Except as otherwise ordered by city council, the purchasing agent shall provide the services stated in this chapter on behalf of all city departments. In the performance of his/her duties, the purchasing agent shall comply with applicable law and city council orders, including limitations on purchasing procedures. The purchasing agent may:
(A) Prepare and issue all solicitations.
(B) Issue a purchase order or execute a contract for procurement required by any city department, in accordance with procedures prescribed by this chapter up to the purchasing agent’s annual authorization.
(C) Amend any contract for supplies, equipment and services in any way that does not change the annual value, including, but not limited to, amendments extending the contract term, changing a vendor, contractor or consultant’s legal name, or authorizing higher costs and rates.
(D) Negotiate and recommend award of contracts for the purchase of supplies, equipment and services.
(E) Act to procure for the city the needed quality in supplies, equipment, and services at the best value to the city.
(F) Discourage uniform bidding and endeavor to obtain as full and open competition as possible on all purchases.
(G) Prepare and maintain for the city manager the purchasing manual, procurement card manual, and recommend revisions to both of these documents.
(H) Keep informed of current developments in the field of purchasing, prices, market conditions and new products.
(I) Maintain such forms as reasonably necessary to the operation of this chapter and other rules and regulations.
(J) Recommend to the city manager the transfer of surplus or unused supplies and equipment between departments as needed, and the sale of all supplies and equipment that cannot be used by any department or that have become unsuitable for city use.
(K) Use cooperative purchasing, whereby multiple government agencies, cooperative entities, or jurisdictions enter into a contract to procure from each other or to collectively procure a vendor, contractor or consultant.
(L) “Piggyback,” whereby the city utilizes another agency or jurisdiction’s solicitation results, but enters into a separate contract or issues a separate purchase order with the vendor.
(M) Recommend award of and execute a negotiated contract, subject to a department director or city manager's approval, when the purchasing agent determines that obtaining bids, quotations and proposals is not in the city's best interest.
(N) Develop and maintain a list of contractors, vendors and professionals identified according to categories of work.
(O) Prequalify or prescreen contractors, vendors and consultants.
(P) Maintain a list of the construction trade journals, as determined for the county by the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission, to which the city must deliver notice of all informal and formal construction contracts being bid for work within the county.
(Ord. No. 2943, 3016)