SECTION 4. Submission of quotations

(a) Except as permitted pursuant to this section and section 7, for the procurement of a supply or service in the amount of $10,000 or greater, but not more than $50,000, a procurement officer shall seek written quotations from no fewer than 3 persons customarily providing the supply or service. The procurement officer shall record: (1) the names and addresses of all person from whom quotations were sought, (2) the purchase description used for the procurement, (3) the names of the persons submitting quotations and (4) the date and amount of each quotation. Such information shall be retained in the file required pursuant to section 3. A governmental body may require that any procurement in an amount of not more than $50,000 be subject to section 5.

(b) The procurement officer shall award the contract to the responsible person offering the needed quality of supply or service at the lowest quotation.

(c) A procurement in the amount of less than $10,000 shall be obtained through the exercise of sound business practices.

(d) A procurement officer, who follows sound business practices, may award contracts which include individual purchases of less than $35,000 to Massachusetts farm operations for the procurement of products of agriculture as defined in section 1A of chapter 128 including, but not limited to, fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy products, meats, crops, horticultural products and products processed into value added products, that are grown or produced using products grown in the commonwealth as well as fish, seafood and other aquatic products, without seeking quotations as required under subsection (a).