40A:11-36 Sale or other disposition of personal property.

36. Any contracting unit by resolution of its governing body may authorize by sealed bid or public auction the sale of its personal property not needed for public use.

(1) If the estimated fair value of the property to be sold exceeds 15 percent of the bid threshold in any one sale and it is neither livestock nor perishable goods, it shall be sold at public sale to the highest bidder.

(2) The contracting unit need not advertise for bids when it makes any such sale to the United States, the State of New Jersey, another contracting unit, any body politic to which it contributes tax raised funds, any foreign nation which has diplomatic relations with the United States, or any governmental unit in the United States.

(3) Notice of the date, time and place of the public sale together with a description of the items to be sold and the conditions of sale shall be published in an official newspaper. Such sale shall be held not less than seven nor more than 14 days after the latest publication of the notice thereof.

(4) If no bids are received the property may then be sold at private sale without further publication or notice thereof, but in no event at less than the estimated fair value; or the contracting unit may if it so elects reoffer the property at public sale. As used herein, "estimated fair value" means the market value of the property between a willing seller and a willing buyer less the cost to the contracting unit to continue storage or maintenance of any personal property not needed for public use to be sold pursuant to this section.

(5) A contracting unit may reject all bids if it determines such rejection to be in the public interest. In any case in which the contracting unit has rejected all bids, it may readvertise such personal property for a subsequent public sale. If it elects to reject all bids at a second public sale, pursuant to this section, it may then sell such personal property without further publication or notice thereof at private sale, provided that in no event shall the negotiated price at private sale be less than the highest price of any bid rejected at the preceding two public sales and provided further that in no event shall the terms or conditions of sale be changed or amended.

(6) If the estimated fair value of the property to be sold does not exceed the applicable bid threshold in any one sale or is either livestock or perishable goods, it may be sold at private sale without advertising for bids.

(7) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, by resolution of the governing body, a contracting agent may include the sale of personal property no longer needed for public use as part of specifications to offset the price of a new purchase.

L.1971,c.198,s.36; amended 1999, c.440, s.39.