(a) It shall be unlawful for the Town Council to make or enter into any contract in excess of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for materials, supplies, work or labor for the benefit and use of The Town of Blades with any member of the Town Council or the Mayor or with any partnership in which any member of the Town Council or the Mayor is a general partner or with any corporation in which any member of the Town Council or the Mayor is a director or controlling stockholder or with any firm or company which any member of the Town Council or Mayor is pecuniarily interested, provided that if all the other elected members of the Town Council shall vote to enter into such contract, then the Town may enter into such a contract. Any such contract executed without such unanimous vote shall be absolutely null and void.

(b) All contracts for the purchase of materials or for the furnishing of services authorized or permitted by this Charter shall be accomplished by competitive bidding and the awarding of contracts to the lowest responsible bidder; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that competitive bidding shall not be required in any of the following circumstances:

1. The aggregate amount involved is not more than Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00);

2. The purchase or contract is for personal or professional services;

3. The purchase or contract is for any service rendered by a university, college or other educational institution;

4. The purchase or contract is for any service to be rendered by the State of Delaware or any political subdivision thereof;

5. The purchase or contract is for property or services for which it is impracticable to obtain competition;

6. The public exigency as determined by the Town Council will not permit the delay incident to advertising;

7. The purchase or contract is for property or services for which the Town Council determines the prices received after competitive bidding are unreasonable as to all or part of the requirement or were not independently reached in open competition;

8. A public emergency as determined by the Town Council exists.

Please Fax all Bids or RFPs to Vikki Prettyman, Town Administrator, (302) 629-0199, by the closing date and time listed on such notice.