(A) The City Business Manager shall designate, and City Council shall approve annually, certain positions as purchasing officers empowered to purchase or contract against budget appropriations. Only these designated positions will be empowered to obligate the city. The initial positions empowered to purchase or contract against budget appropriations is attached to the ordinance from which this section derives as exhibit A, and incorporated herein by this specific reference.
(B) For all purchases of goods, services, or capital (all purchases or disbursements other than payroll and debt service) for which the obligation and final invoice for the payment of the obligation does not occur within the same month, purchase orders, or contracts shall be prepared and approved, in writing, by a designated purchasing officer prior to the time the purchase commitment is made. The approved purchase order or contract shall be forwarded to an officer or employee charged with keeping the appropriation and expenditure records (encumbering clerk), who shall determine that there exists available unencumbered appropriation for that purpose. Upon such determination, the encumbering clerk shall attest to that fact in writing. If appropriation is not available for the proposed purchase or commitment, the purchase or commitment shall not proceed until budget amendments are authorized to provide sufficient appropriation.
(1) Upon approval of the purchasing officer and encumbering clerk, an encumbrance shall be recorded in the appropriation and expenditure records in the amount or estimated amount of the commitment.
(2) These encumbering requirements shall not apply to the following type of purchases or commitments:
(a) Payroll and payroll related expenses;
(b) Utility and telephone services by entities governed by State Corporation Commission;
(c) Insurance contracts; and
(d) Purchases where the obligation and final invoice are processed in the same month.
(C) For all purchases or contracts for goods, services, or capital, the following persons shall be authorized to obligate the city up to the amount designated:
(1) Under $15,000: the designated purchasing agent will be allowed to obligate the city;
(2) All purchases under $25,000: the City Business Manager will be able to obligate the city; and
(3) Any amount over $25,000: City Council approval shall be obtained prior to the time the commitment is made, and such approval shall be recorded in the minutes of the Council.
(D) Council approval shall not apply to the following type of purchases or commitments if previously approved by the Council: payroll and personal services, utilities, insurance requirements of the city, debt service, capital purchases, or commitments as approved in the annual budget document and commitments by the city to organizations governed by the State Corporation Commission.
(E) For all purchases of goods, services, or capital, the approved requisition, purchase order, or contract shall be forwarded to the officer or employee charged with keeping the appropriation and expenditure records, who shall determine that sufficient unencumbered appropriations exist in the accounts to be charged. Upon such determination, the officer or employee shall attest to that fact in writing.
(F) If appropriation is not available for the proposed purchase or commitment, the purchase or commitment shall not proceed until budget amendments are authorized to provide sufficient appropriation.
(G) Upon receipt of a qualified request, the purchasing agent shall obtain pricing from at least three different vendors, if practical, according to the following standards:
(1) Fifty thousand dollars or less: for any public construction contract or public improvement contract, as defined by 61 O.S. § 102(6) and (7), written quotations and prior approval by the City Council; and
(2) Fifty thousand dollars or more: for any public construction contract or public improvement contract, as defined by 61 O.S. § 102(6) and (7), sealed bids.
(H) After satisfactory delivery of the merchandise or completion of contract provisions, an invoice or claim form shall be obtained, adequately documenting request for payment. The officer or employee receiving satisfactory delivery of merchandise or contract service shall acknowledge such fact by signing the invoice, claim form, delivery ticket, or receiving advice.
(1) The invoice or claims form, along with the written acknowledgment of receipt, shall be forwarded to the officer or employee responsible for processing accounts payable, who shall review the invoice for accuracy and propriety, including comparison to the authorized purchase order or contract, if applicable.
(2) Upon completion of the accounts payable officer review, the invoices or claim forms, along with the related supporting documentation, shall be submitted to the City Business Manager for consideration and approval of payment, along with an accompanying invoice or claims listing, which shall be approved in writing by the City Business Manager.
(I) The accounts payable officer shall accumulate all properly submitted and due claims and invoices to be processed for payment and present them to the City Business Manager for consideration and approval for payment. Upon such approval for payment, the accounts payable officer shall issue properly signed checks, or other authorized forms of payment, in payment of said claims and invoices. A list of claims and invoices paid will be prepared and presented by the Finance Committee and submitted, for informational purposes, to the City Council at its next regular meeting following the payment date.
(J) The City Business Manager shall record or cause to be recorded in the appropriate journals and ledgers the purchases and cash disbursements incurred and paid.
(Prior Code, § 20-203) (Ord. 2014-049, passed 12-1-2014)