A. Counties shall enter into lease or lease-purchase contracts for road machinery and equipment pursuant to the provisions of Sections 636.1 through 636.7 of this title or pursuant to the provisions of Sections 1500 through 1505 of Title 19 of the Oklahoma Statutes and may not otherwise lease road machinery or equipment except in the case of an emergency, when specialized road machinery or equipment for projects of short durations is required for periods not to exceed thirty (30) days.
B. A county shall be eligible to enter into a lease or lease-purchase contract with the Department of Transportation for road machinery and equipment on a priority basis determined by the county funding classification designation during any fiscal year for the purchase of road machinery and equipment. The county funding classification designation shall be developed by the Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Cooperative Circuit Engineering Districts Board and approved by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation County Advisory Board. Upon approval by the Department of Transportation County Advisory Board, the funding classification designation shall be submitted to the Transportation Commission for final approval. The counties receiving the least appropriations per mile of road may receive the highest priority rating. A county may also enter into a full warranty lease contract for road machinery and equipment pursuant to the provisions of subsection F of this section. Nothing in Sections 636.1 through 636.7 of this title shall prohibit a county from purchasing road machinery and equipment if it has adequate funds appropriated during any fiscal year for such purpose.
C. Whenever a county desires to lease or lease-purchase road machinery and equipment with funds from the County Road Machinery and Equipment Revolving Fund, it shall notify the Department of Transportation of its requirements and specifications and shall provide a list of vendors from which bids will be requested for the lease or lease-purchase agreements.
D. Upon receiving such notification from a county, the Department shall be authorized to purchase requested road machinery or equipment for lease or lease-purchase to that county or may lease or lease-purchase surplus or used road machinery and equipment to a county provided such road machinery or equipment meets the requirements and specifications of the requesting county.
E. If there are no funds available in the County Road Machinery and Equipment Revolving Fund, the Department of Transportation, upon notification that a county desires to lease or lease-purchase road machinery or equipment, shall certify to the county that there are no funds available in the County Road Machinery and Equipment Revolving Fund for such purposes. The county may then request the Purchasing Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to solicit bids or request bids pursuant to the provisions of Section 1500 et seq. of Title 19 of the Oklahoma Statutes to lease or lease-purchase the requested road machinery or equipment.
F. When funds are available in the County Road Machinery and Equipment Revolving Fund the Department of Transportation shall, after receiving notification from a county desiring to lease or lease-purchase equipment, authorize the county to request bids pursuant to the provisions of this act and allocate funds equal to the estimated cost of the equipment or machinery requested. However, if the lowest and best bid received by the county exceeds the estimated purchase price of the equipment or machinery, the county shall pay any difference above the estimated purchase price if accepted. The county shall use the bid procedure provided for in Section 1500 et seq. of Title 19 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The county shall forward the lowest and best bid received to the Department of Transportation which shall authorize the lease or lease-purchase of the equipment or machinery.
G. A county may enter into a full warranty lease contract for road machinery and equipment if the county has adequate funds appropriated during any fiscal year for such purpose. Whenever a county desires to enter into a full warranty lease contract for road machinery or equipment, the county must notify the State Auditor and Inspector of its intent and must provide the State Auditor and Inspector with its requirements and specifications along with the proper documentation to be advertised for bids. Upon receiving the notification and documentation from a county, the State Auditor and Inspector shall review the documentation and, upon approval, shall forward the documentation and specifications to the State Purchasing Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. The Purchasing Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services shall solicit bids to lease the requested road machinery or equipment according to the documentation and specifications of the county as approved by the State Auditor and Inspector. The term of any full warranty lease contract authorized pursuant to this subsection may be for any period up to one (1) year, provided the term shall not extend beyond the end of any fiscal year, with an option to renew such lease subject to the requirement that adequate funds are appropriated during the fiscal year by the county for such purpose. The State Auditor and Inspector shall prescribe the lease forms and other documentation necessary for implementing the provisions of this subsection.
H. Except as provided in subsection G of this section, the Department of Transportation shall promulgate such rules and regulations and is authorized to require from the counties such information, forms and reports as are necessary for properly and efficiently administering Sections 636.1 through 636.7 of this title.
Added by Laws 1982, c. 286, § 4. Amended by Laws 1983, c. 205, § 4, emerg. eff. June 16, 1983; Laws 1991, c. 203, § 1, emerg. eff. May 17, 1991; Laws 1992, c. 6, § 2, emerg. eff. March 18, 1992; Laws 1993, c. 75, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Laws 1996, c. 179, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 2012, c. 304, § 576; Laws 2017, c. 20, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2017.