§ 2-914.1. Procedures for rejection or withdrawal of bids; and for protest of bid awards or rejections.

(a)

In accordance with applicable Louisiana Public Bid Law, for just cause, Jefferson Parish may reject any or all bids received in response to a solicitation for bids.

(b)

Additionally, in accordance with applicable Louisiana State Law, more particularly R.S. 38:2214(C), bidders may withdraw bids containing patently obvious, unintentional, and substantial mechanical, clerical, or mathematical errors, or errors of unintentional omission of a substantial quantity of work, labor, material, or services made directly in the compilation of the bid if clear and convincing sworn, written evidence of such errors is furnished to the Jefferson Parish Purchasing Department within forty-eight (48) hours of the bid opening, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

(c)

Procedure for protest of award.

(1)

Vendors properly submitting a bid in response to a solicitation to bid from Jefferson Parish may protest the award in the following manner:

a.

Prepare a written protest setting forth: name, address, and contact information; bid number; grounds for protest; and any supporting facts;

b.

Submit the written protest, and any supporting documentation, to the director of purchasing by United States Mail, electronic mail, national carrier, or hand-delivery;

c.

Written protest must be received within forty-eight (48) hours of the release of the bid tabulation by the purchasing department; and

d.

Consideration will not be given to any protest which fails to meet these requirements.

(2)

Protests that satisfy the above requirements shall receive an independent review by the director of purchasing and the parish attorney, or their respective designees.

(3)

The parish attorney, or his designee, shall take action on the protest in one (1) or more of the following manners:

a.

Give notice of the protest to the lowest responsible bidder, giving said bidder two (2) business days to provide a written response to the issues raised in the protest;

b.

Notify the parish council of the protest when a deferral of any council action due to the protest is required; or

c.

Following review as indicated in subsection (2) above, the parish attorney, or his designee, shall issue a written response to the protest prior to the parish council's consideration for award or rejection in accordance with Louisiana State Law.

(d)

Procedure for protest of rejection of bids.

(1)

Vendors submitting a response to a solicitation to bid may protest the rejection of a bid by satisfying the following requirements:

a.

Prepare a written protest setting forth: name, address, and contact information; bid number; grounds for protesting rejection; and any supporting facts;

b.

Submit the written protest, and any supporting documentation, to the director of purchasing by United States Mail, electronic mail, national carrier, or hand-delivered;

c.

Written protest must be received within forty-eight (48) hours of the release of the bid tabulation by the purchasing department; and

d.

Consideration will not be given to any protest which fail to meet these requirements.

(2)

Protests that satisfy the above requirements shall receive an independent review by the director of purchasing and the parish attorney, or their respective designees.

(3)

Following such review, the parish attorney, or his designee, shall issue a written response to the protest prior to the parish council's consideration for award or rejection in accordance with Louisiana State Law.

(Ord. No. 25773 , § 1, 5-8-19)