From The News-Banner (Bluffton):
Q: The school board approved two construction projects. When would the records of the bids on those projects become available for inspection and copying?
A: It depends on which part of the state’s purchasing statutes was used to solicit the bids. Some processes require the bids to be opened at a public meeting, which means the documents should be available to the public immediately.
Some processes allow bids to be opened in a closed-door meeting so the governing body can negotiate a better deal with the bidders before making a selection.
In that case, the bid documents may be kept confidential until a decision is made about who will be awarded the contract.
Contact Steve Key, HSPA executive director and general counsel, with media law questions at skey@hspa.com or (317) 624-4427.
