Municipalities are prohibited by law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-23(a)) from accepting bids on a Monday or any day directly following a State or federal holiday. Local Finance Notice 2013-1 provides municipalities with a list of all 2013 Federal and State holidays to ensure compliance with the law. In addition, the Division of Local Government Services advises that the law also applies to receipt of requests for proposals under competitive contracting. However, the law does not apply to quotations for professional services, because the “10 days before receipt of bids” requirement does not apply.
Currently, all Federal holidays are also State holidays, and many of them fall on a Monday. The law applies whether or not the municipality observes a given holiday. Please note that Lincoln’s Birthday is no longer a State holiday. The law supersedes local holiday observance.
2013 Table of State and Federal Holiday Bid Acceptance Dates In addition, bids may not be accepted on any Monday.
Holiday (no bids received)
Date
Day
Bid Due Day
Bid Due Date
New Year’s Day
1/1/2013
Tuesday
Thursday
1/3/2013
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday
1/21/2013
Monday
Wednesday
1/23/2013
President’s Day (Washington's Birthday)
2/18/2013
Monday
Wednesday
2/20/2013
Good Friday*
3/29/2013
Friday
Tuesday
4/1/2013
Memorial Day
5/27/2013
Monday
Wednesday
5/29/2013
Independence Day
7/4/2013
Thursday
Tuesday
7/9/2013
Labor Day
9/2/2013
Monday
Wednesday
9/4/2013
Columbus Day
10/14/2013
Monday
Wednesday
10/16/2013
Election Day*
11/5/2013
Tuesday
Thursday
11/7/2013
Veteran's Day observed
11/11/2013
Monday
Wednesday
11/13/2013
Thanksgiving Day
11/28/2013
Thursday
Tuesday
12/3/2013
Christmas Day
12/25/2013
Wednesday
Friday
12/27/2013
* State Holiday only (not federal)
Please share this notice with those individuals responsible for the development and preparation of specifications, and for the scheduling and receipt of bids and proposals.
Very truly yours,
William G. Dressel, Jr.
Executive Director
New Jersey State League of Municipalities • 222 West State Street • Trenton, NJ 08608 • (609) 695-3481 •FAX: (609) 695-0151