11-255. Contract for advertising and printing

A. The board shall contract for all advertising, publications and printing required to be done or made by all departments of county government.

B. Written notice of letting the contract shall be provided to a representative of each qualified newspaper within the county, at least ten days before the opening of bids, calling for written bids for the advertising, publications and printing required by all county departments and stating on what day the bids received will be opened. The written notice required by this subsection may be provided by electronic means. 

C. A contract shall be made with the lowest and best bidder, in the discretion of the board, and to a newspaper that for at least one year has been admitted to the United States mail as second-class matter, if the bid is within the legal rate. During the existence of the contract, all advertising, publications and printing ordered by any department of county government shall be provided to the newspaper awarded the contract for printing under the terms and conditions of the contract.

D. The newspaper that is awarded the contract pursuant to subsection C of this section may be referred to as the official newspaper of the county.

E. Notwithstanding subsection C of this section, the board of supervisors, for itself and all departments of county government, may advertise, publish and print in a publication other than the official newspaper, if any of the following apply:

1. The advertising, publishing or printing is in addition to that required to be done in the official newspaper of the county.

2. The advertising, publishing or printing is authorized but not required by law.

3. The advertising, publishing or printing is required by statute to be done in a location other than that of the official newspaper of the county.