Merced Municipal Code Art. II Purchases Not Exceeding Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars

Except as otherwise provided in this article, the purchase of materials, supplies, equipment, and contractual services of an estimated value of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) or less, the "bidding threshold," may be made by the purchasing supervisor in the open market. The bidding threshold shall be adjusted annually to account for inflation by using the consumer price index, ("CPI") for the region closest to the city. The finance officer shall cause the CPI calculation to occur and shall implement the adjustment when the cumulative increase is one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and for every thousand dollars cumulative total thereafter. In the event the CPI is no longer available, the finance officer shall use a similar index to account for inflation in any adjustment to the bidding threshold.

(Amended during 8-08 supplement; Ord. 2299 § 2, 2008: Ord. 1994 § 1, 1998: Ord. 1162 § 1 (part), 1976: prior code § 2.27(A)).

The purchasing supervisor shall serve the best interests of the city through soliciting bids from prospective vendors by direct mail requests, checking prices by telephone inquiry, comparing prices on file, or by notice on official city bulletin boards. Notices soliciting bids shall include a general description of the materials, supplies, equipment or contractual services to be purchased. The purchasing supervisor may require written specifications. The purchasing supervisor shall keep a record of all open market purchases and the bidding in competition thereon, and such records shall be open to public inspection. Such records may be destroyed after two (2) years.

(Amended during 8-08 supplement; Ord. 1162 § 1 (part), 1976: prior code § 2.27(B)).

The purchasing supervisor, at his discretion, when it is in the best interests of the city to do so, may waive any informalities or minor irregularities in any bid process, may reject any or all bids, offers or quotations, or may accept the bid, offer or quotation that best serves the public purpose even though it may not be the lowest.

(Amended during 8-08 supplement; Ord. 1162 § 1 (part), 1976: prior code § 2.27(C)).

A. Generally. The restrictions and requirements of Sections 3.04.090, 3.04.120, and 3.04.130 shall not apply to contracts involving the obtaining of professional or specialized services such as, but not limited to, services rendered by architects, attorneys, engineers, and other specialized consultants.

B. Services. The city manager is authorized to bind the city, by written contract, purchase order, or change order, involving an expenditure not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) in any one (1) transaction, exclusive of sales or use tax, hereinafter "city manager's authorization," without advertising or previous action by the city council, for the payment for professional or specialized services or other valuable considerations or a combination of services and supplies, to be furnished to the city in any one (1) contract. The city manager's authorization shall be adjusted for inflation utilizing the same index and methodology as the bidding threshold in Section 3.04.080 of this code.

C. Limitations. The power of the city manager to act under this section shall be dependent upon the existence of funds authorized for the specific program by the city council, and such power will not be used by the city manager to split contracts for supplies or services, or combinations thereof, so as to avoid the bid requirements in this chapter.

(Ord. 2299 § 3, 2008: Ord. 1994 § 2, 1998: Ord. 1619 § 1, 1986: Ord. 1338 § 1, 1980: prior code § 2.27.1).