Dunsmuir Municipal Code Ch. 3.08 Purchasing System

In order to establish efficient procedures for the purchase of supplies and equipment, to secure for the city supplies and equipment at the lowest possible cost commensurate with quality needed, to exercise positive financial control over purchases, to clearly define authority for the purchasing function and to assure the quality of purchases, a purchasing system is adopted.

(Prior code § 8-15; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

There is created the position of purchasing officer. This shall be the city manager. The duties of purchasing officer may be combined with those of any other office or position. The purchasing officer shall have authority to:

A. Purchase or contract for supplies and equipment required by any using agency in accordance with purchasing procedures prescribed by this chapter, such administrative regulations as the purchasing officer shall adopt, and such other rules and regulations as shall be prescribed by the city council;

B. Negotiate and recommend execution of contracts for the purchasing of supplies and equipment;

C. Act to procure for the city the needed quality in supplies and equipment at least expense to the city;

D. Discourage uniform bidding and endeavor to obtain as full and open competition as possible on all purchases;

E. Prepare and recommend to the city council rules governing the purchase of supplies and equipment for the city;

F. Prepare and recommend to the city council revisions and amendments to the purchasing rules;

G. Keep informed of current developments in the field of purchasing, prices, market conditions and new products;

H. Prescribe and maintain such forms as are reasonably necessary to the operation of this article and other rules and regulations;

I. Supervise the inspection of all supplies and equipment purchased to insure conformance with specifications;

J. Recommend the transfer of surplus or unused supplies and equipment between departments as needed, and the sale of all supplies which cannot be used by any agency or which have become unsuitable for city use;

K. Maintain bidder's list, vendors catalog file and records needed for the efficient operation of the purchasing department.

(Prior code § 8-16; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

The purchasing officer, with approval of the city council, may authorize in writing any agency to purchase or contract for specified supplies and equipment independently of the purchasing department, but he shall require that such purchases or contracts shall be made in conformity with the procedures established by this chapter, and shall further require periodic reports from the agency on the purchases and contracts made under such written authorization.

(Prior code § 8-17; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

Using agencies shall submit requests for supplies and equipment to the purchasing officer by standard requisition forms.

(Prior code § 8-18; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

Purchases of supplies and equipment shall be by bid procedures pursuant to sections 3.08.080 and 3.08.100. Bidding shall be dispensed with only when an emergency requires that an order be placed with the nearest available source of supply, when the amount involved is less than one hundred dollars ($100.00), or when the commodity can be obtained from only one vendor.

(Prior code § 8-19; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

Purchases of supplies and equipment shall be made only by purchasing order.

(Prior code § 8-20; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

Except in cases of emergency, the purchasing officer shall not issue any purchase order for supplies or equipment unless there exists an unencumbered appropriation in the fund account against which the purchase is to be charged.

(Prior code § 8-21; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, purchases and contracts for supplies and equipment of estimated value greater than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) shall be by written contract with the lowest responsible bidder pursuant to the procedure prescribed in this section:

A. Notice Inviting Bids. Notices inviting bids shall include a general description of the articles to be purchased, shall state where bid blanks and specifications may be secured, and the time and place for opening bids.

B. Rejection of Bids. In its discretion, the city council may reject any and all bids presented and readvertise for bids.

C. Award of Contracts. Contracts shall be awarded by the city council to the lowest responsible bidder except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

D. Tie Bids. If two or more bids received are for the same total amount or unit price, quality and service being equal and if the public interest will not permit the delay of readvertising for bids the city council may accept the one it chooses or accept the lowest bid made by negotiation with the tie bidders at the time of the bid opening.

E. Performance Bonds. The city council shall have authority to require a performance bond before entering a contract in such amount as it shall find reasonably necessary to protect the best interests of the city. If the city council requires a performance bond, the form and amount of the bond shall be described in the notice inviting bids.

(Prior code § 8-22; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

Purchase of supplies and equipment of an interested value of between two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) and five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) shall be brought to the city council for a decision on whether to apply the procedures of Section 3.08.080 (formal) or Section 3.08.100 (open-market).

(Prior code § 8-23; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

Purchases of supplies and equipment of an estimated value in the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) or less may be made by the purchasing officer in the open market without observing the procedure prescribed by Section 3.08.080.

A. Minimum Number of Bids. Open market purchases shall, whenever possible, be based on at least three bids, and shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.

B. Notice Inviting Bids. The purchasing officer shall solicit by written requests to prospective vendors, by telephone, and by public notice posted on a public bulletin board in city hall.

C. Written Bids. Sealed written bids shall be submitted to the purchasing officer who shall keep a record of all open market orders and bids for a period of one year after the submission of bids or the placing of orders. This record, while so kept, shall be open to public inspection.

(Prior code § 8-24; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)

The purchasing officer shall inspect supplies and equipment delivered to determine their conformance with the specifications set forth in the order or contract. The purchasing officer shall have authority to require chemical and physical tests of samples submitted with bids and samples of deliveries which are necessary to determine their quality and conformance with specifications.

(Prior code § 8-25; Ord. No. 549, § 1, 7-30-2015)