Ohio has 88 counties. The county bidding rules in Ohio Revised Code (R.C.) 307.86 to 307.92 apply statewide, and the public improvement rules in R.C. chapter 153 add bid guaranty and bond requirements for construction. The bid threshold is tied to R.C. 9.17 and rises each year. Whether charter counties such as Cuyahoga and Summit follow their own procurement codes is not confirmed.
At a glance
| Topic | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who buys | Board of county commissioners or other county contracting authority | R.C. 307.86 |
| Goods and services | Bid above the R.C. 9.17 amount ($75,000 through 2024, plus 3% a year) | R.C. 307.86; 9.17 |
| Construction | Same R.C. 9.17 threshold; R.C. 153.54 guaranty and bond also apply | R.C. 307.86; 307.88 |
| Notice | Once a week for 2 weeks: newspaper, state notice site, or county website and social media | R.C. 307.87 |
| Award | Lowest and best bidder; sealed proposals allowed | R.C. 307.90; 307.86(M) |
| Bid security | Goods: up to 5%. Construction: full-amount bond or 10% check or letter of credit | R.C. 307.88; 153.54 |
| Bonds | Construction: bond for contract amount; may be waived at $100,000 or less | R.C. 153.54; 307.88 |
| Prevailing wage | Base thresholds $250,000 new, $75,000 repair; road amounts indexed | R.C. 4115.03, 4115.034 |
| Retainage | Not confirmed for counties; check the solicitation | R.C. 153.13 |
| Prompt payment | Not confirmed for counties; check the solicitation | R.C. 153.14 |
| Cooperative purchasing | State DAS contracts, cooperative programs and GSA allowed | R.C. 125.04; 9.48 |
| Preferences and certifications | No contracts over $25,000 to persons with unresolved findings (state-funded) | R.C. 9.24 |
| Architects and engineers | Qualifications-based selection; fees of $25,000 or less exempt | R.C. 153.69; 153.71 |
Who buys
Each county is governed by a board of county commissioners, which awards contracts at public meetings. Other county officers who are "contracting authorities" also buy under R.C. 307.86 to 307.92 (R.C. 307.86).
Goods and services
Counties must competitively bid purchases, leases and construction contracts that cost more than the amount in R.C. 9.17 (R.C. 307.86).
| Period | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Through 2024 | $75,000 (set by HB 33, effective Oct. 3, 2023) |
| Each year after 2024 | Prior amount plus 3%, published by the Director of Commerce |
Source: R.C. 9.17. By our math, 3% a year gives $77,250 for 2025 and $79,567.50 for 2026, but we have not confirmed the Director's published figures. Check the bid notice.
Emergencies. With a unanimous board vote, a county may skip formal bidding in an emergency up to $125,000. Between the R.C. 9.17 amount and $125,000, it must get informal estimates from at least 3 qualified persons (R.C. 307.86(A)).
Proposals. Counties may use competitive sealed proposals (RFPs) when the contracting authority finds them advantageous, following R.C. 307.862 (R.C. 307.86(M)).
Bid security. For non-construction bids over the R.C. 9.17 amount, the county may require a guaranty of no more than 5% of the bid, stated in the notice. It may be a bond, certified or cashier's check, or money order (R.C. 307.88). See bid security.
We found no statewide quote rule below the R.C. 9.17 amount. County policy applies.
Construction and public works
Threshold. County construction contracts above the R.C. 9.17 amount must be bid (R.C. 307.86). They must also meet the bid guaranty and bond rules in R.C. 153.54. The board may exempt bids of $100,000 or less from R.C. 153.54 by unanimous vote (R.C. 307.88).
Bid guaranty. With the bid, either a bid bond for the full bid amount, or a certified check, cashier's check or letter of credit for 10% of the bid (R.C. 153.54).
Contract bond. After award, the winner files a bond for the amount of the contract. It covers both performance and payment of subcontractors, material suppliers and laborers (R.C. 153.54(C)).
County engineer road work and force-account limits were not confirmed.
Notice and award
Notice. The county publishes notice once a week for at least 2 consecutive weeks before bid opening, in at least one of these (R.C. 307.87):
- A print or digital newspaper of general circulation in the county.
- The state's official public notice website.
- The county's website and social media account.
The notice is also posted on a public bulletin board for 2 weeks.
Award. Contracts go to the "lowest and best bidder," and the county may reject all bids (R.C. 307.90). See lowest responsible bidder.
Prevailing wage
Ohio's prevailing wage law covers counties, since "public authority" includes political subdivision boards and officers. The statutory base thresholds are (R.C. 4115.03, 4115.034):
| Work | Base threshold |
|---|---|
| New construction | $250,000 |
| Reconstruction or repair | $75,000 |
| Roads, streets, sewers and ditches, new | $78,258 |
| Roads, streets, sewers and ditches, repair | $23,447 |
The road amounts are adjusted every even-numbered year by the Director of Commerce, capped at 3% per adjustment (R.C. 4115.034). The current 2026 adjusted figures, and whether the general thresholds are also indexed, were not confirmed. Check the solicitation.
Getting paid
R.C. 153.13 and 153.14 require retained amounts plus interest to be paid within 30 days after substantial completion and approved estimates to be paid within 30 days. These sections are written for state-supervised projects. Whether they and their retainage limits apply to county projects is not confirmed. We also found no general local government prompt payment statute for goods and services. Check the payment terms in each contract.
