Luzerne County may increase threshold requiring comparison price quotes for purchases

Luzerne County may raise the threshold required to seek comparison price quotes for purchases, according to Tuesday’s County Council agenda.

The county’s home rule charter, implemented in 2012, said quotes must be obtained for purchases between $2,500 and $25,000, while publicly advertised bids or fee proposals are necessary for purchases exceeding $25,000.

County Council has the authority to raise these minimum amounts by ordinance, the charter said.

The posted county purchasing manual, dated October 2021, references parameters for quotes on purchases between $2,500 and $10,000 and requires at least three quotes for purchases ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.

A proposed ordinance up for possible introduction Tuesday would switch to Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry bid thresholds calculated annually based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustments.

For 2026, purchases between $13,200 and $24,500 would require written or telephonic price quotes under the state labor department standard.

No quotes or bidding would be mandated for purchases and contracts below $13,200 in this scenario. Formal bidding and public notice must be completed for purchases over $24,500, which is $500 below the county’s current home rule charter parameter.

If the ordinance is approved, future state labor department parameters would be automatically incorporated in the county purchasing manual without requiring further council action, it said.

County Council Chairman Jimmy Sabatino said he supports keeping the county “in line with the state.”

“The state has a better grasp of how the CPI is affecting the cost of goods than the county does,” Sabatino said. “As things change, we have to stay current without having to go through a council vote every time.”

Looking back, the 2012 charter directive to publicly seek bids or fee proposals for purchases over $25,000 was an increase from the $7,500 minimum under the old government system.

Charter drafters had determined a higher bidding minimum would reduce time and money spent preparing and advertising purchase opportunities, though critics argued more extensive shopping around could save money through increased competition.

Before the home rule, quotes were required for purchases between $3,000 and $7,500.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo said the threshold changes are part of a revamping of the entire purchasing policy that has been under development for approximately a year — a project spearheaded by county First Assistant Solicitor Vito DeLuca.

This revised policy will be more understandable and user-friendly, Crocamo said.

Purchasing manual wording also was added to comply with a “responsible contractor” agreement a council majority approved last year. It requires prospective contractors to participate in apprenticeship training programs and meet other conditions to perform county government construction projects over $500,000.

The proposed ordinance set a standard requiring payment of prevailing wages on construction projects exceeding $25,000.

At least four of 11 council votes are required for ordinances to be introduced. A public hearing and majority council passage would be necessary at a future meeting for the ordinance to take effect.

Tuesday’s voting meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions for the remote attendance option are posted in the council’s online meetings section at luzernecounty.org.

Council is also scheduled to discuss the purchasing changes during Tuesday’s work session, which follows the voting meeting, the agenda said.