Rockland Law Allows Latitude In Awarding Competitive Contracts

NEW CITY, NY — A new local law will go into effect that will give Rockland County the ability to consider other factors besides cost in awarding competitive contracts.

County Executive Ed Day signed the "Best Value" legislation Monday after the law was approved by the legislature Tuesday.

Day thanked the county legislators who passed the local law.

"I have filed numerous versions of this law," he said, "the first in 2015 with this version submitted in 2018, and its passage is long overdue."

The use of the Best Value Award Methodology does not replace low bid awards, according to a spokesman. It will, when appropriate, give the county the ability to consider other factors besides cost when awarding competitively bid contracts.

It also provides two important benefits, officials said.

First, the law allowed the county to consider a bidder's status as a local, minority or woman-owned business enterprise when determining contract awards.

The second benefit allows the county to purchase from national cooperative contracts that have also been awarded by Best Value.

The decision to award a contract on the basis of Best Value shall include a cost-benefit analysis, which the purchasing division and county department will use to show a quantifiable value or savings from non-price factors that offset the price differential of the other offers.