Transportation is integral to our region’s ability to connect people to jobs, enhance upward mobility, increase economic competitiveness and support community centers – all of which improves quality of life for our region’s residents. The COVID-19 pandemic affected our lives in many ways including how, why and when we move and travel. The impacts of these changes in travel behavior have far-reaching implications for future mobility planning, creating a need for flexibility and multi-modal perspectives in transportation planning and decision-making. This session reviews the impacts of pandemic-related travel behavior and showcases some examples of communities adapting to these changes as they plan for the future.
Federal funds are commonly passed through state agencies in North Carolina before being awarded to local governments, which can make the original funding source less obvious. Before proceeding with a procurement, local governments should verify whether an award originates from a federal source. This determination affects compliance obligations, including procurement standards, reporting, and audit requirements.
When a construction or repair contract over $300,000 involves a building, the procurement and contract are subject to additional requirements under N.C.G.S. 143-128. Therefore, this question must be answered to determine whether the additional statutory requirements apply to this procurement scenario.
The micro-purchase threshold is a federal procurement threshold under which competitive procurement is not required. The default micro-purchase threshold is $15,000, but local governments may increase the micro-purchase threshold up to $50,000. An explanation of increasing the micro-purchase threshold and a template for the required annual self-certification is available here.