Cooperative purchasing and state contracts
- State contracts. Counties may buy through state Department of Administrative Services (DAS) contracts after filing a resolution, and may be charged a fee. These purchases are exempt from competitive selection unless the county already got a lower bid (R.C. 125.04(B)).
- Joint and cooperative buying. Political subdivisions may let others join their contracts, join state or national association purchasing programs, use federal GSA offerings, or buy elsewhere at a lower price on equal terms. These are exempt from competitive selection if the underlying contract was competitively solicited (R.C. 9.48).
Preferences and required certifications
- Unresolved findings for recovery. A political subdivision that received more than $50,000 of state money may not award a state-funded contract over $25,000 to a person with an unresolved finding for recovery (R.C. 9.24).
- Israel boycott. The contract declaration in R.C. 9.76 applies to state agencies, not by its terms to counties.
R.C. 307.90 contains no buy-Ohio preference. E-Verify, Iran certifications and veteran preferences for county contracts were not confirmed; check the solicitation.
Architects and engineers
Ohio's mini-Brooks law expressly covers counties as "public authorities." The county ranks at least 3 qualified firms and negotiates a fair and reasonable fee with the top-ranked firm (R.C. 153.65, 153.69). Exemptions include estimated fees of $25,000 or less, fees of $25,000 to $50,000 when the firm is chosen from those that filed qualifications in the past year, and emergencies (R.C. 153.71). See qualifications-based selection.
Recent changes
- Oct. 3, 2023: HB 33 set the R.C. 9.17 amount at $75,000 with 3% annual increases after 2024.
- Apr. 9, 2025: HB 497 let counties post bid notices on their website and social media and updated R.C. 307.88 (R.C. 307.87, 307.88).
- Sept. 30, 2025: HB 96 amended R.C. 153.54, 307.86, 9.24 and chapter 153 payment sections.
Practical tips for Ohio
- Ask for the current R.C. 9.17 amount. The bid threshold changes every January.
- Watch the county's website and social media as well as newspapers. Notices can appear in any outlet R.C. 307.87 allows.
- Have bonding in place before bidding construction. The guaranty is a full-amount bond or a 10% check or letter of credit.
- Check Ohio counties for each county's bid platform, contacts and agendas.
Questions
What is the bid threshold for Ohio counties?
Counties must competitively bid purchases, leases and construction contracts costing more than the R.C. 9.17 amount (R.C. 307.86). It was $75,000 through 2024 and rises 3% each calendar year after 2024, as published by the Director of Commerce (R.C. 9.17).
How are Ohio county bids advertised?
Once a week for at least 2 consecutive weeks before bid opening, in a print or digital newspaper, on the state's public notice website, or on the county's website and social media account, plus a public bulletin board for 2 weeks (R.C. 307.87).
Who wins an Ohio county bid?
The lowest and best bidder. The county may reject all bids (R.C. 307.90). Competitive sealed proposals are allowed when the county finds them advantageous (R.C. 307.86(M)).
What bonds do Ohio counties require on construction?
With the bid, a bond for the full bid amount, or a certified check, cashier's check or letter of credit for 10% of the bid. The winner then files a bond for the contract amount covering performance and payment (R.C. 153.54). The board may waive this for bids of $100,000 or less by unanimous vote (R.C. 307.88).
When does Ohio prevailing wage apply to county projects?
On public improvements above statutory base thresholds of $250,000 for new construction and $75,000 for reconstruction or repair, with separate road and sewer amounts adjusted every even-numbered year (R.C. 4115.03, 4115.034). Check the solicitation for the current adjusted figures.
Can an Ohio county buy off state or cooperative contracts?
Yes. Counties may buy through state DAS contracts after filing a resolution (R.C. 125.04) and may join cooperative programs or use federal GSA offerings without new bids if the underlying contract was competitively solicited (R.C. 9.48).
How do Ohio counties hire architects and engineers?
On qualifications. The county ranks at least 3 firms and negotiates a fee with the top firm (R.C. 153.65, 153.69). Fees of $25,000 or less are exempt (R.C. 153.71).
Sources
- Ohio Rev. Code 9.17, bidding threshold amount
- Ohio Rev. Code 307.86, when counties must bid (eff. Sept. 30, 2025)
- Ohio Rev. Code 307.87, bid notice (eff. Apr. 9, 2025)
- Ohio Rev. Code 307.88, bid guaranty and bond exemption (eff. Apr. 9, 2025)
- Ohio Rev. Code 307.90, award to lowest and best bidder
- Ohio Rev. Code 153.54, bid guaranty and contract bond (eff. Sept. 30, 2025)
- Ohio Rev. Code 4115.03, prevailing wage thresholds
- Ohio Rev. Code 4115.034, threshold adjustments
- Ohio Rev. Code 153.13, retainage on state-supervised projects
- Ohio Rev. Code 153.14, payment of estimates
- Ohio Rev. Code 125.04, purchases through state DAS contracts
- Ohio Rev. Code 9.48, joint and cooperative purchasing
- Ohio Rev. Code 9.24, unresolved findings for recovery
- Ohio Rev. Code 9.76, Israel boycott declaration (state agencies)
- Ohio Rev. Code 153.65 and 153.69, architects, engineers and surveyors
- Ohio Rev. Code 153.71, exemptions from professional design selection