Cookeville Increases Bid Threshold To Facilitate Department Purchases

Cookeville Utility Departments will now be able to spend up to $25,000 with a vendor without putting the item out for competitive bid.

City Manager James Mills said the state recently allowed governing bodies to increase their thresholds as a result of inflation and rising costs.

“It can actually speed the process up for getting things done,” Mills said. “If you have to wait to bid something, that can take over a month to two months to advertise and have bids actually come in and evaluate them. This would speed the process up which, less time is less money.”

Mills said the previous threshold was just $10,000. He said the ordinance also provides that for purchases between $10,000 and $25,000 now, department heads would at least try to obtain three cost estimates.

Mills said it is still incumbent on the director to make sure they are getting the best purchase price possible for whatever they are trying to obtain. He said any purchase over $1,000 by any department still must be signed off on and approved by himself.

“This does give flexibility for our all of departments in particular our utilities,” Mills said. “Barry can tell you how much chemicals cost now, Carl can tell you how much wire costs now. This would help them where they don’t have to wait and go through the bid process and go ahead and get things done.”