members of a board of county commissioners when all three members are present, or two members of the board if only two members, constituting a quorum, are present.

Whenever a contract of purchase, lease, or construction is exempted from competitive bidding under division (A)(1) of this section because the estimated cost is less than one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, but the estimated cost is the amount specified in section 9.17 of the Revised Code or more, the county or contracting authority shall solicit informal estimates from no fewer than three persons who could perform the contract, before awarding the contract. With regard to each such contract, the county or contracting authority shall maintain a record of such estimates, including the name of each person from whom an estimate is solicited. The county or contracting authority shall maintain the record for the longer of at least one year after the contract is awarded or the amount of time the federal government requires.

(B)(1) The purchase consists of supplies or a replacement or supplemental part or parts for a product or equipment owned or leased by the county, and the only source of supply for the supplies, part, or parts is limited to a single supplier.

(2) The purchase consists of services related to information technology, such as programming services, that are proprietary or limited to a single source.

(C) The purchase is from the federal government, the state, another county or contracting authority of another county, or a board of education, educational service center, township, or municipal corporation.

(D) The purchase is made by a county department of job and family services under section 329.04 of the Revised Code and consists of family services duties or workforce development activities or is made by a county board of developmental disabilities under section 5126.05 of the Revised Code and consists of program services, such as direct and ancillary client services, child care, case management services, residential services, and family resource services.

(E) The purchase consists of criminal justice services, social services programs, family services, or workforce development activities by the board of county commissioners from nonprofit corporations or associations under programs funded by the federal government or by state grants.

(F) The purchase consists of any form of an insurance policy or contract authorized to be issued under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code or any form of health care plan authorized to be issued under Chapter 1751 of the Revised Code, or any combination of such policies, contracts, plans, or services that the contracting authority is authorized to purchase, and the contracting authority does all of the following:

(1) Determines that compliance with the requirements of this section would increase, rather than decrease, the cost of the purchase;

(2) Requests issuers of the policies, contracts, plans, or services to submit proposals to the contracting authority, in a form prescribed by the contracting authority, setting forth the coverage and cost of the policies, contracts, plans, or services as the contracting authority desires to purchase;

(3) Negotiates with the issuers for the purpose of purchasing the policies, contracts, plans, or services at the best and lowest price reasonably possible.

(G) The purchase consists of computer hardware, software, or consulting services that are necessary to implement a computerized case management automation project administered by the Ohio prosecuting attorneys association and funded by a grant from the federal government.

(H) Child care services are purchased for provision to county employees.

(I)(1) Property, including land, buildings, and other real property, is leased for offices, storage, parking, or other purposes, and all of the following apply:

(a) The contracting authority is authorized by the Revised Code to lease the property.

(b) The contracting authority develops requests for proposals for leasing the property, specifying the criteria that will be considered prior to leasing the property, including the desired size and geographic location of the property.

(c) The contracting authority receives responses from prospective lessors with property meeting the criteria specified in the requests for proposals by giving notice in a manner substantially similar to the procedures established for giving notice under section 307.87 of the Revised Code.

(d) The contracting authority negotiates with the prospective lessors to obtain a lease at the best and lowest price reasonably possible considering the fair market value of the property and any relocation and operational costs that may be incurred during the period the lease is in effect.

(2) The contracting authority may use the services of a real estate appraiser to obtain advice, consultations, or other recommendations regarding the lease of property under this division.

(J) The purchase is made pursuant to section 5139.34 or sections 5139.41 to 5139.46 of the Revised Code and is of programs or services that provide case management, treatment, or prevention services to any felony or misdemeanant delinquent, unruly youth, or status offender under the supervision of the juvenile court, including, but not limited to, community residential care, day treatment, services to children in their home, or electronic monitoring.

(K) The purchase is made by a public children services agency pursuant to section 307.92 or 5153.16 of the Revised Code and consists of family services, programs, or ancillary services that provide case management, prevention, or treatment services for children at risk of being or alleged to be abused, neglected, or dependent children.

(L) The purchase is to obtain the services of emergency medical service organizations under a contract made by the board of county commissioners pursuant to section 307.05 of the Revised Code with a joint emergency medical services district.

(M) The county contracting authority determines that the use of competitive sealed proposals would be advantageous to the county and the contracting authority complies with section 307.862 of the Revised Code.

(N) The purchase consists of used supplies and is made at a public auction.

Any issuer of policies, contracts, plans, or services listed in division (F) of this section and any prospective lessor under division (I) of this section may have the issuer’s or prospective lessor’s name and address, or the name and address of an agent, placed on a special notification list to be kept by the contracting authority, by sending the contracting authority that name and address. The contracting authority shall send notice to all persons listed on the special notification list. Notices shall state the deadline and place for submitting proposals. The contracting authority shall mail the notices at least six weeks prior to the deadline set by the contracting authority for submitting proposals. Every five years the contracting authority may review this list and remove any person from the list after mailing the person notification of that action.

Any contracting authority that negotiates a contract under division (F) of this section shall request proposals and negotiate with issuers in accordance with that division at least every three years from the date of the signing of such a contract, unless the parties agree upon terms for extensions or renewals of the contract. Such extension or renewal periods shall not exceed six years from the date the initial contract is signed.

Any real estate appraiser employed pursuant to division (I) of this section shall disclose any fees or compensation received from any source in connection with that employment.

As used in division (N) of this section, “supplies” means any personal property including equipment, materials, and other tangible assets.