West Virginia Code

Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations

Article 23. Intergovernmental Relations

Contracting and Joint Enterprises

Part II. Intergovernmental Agreements and Contracts

 

W.VA. CODE ANN. §8-23-2. Definitions

For the purposes of this article:

(1) The term “public agency” shall mean any municipality, county or other political subdivision of this State, or any county board of education of this State; and

W.VA. CODE ANN. §8-23-3. Intergovernmental agreements generally.

Any power or powers, privilege or privileges, authority or undertaking, exercised or capable of exercise, or which may be engaged in, and any public works which may be undertaken, by a public agency acting alone may be exercised, enjoyed, engaged in or undertaken jointly with any other public agency which could likewise act alone.

Any two or more public agencies may enter into a written agreement with one another for joint or cooperative action pursuant to the provisions of this section. Appropriate action by ordinance, resolution or otherwise pursuant to law of the governing bodies of the participating public agencies shall be necessary before any such agreement shall become effective. Any separate legal or administrative entity established hereunder is a public corporation and may exist for the length of time set forth in the intergovernmental agreement.

Every agreement made pursuant to the provisions of this section shall, prior to and as a condition precedent to its becoming effective, be submitted to the attorney general who shall determine whether the agreement is in proper form and is compatible with the laws of this state. The attorney general shall approve any such agreement submitted to him unless he shall find that it does not meet the conditions set forth herein, in which event he shall detail in writing to the governing bodies of the public agencies concerned the specific respects in which the proposed agreement fails to meet the requirements of law. Failure to disapprove any such agreement so submitted within thirty days of its submission shall constitute approval thereof.

W.VA. CODE ANN. §8-23-4. Filing of intergovernmental agreements.

Before an agreement made pursuant to the provisions of section three of this article may become effective, a copy of the same must be filed with the recorder of any municipality party thereto and with the clerk of the county court of any county party thereto, and, as to any other public agency party thereto, with the officer in charge of the records thereof. When a municipality is a party, a copy of the agreement must also be filed with the state tax commissioner before such agreement becomes effective.

Article 12. General and Specific Powers, Duties and Allied Relations of Municipalities, Governing Bodies and Municipal Officers and Employees; Suits Against Municipalities.

Part IV. Certain Specific Powers of Municipalities and Governing Bodies.

W.VA. CODE ANN. §8-12-10. Purchasing; competitive bidding.

(a) Every municipality may provide for the centralized purchasing of materials, supplies and equipment; and the term “equipment,” for the purposes of this section, shall include, but not be limited to, motor vehicles. Every municipality may, by agreement with the state director of the division of purchases of the department of finance and administration, purchase the same through such department, or may enter into agreements with one or more other municipalities, counties or county boards of education, or any combination thereof, for centralized purchasing for all governmental units which are parties to such agreement.

(b) Every municipality is hereby empowered and authorized to provide by ordinance whether competitive bidding is to be required in the purchase of materials, supplies and equipment and if so the type or types of purchases with respect to which the same shall be required and the method and manner in which bids shall be obtained. Any ordinance adopted by any municipality in accordance with the provisions of this subsection (b) shall supersede any provision pertaining to competitive bidding contained in the special legislative charter of such municipality.

Chapter 5A. Department of Administration

Article 3. Purchasing Division

VA. CODE §5A-3-19. Purchases from federal government and other sources.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the director may, upon the recommendation of a state spending unit, participate in, sponsor, conduct, or administer a cooperative purchasing agreement or consortium for the purchase of commodities or services with agencies of the federal government, agencies of other states, other public bodies or other state agencies, if available and financially advantageous. At the discretion of the director, bids may be solicited to determine whether participation in such a cooperative purchasing agreement or consortium is financially advantageous.

(b) The Department of Administration may approve administrative fees, not to exceed the amount of fifty thousand dollars, necessary to participate in a cooperative purchasing agreement. Fees which exceed fifty thousand dollars are subject to the competitive bid requirements of this article.

West Virginia Code of State Rules

Administration

Title 148-01

Purchasing Division

VA. C.S.R. §148-7-8. Purchases from contracts issued by other public agencies and entities.

7.8.a. The Director may approve a request by a spending unit to purchase from, join as a party, or otherwise utilize contracts issued by agencies of the federal government, agencies of other states, other public bodies, or other state agencies. The Director may also sign an agreement with a vendor that has the effect of adding state spending units to a contract issued by agencies of the federal government, agencies of other states, other public bodies, or other state agencies. The Director may, but is not required to, designate such a contract as a statewide contract and require that spending units utilize it. The Director may also lead, participate in, or join after issuance cooperative purchasing arrangements with other public agencies and entities created by public agencies.

Before undertaking any activity authorized by this section, the Director shall determine that the contracts being utilized and/or created are valid, properly awarded, financially advantageous, and comparable to what can be obtained through competitive bidding. The last requirement will be satisfied if the contract was created or is to be created from a competitive procurement method.

7.8.b. All spending unit requests to take an action authorized under this subsection must be submitted in advance to the director with necessary evidence and documentation. The Director shall approve only those requests submitted with evidence and documentation. The Director shall approve only those requests submitted with evidence that justifies use of such contracts. Any request that is not supportable shall be returned to the spending unit.