(a) Lowest responsible bidder.--All construction, reconstruction, repairs or work of any nature made by the authority where the entire cost, value or amount of construction, reconstruction, repairs or work, including labor and materials, shall exceed $25,000, except construction, reconstruction, repairs or work done by employees of the authority or by labor supplied under agreement with any Federal agency, State public body, political subdivision or city with supplies and materials purchased as provided in this chapter, shall be done only under contract or contracts to be entered into by the authority with the lowest responsible bidder upon proper terms, after due public notice has been given asking for competitive bids as provided in this chapter, but the authority shall have the right to reject any or all bids or select a single item from any bid. No contract shall be entered into for construction or improvement or repair of any project or portion of a project unless the contractor shall provide sufficient surety or sureties approved by the authority, and in an amount fixed by the authority, for the performance of the contract. All contracts shall provide, among other things, that the person or corporation entering into the contract with the authority will pay for all materials furnished and services rendered for the performance of the contract and that any person or corporation furnishing materials or rendering services may maintain an action to recover for the same against the obligor in the undertaking as though the person or corporation was named in the undertaking, provided the action is brought within one year after the time the cause of action accrued. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the power of the authority to construct, repair or improve any project or portion of a project or any addition, betterment or extension to a project, directly by the officers and employees of the authority. Whether the costs of the project are being paid for in whole or in part with funds provided under section 6015 (relating to transfer of existing facilities or funds; making of annual grants and lease payments to authority; Commonwealth bonds), the authority may award the construction, expansion or substantial renovation of a convention center as a single bid project without regard to the provisions of the act of May 1, 1913 (P.L. 155, No. 104),¹ entitled “An act regulating the letting of certain contracts for the erection, construction, and alteration of public buildings,” and shall not be subject to 62 Pa.C.S. (relating to procurement). Nothing in this section or any other law of this Commonwealth shall require the authority to competitively bid architectural design, engineering, construction management or other professional services required by the authority.

(b) Supplies and materials.--All supplies and materials costing $25,000 or more to be acquired directly by the authority shall be purchased only after due advertisement as provided in this chapter. The authority shall accept the lowest bid or bids from a responsible bidder, kind, quality and material being equal, but the authority shall have the right to reject any or all bids or select a single item from any bid. The provisions as to bidding shall not apply to the purchase of unique supplies and materials or supplies and materials which cannot be obtained in the open market.

(c) Management prerogatives.--Nothing in this section or in any other law of the Commonwealth shall preclude the board, with the approval of eight members of the board, from negotiating contracts for management, operation, concession services, licensing or leasing of a convention center or any part of a convention center. The authority shall not award any contract to any manager, operator, concessionaire, licensee, lessee or lessor that exceeds three years in duration unless eight members of the board approve the awarding of a contract for a greater period of time.

(d) Application of city ordinances.--The authority, its contractors, subcontractors, assignees, lessees, agents, vendors and suppliers shall not be subject to any city laws, ordinances, rules or regulations relating to any limits or preferences with regard to employment, contracting or procurement in the construction and operation of the convention center.

(e) Steel products.--The authority shall be subject to the act of March 3, 1978 (P.L. 6, No. 3),² known as the Steel Products Procurement Act, and 62 Pa.C.S. Ch. 37 Subch. B³ (relating to motor vehicles).

(f) Waiver of notice.--Public notice under this section may be waived if the authority determines an emergency exists and the supplies and materials must be purchased immediately by the authority.

(g) Definitions.--As used in this section, the term “advertisement” or “public notice” means a notice published at least ten days before the award of any contract in a newspaper of general circulation published in the city.