A. General Purchasing Procedures: Except as otherwise stated below in this chapter, all procurement shall be made pursuant to the following general purchasing procedures:
1. The department personnel prepare a requisition for the supplies or services that need to be purchased.
2. The department director approves the requisition.
3. The department selects a vendor or service provider according to the procedures for the type of expenditure, as outlined in subsections C through F of this section.
4. The department sends the selected vendor or service provider information to the Purchasing Agent.
5. The Purchasing Agent creates a purchase order and sends it to the vendor or service provider to place the order.
6. Upon receipt of the vendor's invoice for payment, accounts payable shall match the invoice with the purchase order and issue payment.
B. Exempt Expenditures: Exempt expenditures may be made without obtaining quotes or bids, but should be made with as much competition as practicable under the circumstances.
1. The purchasing procedure for exempt expenditures is as follows:
a. The department purchases items using a credit card, on account, or petty cash.
b. The department prepares a requisition for the item(s) that were purchased.
c. The department director approves the requisition.
d. The Purchasing Agent creates a purchase order.
e. Accounts payable matches the invoice (or receipt) with the purchase order and issues a payment check to the vendor.
C. Minor Expenditures: In order to select a vendor or service provider for minor expenditures, the department or Purchasing Agent shall solicit at least three (3) written or verbal price quotes and shall provide documentation of said price quotes to the Purchasing Agent as required in subsection A4 of this section, or by selecting a vendor or service provider pursuant to a State of Utah or other governmental entity cooperative contract.
D. Small Expenditures: In order to select a vendor or service provider for small expenditures, the Purchasing Agent or designee shall obtain and document price quotes by obtaining written or verbal quotes or bids, or by making the purchase pursuant to a State of Utah or other governmental entity cooperative contract.
E. Large Expenditures: In order to select a vendor for large expenditures the Purchasing Agent obtains bids or proposals using any of the following methods: invitation for bids, request for proposals, or by making the purchase pursuant to a State of Utah or other governmental entity cooperative contract.
F. Selection Procedures:
1. Evaluating Invitation For Bids And Request For Quotes: Bids and quotes shall be evaluated within a reasonable time by the Purchasing Agent or designee to determine the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, whose bid or quote conforms in all material aspects to the bid or quote specifications, and who has the capacity in all respects to perform in full the contract or purchase order requirements in a timely manner. The Purchasing Agent or designee may not use criteria not described in the invitation for bids or request for quotes to evaluate a bid or quote.
2. Evaluating Request For Proposals: Proposals shall be evaluated within a reasonable time by an Evaluation Committee comprised of at least three (3) City employees to determine which proposal provides the best value to the City. The Evaluation Committee shall evaluate each responsive and responsible proposal, whose proposal conforms in all material aspects to the proposal specifications, and who has the capacity in all respects to perform in full the contract or purchase order requirements in a timely manner. Evaluation criteria for a proposal may include items such as experience, qualifications, approach to the project, references, management plans, schedule of delivery, cost, and other subjective or objective criteria. At any time during the evaluation process, the Evaluation Committee may request additional information from a proposer or proposers, including oral interviews or presentations. Criteria not described in the request for proposals may not be used to evaluate a proposal.
3. Tie Bids: If two (2) or more bids received are for the same total amount or unit price, quality and service being equal, and if the public interest will not permit the delay of re-soliciting bids, the Purchasing Agent shall resolve a tie bid by resolving the tie in favor of:
a. The bidder closest to the point of delivery;
b. The bidder who received the previous award;
c. The bidder who will provide the earliest delivery date;
d. By drawing lots; or
e. Any other reasonable method.
4. Single Bids: In the event that only one (1) bid is received, the Purchasing Agent shall determine whether it is in the best interests of the City to re-solicit for additional bids, or proceed with a procurement award using the single bid received.
5. No bids Or Proposals: In the event no bids or proposals are received, the Purchasing Agent shall determine whether the delay of re-soliciting bids or proposals will be detrimental to the public interest. If a delay in re-soliciting bids or proposals would be detrimental to the public interest, the Purchasing Agent may purchase the supplies or services without obtaining quotes or proposals, but with as much competition as practicable under the circumstances. (Ord. 1257, 5-2-2017)