(A) Definitions and authorizations.
(1) Terms here shall have the meaning ascribed to them in I.C. 5-22 et seq. ("the Act").
(2) The Board hereby affirms that it is the designated purchasing agency for the county.
(3) The Board hereby authorizes the persons in the following positions or offices to act as purchasing agents on behalf of the Board, as purchasing agency:
(a) All officials elected to a county office;
(b) The County Highway Department Superintendent; and
(c) Any other persons as may be designated, in writing, by the Board.
(B) Purchasing procedures.
(1) Available appropriation. All purchases must be supported by an available and unencumbered appropriation when legally obligating the county to the purchase. If the purchasing agent is uncertain as to the availability of an existing appropriation, the agent should consult with the Board before initiating the bid/quote solicitation process. If no available appropriation exists, then, as to county department heads, the proposed purchase should first be submitted to the Board for its approval before submitting the proposed purchase for appropriation approval to the Daviess County Council ("Council"). Elected officials may proceed directly to contact the Council for approval of a necessary appropriation.
(2) Purchase of services. Services may be purchased by any means approved by the Board. Only the Board may approve a contract for the purchase of services.
(3) Small purchases. Small purchases are those that are reasonably expected by the purchasing agent to be less than $150,000. Purchasing requirements may not be artificially divided so as to bring each of a series of individual purchases under the above limitation.
(a) Purchases of less than $50,000. A purchasing agent may purchase non-capital supplies having a reasonably expected cost of less than $50,000 without the prior approval of the Board if such purchase is included within the purchasing agent's approved county budget and by obtaining quotes, if practical, from at least two vendors known to deal in the lines or class of supplies to be purchased. The purchasing agent may accept the lowest quote from a responsive and responsible quoting vendor that best serves the needs of the county.
(b) Purchases more than $50,000. A purchasing agent shall use the procedures set forth in I.C. 5-22-8-3, as from time to time amended, for the purchase of supplies reasonably expected to cost at least $50,000 but not more than $150,000. The Board must accept the lowest responsive quote that comes from a responsible quoting vendor. The Board may reject any or all quotes for reason(s) that are stated in the minutes of its meeting where the quotes were considered.
(4) Competitive bidding of purchases. Purchases reasonably expected by the purchasing agent to be $150,000 or more shall comply with the procedures for competitive bidding set forth in I.C. 5-22-7, as from time to time amended, unless the purchases qualify for treatment under another section of the Act.
(5) Special purchases. The Act authorizes certain types of purchases to be made without following any of the previously described bid or quote solicitation procedures. Such special purchases may include, but are not necessarily limited to, purchases that exist due to a unique opportunity for savings; purchases made at an auction; purchases of data software programs, license agreements or other such proprietary or copyrighted property; purchases from a single source of supply; and other purchases described in I.C. 5-22-10, as from time to time amended. Before proceeding under the special purchase provisions of the Act, the purchasing agent shall first consult with the Board and its counsel to:
(a) Determine that the particular purchase is properly within the scope of the special purchases section of the Act;
(b) Consider what procedures might be implemented that would better assure the maximum degree of competition as is practicable under the circumstances; and
(c) Assure that the necessary contract records and documents that are required by the Act are properly created and maintained by the county.
(6) Buy local preferences. The Board hereby declares its intent that those small non-capital purchases that may be directly made by a purchasing agent hereunder be procured, if possible, from a vendor locally based within Daviess County, Indiana, provided the price differential between a local vendor and a non-local vendor is nonmaterial.
(Ord. 98-5, passed - -; Ord. 2018-4, passed 3-13-2018; Ord. 2018-6, passed 4-24-2018)