News Article | May 01, 2021
County Finances
LegalEase
Legal Guidance
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"We need to go out for bids, but I really want the contract to go to one of our local mom-and-pop shops. Can we only take bids from businesses in the county?" |
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Can the county restrict its bids to local businesses?
Generally, no. The Attorney General has opined that a requirement that a bidder be located within the county would be an illegal restriction on competition. However, the Attorney General also conceded that circumstances may exist where the proximity of the bidders determines who the lowest responsible bidder is. See Tex. Atty. Gen. Op. No. H-1086 (1977). For more information, see our Basics of the County Purchasing Act and Competitive Bidding handbook.