§7-1-11. Purchasing in open market or competitive bids; debarment.

(a) County commissions may make a purchase of commodities and printing of $15,000 or less in amount in the open market, but a purchase of and contract for commodities and printing over $15,000 shall be based on competitive bids, except in case of emergency.

(b) The county commission of any county is authorized and empowered to promulgate rules governing the procedure of competitive bids: Provided, That a vendor who has been debarred pursuant to the provisions of sections thirty-three-a through thirty-three-f, article three, chapter five-a of this code, may not bid on or be awarded a contract under this section.

(c) As used in this section, the terms "commodities" and "printing" shall have the same meaning as those terms are defined in section one, article one, chapter five-a of this code.