Section 4. Section 2001(a) and (d) of the act, amended or added December 20, 1985 (P.L.488, No.114) and March 25, 1988 (P.L.292, No.33), are amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
Section 2001. County Commissioners to Make Contracts.--The County Commissioners may make contracts for lawful purposes and for the purposes of carrying into execution the provisions of this section and the laws of the Commonwealth.
(a) [All] Except as provided in subsection (a.1), all contracts or purchases in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) shall be in writing and, except those hereinafter mentioned, shall not be made except with and from the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications, after due notice in at least one newspaper of general circulation, published or circulating in the county at least three (3) times, at intervals of not less than three (3) days where daily newspapers of general circulation are employed for such publication, or in case weekly newspapers are employed, then the notice shall be published once a week for two (2) successive weeks. The first advertisement shall be published not less than ten (10) days prior to the date fixed for the opening of bids.
(a.1) The requirements of this subsection need not be followed in cases of emergency, but in such cases the actual emergency shall be declared and stated by resolution of the commissioners.
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(d) The contracts or purchases made by the commissioners involving an expenditure of over ten thousand dollars ($10,000) which shall not require advertising or bidding as hereinbefore provided are as follows:
(1) Those for maintenance, repairs or replacements for water, electric light, or other public works: Provided, That they do not constitute new additions, extensions or enlargements of existing facilities and equipment, but a bond may be required by the county commissioners as in other cases of work done.
(2) Those made for improvements, repairs and maintenance of any kind made or provided by the county through its own employes: Provided, That this shall not apply to construction materials used in a street improvement.
(3) Those where particular types, models or pieces of new equipment, articles, apparatus, appliances, vehicles or parts thereof are desired by the county commissioners, which are patented and manufactured products or copyrighted products.
(4) Those involving any policies of insurance or surety company bonds, those made for public utility service under tariffs on file with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, those made with another political subdivision or a county, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Federal Government, any agency of the Commonwealth or the Federal Government, or any municipal authority, including the sale, leasing or loan of any supplies or materials by the Commonwealth or the Federal Government, or their agencies, but the price thereof shall not be in excess of that fixed by the Commonwealth, the Federal Government, or their agencies.
(5) Those involving personal or professional services.
(6) Those involving tangible client services provided by nonprofit agencies. For the purposes of this clause, the term "tangible client services" shall mean congregate meals, home-delivered meals, transportation and chore services provided through area agencies on aging.
(7) Those involving the purchase of milk.
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