To award all contracts for purchase of supplies, materials or work involving an expenditure in excess of $25,000 or a lower amount as required by board policy to the lowest responsible bidder considering conformity with specifications, terms of delivery, quality, and serviceability; after due advertisement, except the following: (a) contracts for the services of individuals possessing a high degree of professional skill where the ability or fitness of the individual plays an important part; (b) contracts for the printing of finance committee reports and departmental reports; (c) contracts for the printing or engraving of bonds, tax warrants and other evidences of indebtedness; (d) contracts for materials and work which have been awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after due advertisement, but due to unforeseen revisions, not the fault of the contractor for materials and work, must be revised causing expenditures not in excess of 10% of the contract price; (e) contracts for the maintenance or servicing of, or provision of repair parts for, equipment which are made with the manufacturer or authorized service agent of that equipment where the provision of parts, maintenance, or servicing can best be performed by the manufacturer or authorized service agent; (f) purchases and contracts for the use, purchase, delivery, movement, or installation of data processing equipment, software, or services and telecommunications and inter-connect equipment, software, and services; (g) contracts for duplicating machines and supplies; (h) contracts for the purchase of natural gas when the cost is less than that offered by a public utility; (i) purchases of equipment previously owned by some entity other than the district itself; (j) contracts for repair, maintenance, remodeling, renovation, or construction, or a single project involving an expenditure not to exceed $50,000 and not involving a change or increase in the size, type, or extent of an existing facility; (k) contracts for goods or services procured from another governmental agency; (l) contracts for goods or services which are economically procurable from only one source, such as for the purchase of magazines, books, periodicals, pamphlets and reports, and for utility services such as water, light, heat, telephone or telegraph; (m) where funds are expended in an emergency and such emergency expenditure is approved by 3/4 of the members of the board; and (n) contracts for the purchase of perishable foods and perishable beverages.
     All competitive bids for contracts involving an expenditure in excess of $25,000 or a lower amount as required by board policy must be sealed by the bidder and must be opened by a member or employee of the board at a public bid opening at which the contents of the bids must be announced. Each bidder must receive at least 3 days’ notice of the time and place of such bid opening. For purposes of this Section due advertisement includes, but is not limited to, at least one public notice at least 10 days before the bid date in a newspaper published in the district, or if no newspaper is published in the district, in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the district. Electronic bid submissions shall be considered a sealed document for competitive bid requests if they are received at the designated office by the time and date set for receipt for bids. However, bids for construction purposes are prohibited from being submitted electronically. Electronic bid submissions must be authorized by specific language in the bid documents in order to be considered and must be opened in accordance with electronic security measures in effect at the community college at the time of opening. Unless the electronic submission procedures provide for a secure receipt, the vendor assumes the risk of premature disclosure due to submission in an unsealed form.
     The provisions of this Section do not apply to guaranteed energy savings contracts entered into under Article V-A. The provisions of this Section do not prevent a community college from complying with the terms and conditions of a grant, gift, or bequest that calls for the procurement of a particular good or service, provided that the grant, gift, or bequest provides all funding for the contract, complies with all applicable laws, and does not interfere with or otherwise impair any collective bargaining agreements the community college may have with labor organizations.