San Patricio County Commissioners Court voted to direct the County Auditor’s Office to solicit bids for the fiscal year 2025 Countywide Road Material Program after a presentation from County Engineer John Hernandez.

Hernandez told the court he had provided commissioners a copy of Texas Local Government Code section 262.027 and said the statute allows the court to award contracts for road construction materials to more than one bidder when each selected bidder submits the lowest and best bid for a particular location or material type. "Texas local government code section 262.027 and under under subsection e, it says the commissioner's court may award contract for the purchase of road construction material to more than 1 bidder if each of the selected bidders submits the lowest and best bid for a particular location or type of material," he said.

The court approved a motion to accept the program request and to have the auditor’s office go out for bids; the motion passed by voice vote. The county did not set a procurement schedule or award timeline during the meeting.

Why it matters: Materials procurement determines which vendors supply chip seal, crushed stone and other roadway materials for county-maintained roads; allowing multiple awards by location or material type can let the county accept different low bids for different areas or products rather than a single vendor statewide.

Discussion and next steps: Commissioners did not change specifications at the meeting; the order to solicit bids instructs the County Auditor’s Office to prepare bid documents and solicit offers under the process described by the county engineer and in accordance with Texas Local Government Code §262.027(e). No dollar amounts or contract term lengths were set in the discussion.