Ohio Revised Code

General Provisions

Chapter 9. Miscellaneous

OHIO REV. CODE ANN. §9.48 Joint purchasing programs.

(A) As used in this section, “political subdivision” has the same meaning as in section 2744.01 of the Revised Code and includes a county hospital as defined in section 339.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) A political subdivision may do any of the following:

(1) Permit one or more other political subdivisions to participate in contracts into which it has entered for the acquisition of equipment, materials, supplies, or services, and may charge such participating political subdivisions a reasonable fee to cover any additional costs incurred as a result of their participation;

(2) Participate in a joint purchasing program operated by or through a national or state association of political subdivisions in which the purchasing political subdivision is eligible for membership.

(3) Participate in contract offerings from the federal government that are available to a political subdivision including, but not limited to, contract offerings from the general services administration.

(C) Acquisition by a political subdivision of equipment, material, supplies, or services, through participation in a contract of another political subdivision or participation in an association program under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section, is exempt from any competitive selection requirements otherwise required by law, if the contract in which it is participating was awarded pursuant to a publicly solicited request for a proposal or a competitive selection procedure of another political subdivision within this state or in another state. Acquisition by a political subdivision of equipment, materials, supplies, or services pursuant to division (B)(3) of this section is exempt from any competitive selection requirements otherwise required by law. No political subdivision shall acquire equipment, materials, supplies, or services by participating in a contract under this section if it has received bids for such acquisition, unless its participation enables it to make the acquisition upon the same terms, conditions, and specifications at a lower price.

(D) A political subdivision that is eligible to participate in a joint purchasing program operated by or through a national or state association of political subdivisions in which the purchasing political subdivision is eligible for membership may purchase supplies or services from another party, including another political subdivision, instead of through participation in contracts authorized by division (B)(2) of this section if the political subdivision can purchase those supplies or services from the other party upon equivalent terms, conditions, and specifications but at a lower price than it can through those contracts. Purchases that a political subdivision makes under this division are exempt from any competitive selection procedures otherwise required by law. A political subdivision that makes any purchase under this division shall maintain sufficient information regarding the purchase to verify that it satisfied the conditions for making a purchase under this division. Nothing in this division restricts any action taken by a political subdivision as authorized by division (B)(1) of this section.

(E) The authorization granted to a municipal corporation under this section shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, the powers and authority granted by state law, the Ohio Constitution, and the provisions of a municipal charter, ordinance, or resolution.

Title 27. Courts – General Provisions – Special Remedies

Chapter 2744. Political Subdivision Tort Liability

OHIO REV. CODE ANN. §2744.01 Political subdivision tort liability definitions.

(F) “Political subdivision” or “subdivision” means a municipal corporation, township, county, school district, or other body corporate and politic responsible for governmental activities in a geographic area smaller than that of the state.

Title 1. State Government

Chapter 125. Department of Administrative Services – Office Services

OHIO REV. CODE ANN. §125.022 Cooperative purchases of services or supplies containing recycled materials.

The department of administrative services may enter into cooperative purchasing agreements with one or more other states , groups of states, the federal government, other purchasing consortia, institutions of higher education, or any political subdivision of this state described in division (B) of section 125.04 of the Revised Code for the purpose of purchasing services or supplies.

OHIO REV. CODE ANN. §125.04 Determining what supplies and services are purchased by or for state agencies.

(A) Except for the requirements of division (B) of this section, section 125.092, and division (B) of section 125.11 of the Revised Code, sections 125.04 to 125.08 and 125.09 to 125.15 of the Revised Code do not apply to or affect state institutions of higher education.

(B) (1) As used in this division:

(c) “Governmental agency” means a political subdivision or special district in this state established by or under law, or any combination of these entities; the United States or any department, division, or agency of the United States; one or more other states or groups of states; other purchasing consortia; and any agency, commission, or authority established under an interstate compact or agreement.

(d) “Political subdivision” means any county, township, municipal corporation, school district, conservancy district, township park district, park district created under Chapter 1545. of the Revised Code, regional transit authority, regional airport authority, regional water and sewer district, or port authority. “Political subdivision” also includes any other political subdivision described in the Revised Code that has been approved by the department to participate in the department’s contracts under this division.

(e) “Private fire company” has the same meaning as in section 9.60 of the Revised Code.

(f) “State institution of higher education” has the meaning defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(2) Subject to division (C) of this section, the department of administrative services may permit a state institution of higher education, governmental agency, political subdivision, county board of elections, private fire company, private, nonprofit emergency medical service organization, or chartered nonpublic school to participate in contracts into which the department has entered for the purchase of supplies and services. The department may charge the entity a reasonable fee to cover the administrative costs the department incurs as a result of participation by the entity in such a purchase contract.

A political subdivision desiring to participate in such purchase contracts shall file with the department a certified copy of an ordinance or resolution of the legislative authority or governing board of the political subdivision. The resolution or ordinance shall request that the political subdivision be authorized to participate in such contracts and shall agree that the political subdivision will be bound by such terms and conditions as the department prescribes and that it will directly pay the vendor under each purchase contract. A board of elections desiring to participate in such purchase contracts shall file with the purchasing authority a written request for inclusion in the program. A private fire company, private, nonprofit emergency medical service organization, or chartered nonpublic school desiring to participate in such purchase contracts shall file with the department a written request for inclusion in the program signed by the chief officer of the company, organization, or chartered nonpublic school. A governmental agency desiring to participate in such purchase contracts shall file with the department a written request for inclusion in the program. A state institution of higher education desiring to participate in such purchase contracts shall file with the department a certified copy of resolution of the board of trustees or similar authorizing body. The resolution shall request that the state institution of higher education be authorized to participate in such contracts.

(3) Purchases made by a political subdivision or a county board of elections under this division are exempt from any competitive selection procedures otherwise required by law. No political subdivision shall make any purchase under this division when bids have been received for such purchase by the subdivision, unless such purchase can be made upon the same terms, conditions, and specifications at a lower price under this division.