(A) Designation of purchasing agency. The Howard County Board of Commissioners is hereby designated as the “Purchasing Agency” for all boards, offices, commissions, councils, departments or other establishments of Howard County, Indiana.
(B) Powers of the purchasing agency. The purchasing agency designated in division (A) of this section shall:
(1) Assume the duties, powers and responsibilities assigned to purchasing agencies under the Act, I.C. 5-22-1-1 et seq.
(2) Establish procedures, not inconsistent with the Act or this section, for obtaining supplies or services in a manner which will obtain the greatest economic value for Howard County.
(3) Prepare specifications and notice to bidders and ascertain that required notices are published where bidding and publication of notices are required by law.
(4) Designate in writing a purchasing agent to carry out the purposes of this section. Such purchasing agent shall act as the agent for the purchasing agency in the administration of the duties of the purchasing agency under the Act. The purchasing agent may not make purchases except as provided in division (C) below.
(5) Designate in writing such “Limited Purchasing Agents” as the purchasing agency deems appropriate and define in writing the limitations of their authority consistent with division (C) below.
(6) To make or authorize all purchases pursuant to the Act not delegated to the purchasing agent or limited purchasing agents under subdivisions (4) and (5) of this division (B).
(C) Purchases under $150,000.
(1) A SMALL PURCHASE is a purchase of supplies (as defined by I.C. 5-22-2-38) with an expected cost of less than $50,000.
(2) The Purchasing Agency may make a small purchase without competitive bidding under I.C. 5-22-7-1 et seq. or quotes under I.C. 5-22-8-1 et seq. upon such terms and conditions as it shall in its sole discretion deem appropriate.
(3) A Purchasing Agent is hereby authorized to make a small purchase not to exceed an expected cost of $10,000 without competitive bidding under I.C. 5-22-7-1 et seq. or quotes under I.C. 5-22-8-1 et seq. upon such terms and conditions as he shall in his sole discretion deem appropriate.
(4) A Limited Purchasing Agent is hereby authorized to make a small purchase not to exceed an expected cost of $5,000 without competitive bidding under I.C. 5-22-7-1 et seq. or quotes under I.C. 5-22-8-1 et seq. upon such terms and conditions as he shall in his sole discretion deem appropriate.
(5) If a purchase of supplies is expected to be at least $50,000 but not more than $150,000, the Purchasing Agency may, in its sole discretion, opt to proceed with receiving quotes pursuant to I.C. 5-22-8-3 rather than competitive bidding under I.C. 5-22-7-1 et seq.
(D) Preference for supplies manufactured in the United States. Supplies manufactured in the United States shall be specified for all purchases by the purchasing agency and shall be purchased unless the purchasing agency determines in writing that:
(1) The supplies are not manufactured in the United States in reasonably available quantities;
(2) The price of supplies manufactured in the United States exceeds by an unreasonable amount the price of available and comparable supplies manufactured elsewhere;
(3) The quality of the supplies manufactured in the United States is substantially less than quality of comparably priced available supplies manufactured elsewhere; or
(4) The purchase of supplies manufactured in the United States is not in the public interest.
(E) Purchase of services. As used in this division, the term SERVICES means the furnishing of labor, time, or effort by a person, not involving the delivery of specific supplies other than printed documents or other items that are merely incidental to the required performance, including (but not limited to) legal, medical, architectural, accounting, engineering, appraisal and insurance services. The purchasing agency may purchase services in whatever manner the purchasing agency determines to be reasonable and appropriate.
(Ord. 1998-BCC-29, passed 6-15-98; Am. Ord. 1998-BCC-44, passed 10-19-98; Am. Ord. 1998-BCC-53, passed 11-16-98; Am. Ord. 2008-BCC-09, passed 3-17-08)