Lake Elsinore Municipal Code Art. I Purchasing System – Adoption – General Procedures

In order to establish efficient procedures for the purchase of supplies, services and equipment, to secure for the City supplies, services 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.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)

The procedures established by this chapter shall apply only to the purchase of supplies, equipment and services, and shall not apply to public projects as defined in Section 20161 of the California Public Contract Code. A purchase shall include leasing or renting of equipment and shall be valued for purposes of applying the procedures established by this chapter at the net present value of the payment amounts as determined by the Purchasing Officer.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)

To the extent there may be Federal requirements in the selection, award, or administration of a purchase or a contract supported by an award of Federal funds, the Purchasing Officer and all City departments shall comply with the City's adopted policy regarding Federal award programs contained in City Council Policy No. 300-15.

(Ord. 1392 § 1, 2018)

There is created the position of Purchasing Officer. The Purchasing Officer shall be responsible and have general supervision of the purchasing function. The duties of the Purchasing Officer shall be combined with those of the Director of Administrative Services. The Purchasing Officer shall have the authority to:

A. Procure or supervise the procurement of supplies and equipment required by the City at least expense to the City;

B. Negotiate and recommend execution of contracts or purchase orders for the purchase of supplies and equipment;

C. Administer contracts with vendors in cooperation with the departments using supplies and equipment;

D. Endeavor to obtain as full and open competition as possible on all purchases;

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

F. Prescribe and maintain such forms as reasonably necessary to the operation of this chapter and other rules and regulations;

G. Coordinate the inspection of all supplies and equipment purchased to insure conformance with specifications;

H. Recommend the transfer of surplus or unused supplies and equipment between departments as needed and the sale of supplies and equipment which cannot be used by any department or which become unsuitable for City use;

I. Maintain a bidder's list, vendor's catalog file and records needed for the efficient operation of purchasing functions; and

J. Adopt operational procedures relating to the execution of any of the above duties and responsibilities.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1409 § 4, 2019)

The Purchasing Officer, with approval of the City Council, may authorize in writing any agency or department to purchase or contract for specified supplies, services and equipment independently of the Purchasing Officer, but shall require that such purchases be made in conformity with the procedures established by this chapter. The Purchasing Officer shall also require that all documents supporting the formal or informal bidding procedures be attached to the City's copy of purchase order.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)

All City departments shall file detailed estimates of their requirements in supplies and equip-ment in such manner, at such time, and for such future periods as the Purchasing Officer shall prescribe.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)

Each City department shall submit requests for supplies, services and equipment to the Purchasing Officer by standard requisition forms, or by other means, as may be established by the purchasing rules and regulations.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)

Purchases of supplies, services and equipment shall be made by purchase order, or by such other procedures established by the Purchasing Officer.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)

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 such purchase is to be charged.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)

The Purchasing Officer or requesting department shall inspect supplies and equipment delivered and contractual services performed to determine their conformance with the specifications set forth in the order or contract. The Purchasing Officer shall have the right to waive any defect or informality. The Purchasing Officer shall have the 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.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)

The Purchasing Officer or requesting department shall not engage in contract splitting or purchase order splitting in order to avoid the bidding procedures as set forth in this chapter.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)

The City Manager is authorized to enter into contracts for the purchase of supplies or equipment or contracts for personal, professional, consultant and maintenance services where the amount of such contract does not exceed $50,000.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1503 § 4, 2025)

Notwithstanding the purchase procedures set forth in this chapter, bidding procedures for the purchases of supplies, services and equipment shall not apply to the following situations:

A. An emergency requires that an order be placed with the nearest available source of supply;

B. The commodity or service can be obtained from only one vendor;

C. The commodity or service can be obtained through a cooperative purchasing program devoted to local government procurement so long as the underlying procurement was made using bid procedures at least as restrictive as provided in this chapter;

D. Professional services contracts for accountants, attorneys, architects, engineers, surveyors, construction managers and other professionals and consultants;

E. When in the best interest of the City, the City Manager may authorize the Purchasing Officer to bypass the formal bid process for the purchase of surplus property from another governmental entity;

F. When in the best interest of the City, the City Manager may authorize the Purchasing Officer to bypass the bid process required under this chapter for purchases of $30,000 or less;

G. When in the best interest of the City, the City Council may authorize the City Manager or Purchasing Officer to bypass the bid process required under this chapter for purchases greater than $30,000; or

H. Purchases of less than $5,000.

The City Council will be advised by the City Manager of procurements over $5,000 which were exempted from the bid process set forth in this chapter.

(Ord. 1109 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1328 § 1, 2014)