Section 41-16-21.1

Joint purchasing agreements.

The governing authorities of two or more agencies within the same county or adjoining counties, or the governing bodies of two or more counties, whose contracts are required under this article to be let by competitive bidding, may provide by joint agreement for the purchase of labor, services, or work or for the purchase or lease of materials, equipment, supplies, or other personal property for use by their respective agencies. The agreement shall be entered into by similar executive orders or resolutions issued or adopted by each of the participating governing authorities which shall set forth the categories of labor, services, or work or the materials, equipment, supplies, or other personal property to be purchased or leased, the manner of advertising for bids and of awarding of contracts, the method of payment by each participating contracting agency, and other matters deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of the agreement. Each contracting agency's share of expenditures for purchases under any agreement shall be appropriated and paid in the manner set forth in the agreement and in the same manner as for other expenses of the contracting agency. The contracting agencies entering into a joint agreement, as permitted by this section, may designate a joint purchasing agent and the agent shall have the responsibility to comply with the provisions of this article. Purchases, contracts, or agreements made pursuant to a joint purchasing agreement shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions of this article.

In the event that utility services are no longer exempt from competitive bidding under this article, non-adjoining counties may not purchase utility services by joint agreement under authority granted by this section.

(Acts 1976, No. 751, p. 1032, §3; Act 2000-153, p. 216, §1.)