Washington Revised Code Title 54. Public Utility Districts § 54.04.070. Contracts for work or materials--Notice--Exemptions--Unit priced contracts

(1) Any item, or items of the same kind of materials, equipment, or supplies purchased, the estimated cost of which is in excess of thirty thousand dollars, exclusive of sales tax, shall be by contract.  However, a district may make purchases of the same kind of items of materials, equipment, and supplies not exceeding twelve thousand dollars in any calendar month without a contract, purchasing any excess thereof over twelve thousand dollars by contract.

(2) Any work ordered by a district commission, the estimated cost of which is in excess of fifty thousand dollars, exclusive of sales tax, shall be by contract.  However, a district commission may have its own regularly employed personnel perform work which is an accepted industry practice under prudent utility management without a contract.  For purposes of this section, “prudent utility management” means performing work with regularly employed personnel utilizing material of a worth not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars in value without a contract.  This limit on the value of material being utilized in work being performed by regularly employed personnel shall not include the value of individual items of equipment.  For the purposes of this section, the term “equipment” includes but is not limited to conductor, cabling, wire, pipe, or lines used for electrical, water, fiber optic, or telecommunications.

(3) Before awarding a contract required under subsection (1) or (2) of this section, the commission shall publish a notice once or more in a newspaper of general circulation in the district at least thirteen days before the last date upon which bids will be received, inviting sealed proposals for the work or materials.  Plans and specifications for the work or materials shall at the time of publication be on file at the office of the district and subject to public inspection.  Any published notice ordering work to be performed for the district shall be mailed at the time of publication to any established trade association which files a written request with the district to receive such notices.  The commission may, at the same time and as part of the same notice, invite tenders for the work or materials upon plans and specifications to be submitted by the bidders.

(4) As an alternative to the competitive bidding requirements of this section and RCW 54.04.080, a district may let contracts using the small works roster process under RCW 39.04.155.

(5) Whenever equipment or materials required by a district are held by a governmental agency and are available for sale but such agency is unwilling to submit a proposal, the commission may ascertain the price of such items and file a statement of such price supported by the sworn affidavit of one member of the commission, and may consider such price as a bid without a deposit or bond.

(6) Pursuant to RCW 39.04.280, the commission may waive the competitive bidding requirements of this section and RCW 54.04.080 if an exemption contained within RCW 39.04.280 applies to the purchase or public work.