Chapter 3.20
PURCHASING SYSTEM
Sections:
3.20.010 Adopted.
3.20.020 Purchasing officer--Created--Powers and duties.
3.20.040 Standard requisition forms.
3.20.050 Purchase order--Required procedure.
3.20.060 Purchase order--Issuance conditions.
3.20.070 Bid procedures and services contracts--Generally.
3.20.080 Formal bid procedures.
3.20.090 Informal bid procedures.
3.20.100 Inspections and tests.
3.20.110 Contractors list.
3.20.120 Notice inviting informal bids.
3.20.130 Award of contracts.
3.20.010 Adopted.
In order to establish efficient procedures for the purchase of supplies, equipment and services, to secure for the city supplies, equipment and services 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. 79-6 §5(A), 1979).
3.20.020 Purchasing officer--Created--Powers and duties.
There is created the position of purchasing officer. The purchasing officer shall be appointed by the city council by resolution or minute order. 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, equipment and services 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 purchase of supplies, equipment and services;
C. Act to procure for the city the needed quality in supplies, equipment and services 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, equipment and services 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 chapter and other rules and regulations;
I. Supervise the inspection of all supplies, equipment and services purchased to insure conformance with specifications;
J. Recommend the transfer of surplus or unused supplies and equipment between departments as needed and sale of all supplies and equipment which cannot be used by any agency or which have become unsuitable for city use;
K. Maintain a bidders’ list, vendors catalog file and records needed for the efficient operation of the purchasing department. (Ord. 79-6 §5(3), 1979).
3.20.040 Standard requisition forms.
Using agencies shall submit requests for supplies, equipment and services to the purchasing officer by standard requisition forms. (Ord. 79-6 §5(D), 1979).
3.20.050 Purchase order--Required procedure.
Purchases of supplies, equipment and services shall be made only by purchase order, which purchase order shall be signed by both the purchasing officer and the finance director or by other method approved by the finance director. (Ord. 79-6 §5(E), 1979).
3.20.060 Purchase order--Issuance conditions.
Except in cases of emergency, the purchasing officer shall not issue any purchase order for supplies, equipment or services unless there exists an unencumbered appropriation in the fund account against which the purchase is to be charged. (Ord. 79-6 §5(F), 1979).
3.20.070 Bid procedures and services contracts--Generally.
Purchase of supplies, equipment and services for a public project or in connection therewith shall meet state requirements as set forth in Section 3.20.080 or 3.20.090, etc. and this section need not further be complied with. For all purchases of supplies not governed by said sections the procedure shall be as follows:
A. The purchasing officer is authorized to participate in and purchase under the authority of any California-authorized purchasing program or any purchasing program established for cities by the county of Fresno without further complying with this chapter. The purchasing officer and all other proper officers and officials are authorized to execute purchase orders and documents and perform other acts necessary for the city’s participation in any such programs.
B. Unless otherwise required by state law or this section, purchases of supplies and equipment of less than two hundred dollars may be made by the city purchasing officer in the open market subject to any policy rules issued by the city without observing the bid procedures set forth in this chapter.
C. Unless otherwise required by state law or this section, purchases of supplies and equipment greater than two hundred dollars shall be made by the city purchasing officer provided he complies with the following criteria:
1. Open market purchases shall, whenever possible, be based on at least three bid requests and receive at least two bids from prospective vendors and service agencies or by public notice posted on a public bulletin board in the city hall. These requests may be written or oral. The purchasing office shall accept the lowest responsible bidder subject to any policy rules the city may establish, but must receive a minimum of two bids before a purchase may be made;
2. Written or oral bids shall be submitted to the purchasing officer who shall keep record of all open market orders and bids for a period of one year at the submission of bids for the placing of orders. This record, while so kept, shall be open to public inspection. (Ord. 93-12 §2, 1993: Ord. 92-08 §2, 1992: Ord. 81-13 Part I, 1981: Ord. 79-6 §5(b), 1979).
3.20.080 Formal bid procedures.
Purchases of supplies, equipment and services for any public project as defined in Public Contracts Code Section 20161 shall be purchased in accordance with the procedures set forth in that section and following as those sections are now enacted or as they may be hereinafter amended without further reference to the procedure set forth in this code. (Ord. 93-12 §3, 1993: Ord. 92-08 §3, 1992: Ord. 81-13 Part II, 1981: Ord. 79-6 §5(G) (1), 1979).
3.20.090 Informal bid procedures.
Purchases of supplies, equipment and services for public projects as defined in Public Contracts Code Section 20161, but which are of an estimated value of less than those sums set forth for such public projects in Public Contracts Code Section 21202, shall be governed by the Public Contracts Code Sections 21200 etc. of that code without further compliance with this code. In this regard the city has complied with Section 21200 in that the governing board has by resolution elected to become subject to the uniform construction cost accounting procedures as set forth in Article II of the Public Contracts Code commencing with Section 21100, and has notified the controller of that election. (Ord. 93-12 §4, 1993: Ord. 92-08 §4, 1992: Ord. 86-8 (part), 1987; Ord. 81-13 Part III, 1981: Ord. 79-6 §5(G)(2), 1979).
3.20.100 Inspections and tests.
The purchasing officer shall inspect supplies, equipment and services 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. (Ord. 79-6 §5(H), 1979).
3.20.110 Contractors list.
A list of contractors shall be developed and maintained in accordance with the provisions of Section 22034 of the Public Contract Code and criteria promulgated from time to time by the California uniform construction cost accounting commission. (Ord. 86-8(part), 1987).
3.20.120 Notice inviting informal bids.
Where, a public project is to be performed which is subject to the provisions of the ordinance codified in this title, a notice inviting informal bids shall be mailed to all contractors for the category of work to be bid, as shown on the list developed in accordance with Section 3.20.090, and to all construction trade journals as specified by the California uniform construction cost accounting commission in accordance with Section 22036 of Public Contract Code. Additional contractors and/or construction trade journals may be noticed at the discretion of the department/agency soliciting bids; provided however:
A. If there is no list of qualified contractors maintained by the city for the particular category of work to be performed, the notice inviting bids shall be sent only to the construction trade journal specified by the commission.
B. If the product or service is proprietary in nature such that it can be obtained only from a certain contractor or contractors, the notice inviting informal bids may be sent exclusively to such contractor or contractors. (Ord. 86-8 (part), 1987).
3.20.130 Award of contracts.
The city council shall award informal contracts pursuant to this section. (Ord. 86-8 (part), 1987).