Must the county comply with the County Purchasing Act during an emergency?
No! Local Government Code §262.024 states that items required in public calamity that must be promptly purchased in order to relieve the necessity of the citizens or to preserve the property of the county are exempt from the County Purchasing Act. Please note that FEMA may provide funding for equipment the county purchases or leases during a disaster. The FEMA funding eligibility guidelines are often revised and may contain competitive bidding requirements that are more stringent than Local Government Code Chapter 262.