1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to municipalities; increasing certain dollar 
  1.3             limits in the Uniform Municipal Contracting Law; 
  1.4             providing an exemption for certain cooperative 
  1.5             purchasing; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 
  1.6             471.345, subdivisions 3, 4, and by adding a 
  1.7             subdivision. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 471.345, 
  1.10  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  1.11     Subd. 3.  [CONTRACTS OVER $25,000 $50,000.] If the amount 
  1.12  of the contract is estimated to exceed $25,000 $50,000, sealed 
  1.13  bids shall be solicited by public notice in the manner and 
  1.14  subject to the requirements of the law governing contracts by 
  1.15  the particular municipality or class thereof provided that with 
  1.16  regard to repairs and maintenance of ditches, bids shall not be 
  1.17  required if the estimated amount of the contract does not exceed 
  1.18  the amount specified in section 103E.705, subdivisions 5, 6, and 
  1.19  7. 
  1.20     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 471.345, 
  1.21  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  1.22     Subd. 4.  [CONTRACTS FROM $10,000 TO $25,000 $50,000.] If 
  1.23  the amount of the contract is estimated to exceed $10,000 but 
  1.24  not to exceed $25,000 $50,000, the contract may be made either 
  1.25  upon sealed bids or by direct negotiation, by obtaining two or 
  1.26  more quotations for the purchase or sale when possible, and 
  2.1   without advertising for bids or otherwise complying with the 
  2.2   requirements of competitive bidding.  All quotations obtained 
  2.3   shall be kept on file for a period of at least one year after 
  2.4   receipt thereof. 
  2.5      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 471.345, is 
  2.6   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.7      Subd. 15.  [COOPERATIVE PURCHASING.] A municipality may 
  2.8   contract for the purchase of supplies, materials, or equipment 
  2.9   without regard to the competitive bidding requirements of this 
  2.10  section if the purchase is through a national municipal 
  2.11  association's purchasing alliance or cooperative that purchases 
  2.12  items from more than one source on the basis of competitive bids 
  2.13  or competitive quotations. 
  2.14     Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.15     Section 3 is effective the day following final enactment.