FOIA Request to City of Morganton regarding procurement bids and RFP submissions on February 1, 2026.
The Hickory Sun, a media organization focused on providing accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the City of Morganton. The request seeks access to records related to procurement bids and responses to requests for proposals (RFPs) received by the city during the immediately preceding calendar month.
The specific records requested include the solicitation or project title, names of bidders or proposers, submission dates, bid amounts or proposed costs, and descriptions of the goods or services proposed. The request emphasizes that it is limited to existing records and does not require the creation of new documents. The Hickory Sun has expressed a preference for receiving these records in electronic format if available.
In accordance with North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. ยง132-1., the Hickory Sun has also requested that if any portion of this request is denied or withheld, the City of Morganton should provide the specific statutory basis for such denial and release all reasonably segregable portions of the records. Additionally, as a member of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, they have requested a fee waiver due to their role in disseminating information and holding public institutions accountable.
The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.
