The Attorney (General of Texas
JIM MATTOX February21. 1986
Attorney General
Supreme Court Bullding Hr. Gibson DuTtrroCL opinionNo. m-444
P. 0. Box 1254S Chairperson
Austin. TX 78711.254a Texts Committee00.hrchases of Rt: Applicabilityto counties.
51214752501 Products and Strriccs of Blind cities. hospitaldistricts,and
Telex 9101874-1367
TekCOo*r 512/47w2SS
and SsverelyDisabledPersona school districtsof chapter 122
314 EighlandMall Bwlsvard of the Eumtn Resources Code,
Suite 258 which relatesto the procurement
714 Jackson. Suite 700 Austin. Texas 787!i:! of the products or strvicts of
Oalhe., TX. 75202-4508 disabledindividuals
2t4il42.SQ44
Dear Mr. DuTtrroil:
4S24 Alberta Ave.. Sub 160
El Paso. TX. 799052793 You ask about zht apparentconflictbetween a statutethat allows
915/533-3184 political subdlvisioasto purchase products or strvlcts produced by
disabled persons without engaging iu competitivebidding and statutes
1COt Texas. Suite 700
thtt require certain political subdivisionsto engage in competitive
Hou+ton. TX. 77w2.3111 bidding.
7131223.5886
Section 122.Olli
of the Eumau ResourcesCode provides:
W5 Bmadway. Suits 312
A prodilct
msnufacturtdfor salt to a political
Lubbock. TX. 79401-3479
Soa747%38 subdivisionof this state or an offics or dtpart-
mcnt thereof shall be manufactured or produced
according‘tospecificationsdavelopedby the pur-
4MB N. Tenth. Suite B &tsar. Qolitical subdlvlslonof this state may
YcAllm. TX. ?swl-les5
512aS2.4S47 purchase products or rervicts for its use from
private I~t~sintsststhrough Its authoriasd pur-
chasing p~xtdurts, but may substituteequivalent
200 M*in Plaza. Suite 400 products & ~trviccs produced by blind or other
San Antonio, TX. 7S205-2797
severely zlsabltdpersons under the provisionsof
512!225-4191
this chap;tr. Nothing in this chaptershall be
coastrutd%o require a nonprofit agency for blind
An Equal Opporlunityl or other &vtrtly disabled persons to engage in
Atllrmatlvo Action Employer compttit~~ bidding. (Emphasisadded).
Tou ask whether counties. cities, school districts,and hospital
districtsmay purcha,se products or strvicts from the disabledwithout
engaging in compttirLvt bidding pursuant to section122.014even under
circumstances %n rbich other statutes require them to engage in
competitivebidding.
In Attorney Geneera Opinion JR-385 (1985).we consideredwhether
a county was requir,cd
to complywith the competitivebidding procedure
p. 2018
Fir.Gibson BuTerrol - Page 2 (Jt4-444)
set out In the County PurchasingAct, article 2368a. V.T.C.S..before
it could purchase goods or services from the disabled pursuant to
section 122.014 of the Ruman Resources Code. Rtcaust specific
statute6 prevail over general statutes on the same subject, we
concludedthat the specificexceptionfrom competitivebidding set out
in section 122.014 of the Buman Resources Code prevailed over the
general requirementsof the County Purchasing Act when the county
purchasedgoods or servicesf:romthe disabled.
The same reasoning apl)Mts to the other political subdivisions
you ask about. General statutesrequire cities, hospitals,and school
districts to engage in competitivebidding before they make certain
purchases. V.T.C.S.art. 238a. r2 (cities);V.T.C.S.art. 44940, 134
(hospitaldistricts);Educ. Code 121.901 (school districts). Those
general statutes art inapplicable.however+ to a situation in which
one of those subdivisionspurchases goods or services pursuant to I.
section 122.014of the Buman ResourcesCode.
SUMMARY
General statute:8
that requirecounties,cities.
hospital distrfctr;,
and school districtsto engage
in competitivebidding in order to make certain
purchasesdo not c.pplyto purchasessuch political
subdivisionsmake Ipursuantto section 122.014 of
the &man RtsourccsCode.
J h
Very truly your
A
JIM MATTOX
Attorney General of Texas
JACR HIGRTOWRR
First AssistantAttorneyGttLral
WARYKELLER
ExtcutP?t AssistantAttorneyGeneral
ROBERT GRAY
SpecialAssistantAttorneyGeneral
RICR GILPIN
Chairman,opinion conmittet
Preparedby Sarah Wotlk
AssIstant Attorney General
p. 2019