1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, competitive contracting may be used by local contracting units in lieu of public bidding for procurement of specialized goods and services the price of which exceeds the bid threshold, for the following purposes:

a. The purchase or licensing of proprietary computer software designed for contracting unit purposes, which may include hardware intended for use with the proprietary software. This subsection shall not be utilized for the purpose of acquiring general purpose computer hardware or software;

b. The hiring of a for-profit entity or a not-for-profit entity incorporated under Title 15A of the New Jersey Statutes for the purpose of:

(1) the operation and management of a wastewater treatment system, a stormwater management system, or a water supply or distribution facility of the type described in subsection (37) of section 15 of P.L.1971, c.198 (C. 40A:11-15), provided that competitive contracting shall not be used as a means of awarding contracts pursuant to P.L.1985, c.37 (C. 58:26-1 et al.) and P.L.1985, c.72 (C. 58:27-1 et al.);

(2) the operation, management or administration of recreation or social service facilities or programs, which shall not include the administration of benefits under the Work First New Jersey program established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C. 44:10-55 et seq.), or under General Assistance;

(3) the operation, management or administration of data processing services; or

(4) the operation and management of a county hospital pursuant to the “Local Hospital Authority Law,” P.L.2006, c.46 (C. 30:9-23.15 et al.);

c. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2009, c.4)

d. Homemaker–home health services;

e. Laboratory testing services;

f. Emergency medical services;

g. Contracted food services;

h. Performance of patient care services by contracted medical staff at county hospitals, correctional facilities and long-term care facilities;

i. At the option of the governing body of the contracting unit, any good or service that is exempt from bidding pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1971, c.198 (C. 40A:11-5);

j. Concessions;

k. The operation, management or administration of other services, with the approval of the Director of the Division of Local Government Services;

l. Maintenance, custodial, and groundskeeping services;

m. Consulting services;

n. Emergency medical billing services;

o. Property appraisal services;

p. Reassessment or revaluation services;

q. Grant writing services;

r. Animal control services;

s. Private on-site inspection agency services, as may be authorized by rules and regulations adopted by the Department of Community Affairs.

Any purpose included herein shall not be considered by a contracting unit as an extraordinary unspecifiable service pursuant to subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 5 of P.L.1971, c.198 (C. 40A:11-5).

As used in this section, “stormwater management system” means the same as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.2019, c.42 (C. 40A:26B-3).

L.1999, c.440, s.1, amended 2009, c.4, s.7; 2015, c.95, s.25; 2016, c.55, s.9; 2019, c.42, s.21; 2022, c.139, s.3.