Authority. (1) The following small purchase procedures may be utilized in conducting procurements for governmental bodies that are less than twenty-five thousand dollars in actual or potential value. An agency may conduct its own procurement under five thousand dollars in actual or potential value, and an agency that has received procurement certification pursuant to Section 11-35-1210 to handle the type and estimated value of the procurement may conduct the procurement under its own authority in accordance with the procedures prescribed in this section; however, procurement requirements must not be artificially divided by governmental bodies so as to constitute a small purchase under this section.

1. (2) Competition and Price Reasonableness. (a) Purchases Not in Excess of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars. Small purchases not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars may be accomplished without securing competitive quotations if the prices are considered to be reasonable. The purchasing office shall annotate the purchase requisition: "Price is fair and reasonable" and sign. The purchases must be distributed equitably among qualified suppliers. When practical, a quotation must be solicited from other than the previous supplier before placing a repeat order. The administrative cost of verifying the reasonableness of the price of purchase "not in excess of" may more than offset potential savings in detecting instances of overpricing. Action to verify the reasonableness of the price need be taken only when the procurement officer of the governmental body suspects that the price may not be reasonable, comparison to previous price paid, or personal knowledge of the item involved.
2. (b) Purchases from one thousand five hundred one dollars to five thousand dollars. Solicitations of verbal or written quotes from a minimum of three qualified sources of supply must be made and documentation of the quotes attached to the purchase requisition. The award shall be made to the lowest responsive and responsible source.
3. (c) Purchases from five thousand one dollars to ten thousand dollars. Solicitation of written quotes from a minimum of three qualified sources of supply must be made and documentation of the quotes attached to the purchase requisition. The award must be made to the lowest responsive and responsible sources.
4. (d) Purchases from ten thousand one dollars to twenty-five thousand dollars. Written solicitation of written quotes, bids, or proposals shall be made. The procurement must be advertised at least once in the South Carolina Business Opportunities publication or through a means of central electronic advertising as approved by the Office of General Services. A copy of the written solicitation and written quotes must be attached to the purchase requisition. The award shall be made to the lowest responsive and responsible source or, when a request for proposal process is used, the highest ranking offeror.
5. (3) Protest rights. The provisions of Section 11-35-4210 do not apply to contracts awarded under the procedures set forth in this section.
6. (4) All competitive procurements above twenty-five thousand dollars must be advertised at least once in the South Carolina Business Opportunities publication or through a means of central electronic advertising as approved by the Office of General Services. Governmental bodies may charge vendors the cost incurred for copying and mailing bid or proposal documents requested in response to a procurement advertised in the "South Carolina Business Opportunities" publication.