9. Purchases, contracts, or agreements over $25,000 for dredging and dredging related projects shall be governed as provided in subsections a. and b. below.

a. All purchases, contracts, or agreements, where the cost or contract price exceeds the sum of $25,000, or, after January 1, 2003, the amount determined pursuant to subsection b. of this section, shall, except as otherwise provided by section 10 of this act, be made, negotiated, or awarded only after public advertisement for bids therefor and shall be awarded to that responsible bidder whose bid, conforming to the invitation for bids, is most advantageous to the office in its judgment, upon consideration of price and other factors. Any bid may be rejected when the office determines that it is in the public interest to do so.

Any purchase, contract, or agreement, where the cost or contract price is less than or equal to $25,000, or the amount determined pursuant to subsection b. of this section, shall be made, negotiated, or awarded by the office without advertising and in any manner which the office, in its judgment, deems necessary to serve its unique interests and purposes and which promotes, whenever practicable, full and free competition by the acceptance of quotations or proposals or by the use of other suitable methods.

b. The department shall no later than March 1 of each odd-numbered year adjust the threshold amount set forth in subsection a. of this section, or subsequent to 2003 the threshold amount resulting from any adjustment under this subsection, in direct proportion to the rise or fall of the consumer price index for all urban consumers in the New York City and the Philadelphia areas as reported by the United States Department of Labor. The adjustment shall become effective on July 1 of each odd-numbered year.

L.2001,c.429,s.9.